Category Archives: Festivals

It may only be May 1 but tonight kicks off one of the biggest summer’s of live music Ottawa has seen in a very long time.

CMW 2015 starts tomorrow and if you haven’t nailed down your schedule yet let me propose the following options or additions.

The 2015 lineup for North Bay’s Summer in the Park was announced this week and it’s fully loaded with plenty of Kickin it Country and Killer Classic Rock!

Last night the Where It All Began Tour (#WIABtour) stopped in at The Mod Club in Toronto.  I have to say this is one of the better one-two punches to hit Toronto in the last couple months.   Dan + Shay brought 32 year old Canaan Smith from Williamsburg, Virginia along for the ride.   I had the chance to sit down and chat with Canaan earlier in the day and that will be posted soon.  So I can’t deny that I was pretty excited for his set.  And let me tell you he did not disappoint.   So much talent packed into this guy.  Strong lyrics, outstanding vocals and a kick ass performance!

So the fine folks down at the Burlington Sound of Music Festival announced yesterday afternoon that they have decided to run a ticketed event that will help support the FREE Annual Event.   So looks like Weezer, Our Lady Peace, Finger Eleven and Current Swell are set to take the stage on June 13.  Here are the official details.

Sound of Music Festival – PAID TICKET EVENT

Weezer, Our Lady Peace, Finger Eleven & Current Swell

Saturday June 13 2015

ALL AGES SHOW

Fredericton Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival

The Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival has signed five new international acts to add to its 25th anniversary festival line up.  All of the groups, some of the most in demand new artists on the international festival circuit, will make their Harvest début at the 2015 edition of the Festival this September 15-20.

Chad Brownlee – Photo by Trish Cassling for Sound Check Entertainment

To say that 2015 has started with a bang is a major understatement.  It took the independent Sound Check over a year to hit 100,000 readers and we hit 200,000 in just the first month and a half of 2015.

Our top stories of Q1 2015 included breaking the news of Luke Bryan in Ottawa and the 2015 Ottawa Bluesfest line-up as well as our coast to coast coverage of Dallas Smith’s Tippin’ Point Tour and Chad Brownlee’s When the Lights Go Down tour not to mention our unprecedented concert coverage from New Country 94’s welcome to Ottawa party with Dallas Smith to Florida Georgia Line and ZZ Top in Kingston. All of this and only in the first 3 months of 2015.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead from April to June 2015

So late Sunday afternoon our friends at Ottawa Bluesfest posted a teaser video, hinting at the BIGGEST headliner yet for this July’s festival.

UPDATE:
Kayne West added to the lineup (March 30).

Ticket prices: There is a wait on the website to get tickets but these are the prices we know:

Day Passes: $50 (plus service charges) except July 9 and 10 ($60 each) and July 11, 16 and 17 ($55 each)
Pick 3: $99
Tier 1: $199 Tier 2: $249 (as each Tier sells out prices will move the next Tier)

While researching for a preview piece leading up to tomorrow’s believed 2015 line-up announcement for RBC Royal Bank Ottawa Bluesfest I came across the 2015 Ottawa Bluesfest website via a Google search. Based on information we had been told leading up to today there were enough constancies to make us believe this is was the real thing.  ***Update: The information below was confirmed by an official announcement by Ottawa Bluesfest posted at the bottom of this article***

The Stella’s, photo by Jeanette Johnston for Sound Check Entertainment

We were first introduced to Brad and Marylynne Stella at Boots and Hearts in 2013, their on-stage chemistry was captivating and we were hooked.   In 2015 they’re on tour, have an album coming out and you will, again, see them at Boots and Hearts this August.