Songs for the Revolution: Buskers for residential school survivors
This month, with National Indigenous People’s Day this past Monday, Songs for the Revolution is highlighting a benefit that recently took place in support of Residential School Survivors. As an ally, I want to acknowledge that this article is being written ...
Songs for the Revolution: Indigenous voices rising
Let me begin by acknowledging, as an ally, that this article is being written from traditional unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Anishinaabek territory. I would also like to acknowledge the rich history of this land. Songs for the Revolution would like to ...
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 ...