One of the many joys of attending multiple folk festivals every summer is the discovery of each one’s inherent uniqueness. From picturesque country settings dotted with lawn chairs and rows of port-o-potties, to historic urban settings dotted with tourists and wedding parties; from organic vegetarian fare to burgers and fries; and from local singer/songwriters with [...]
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All photos by James Dean Kevin Breit released his first ever singer/songwriter album, entitled “Simple Earnest Plea” on Tuesday, June 22nd at Hugh’s Room in Toronto. Kevin’s songs have been recorded by many others including Norah Jones but this album features Kevin’s vocal debut – he has previously been known for his virtuosic and firey [...]
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King City Ontario’s Jon Brooks has had quite the year. In September of 2009, he won the Canadian regional finals for the Mountain Stage Song Contest (West Virginia). In May 2010 , he was one of six winners in the Kerrville New Folk contest (Texas), a competition which in years past has featured the likes of [...]
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We begin what we hope will be an exhaustive video series on the dozens of folk/roots festivals across Canada with a look at “On the Canal Festival / Folk sur le Canal” in Montreal. Entering its third year, Matt Large, Dave Cool, Carl Comeau and many volunteers stage a weekend concert at McAuslan Brewing Inc.’s [...]
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This is more love letter than review. I feel fortunate to have been able to see and hear this stand-out voice-in-the-making as Melody Gardot brought her well-heeled jazz ensemble to Toronto’s Enwave Theatre for a 90 (seemed like 30)-minute show. First off, if you have a talent demanding an audience’s complete attention, may I recommend [...]
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We’re not usually in the business of making commercials. But if this exclusive video of master songwriter Steve Poltz hearing his new album at 33 rpm for the first time doesn’t make you want to buy the record, we’ll eat our antlers. Produced by fellow Haligonian Joel Plaskett, recorded on vintage analog tape with gorgeous [...]
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There seems to be much misinformation swirling about concerning Charlotte, North Carolina’s Avett Brothers and what they do. The buzz is potentially crippling yet the band’s two leaders: Seth and older brother Scott, joined at the hip to bassist Bob Crawford and oft augmented by cellist, Joe Kwon with the occasional drummer, surmount the scuttlebutt [...]
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The news that Alison Brown is coming to Toronto is huge. The last time she tried, she was waylaid by the threat of SARS. But you may not know her – or her music. All the more reason to read on, fair music fan – as her Sunday night show at Hugh’s Room will provide [...]
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Rumours have been swirling lately about border guards and customs agents getting stricter with musical instruments entering the U.S. Restrictions on exotic materials in instruments exist for good reason: to protect endangered species and prevent poaching. However, musicians are understandably worried about what is, and isn’t at risk of confiscation when crossing the border in [...]
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In July 2009, Halifax’s Dave Carroll won the equivalent of a Canadian singer/songwriter’s Lotto Max; his video, United Breaks Guitars, went viral. Wildly viral. Millions and millions of views, three-hundred media interviews, and, according to Wikipedia, even the stock-market value of United Airlines reacted negatively within days of the song’s release. One year later, life [...]
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