Songs for the Revolution: climate call, musical response
There’s no denying it: we are living in the midst of a global climate emergency. Yet we go on with our daily lives. Where to start? What would be most effective? And how can we have a sense of hope ...
Songs for the Revolution – International Women’s Day
I’d like to begin this article by acknowledging my privilege as a male-identifying, white passing person of mixed ethnicity. I am writing this article from so-called Ottawa, and I acknowledge that this is unceded Algonquin, Anishinabek territory. Language, I believe, ...
Songs for the Revolution: acknowledging folk alliances
I want to acknowledge that I am writing this article from unceded Algonquin Territory. Songs for the Revolution is a monthly column digging into folk culture, the music and what lies beneath. This one is about the International Folk Alliance ...
Songs for the Revolution: Strengthening our democracy
I am excited to begin this year with a new monthly column entitled “Songs for the Revolution.” Some of the topics I’ll be exploring are poverty, racism, equity, social justice, religion, immigration, culture and politics. I’ll look to explore them ...
Ottawa’s CityFolk Festival goes cyber
It’s Friday night. Steve Earle, Hannah Georgas, Hawksley Workman and Jason Isbell are scheduled to perform at this year’s Ottawa CityFolk Festival. And here I am sitting at my computer — about to attend Ottawa’s Annual folk fest. Is this ...
Folk alliances in New Orleans: a personal reflection on the ...
I was snowed in at Folk Alliance International in Montreal when I first heard FAI 2020 would be in New Orleans. In that moment, all I knew was, one way or another, I would find a way to FAI in ...
Robert Plant provides the coda to Ottawa CityFolk
The sun was shining Sunday afternoon at Ottawa CityFolk, and many people started streaming in with Led Zeppelin t-shirts and memorabilia. There was a little excitement in the air in anticipation of the night’s headline act. I arrived in time ...
CityFolk pours on to the city streets
A harvest moon was rising. It was a cool September night. CityFolk was rambling in. We were treated to a perfect night to usher in the festivities. Lucinda Williams came out in a leather jacket, black nail polish, her “Get ...
Ottawa’s CityFolk festival rambles in
Ottawa’s CityFolk festival is upon us, bringing some strong nostalgic headliners, such as Lucinda Williams and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant among others, along with a myriad of local acts. CityFolk a few years back introduced Marvest, an idea as I ...
Ottawa Bluesfest wrap-up: K’naan waving the flag for Pussy Riot ...
The final Bluesfest weekend saw Somalian born artist K’naan take to the City Stage early evening, and it was a chaotic start; his mic was not functioning, then it was, then it wasn’t. K’naan’s show benefits heavily from his song ...