Category Archives: Genre

June 2, 2015, Ottawa, ON— CityFolk music festival organizers today announced the initial line-up for their 2015 program. Confirmed acts to date include: Van Morrison, The Avett Brothers, Wilco, Of Monsters and Men, Passenger, UB40, The Tubes, The Sheepdogs, Patrick Watson, Walk Off The Earth, Lord Huron, Elle King, Lisa LeBlanc, Lucinda Williams, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, Amy Helm, Lucius, Lee Harvey Osmond, Steep Canyon Rangers, Built to Spill, The Barr Brothers, Wintersleep, Sun Kil Moon, Will Butler, Steve Poltz, Fortunate Ones, The Everyone Orchestra, Frank Fairfield & The Down Hill Strugglers, Terra Lightfoot, Scarlett Jane, and Charlie A’Court, with more to be announced in the weeks ahead.

Vancouver singer/songwriter Rodney DeCroo is touring across Canada to promote his new album Campfires on the Moon. He played a stop last week at Toronto’s The Tennessee, and we were there to shoot a few pictures and take in his set.

This past Monday night we were in Markham taking in one of Canada’s most celebrated Country Music nights.  The 3rd annual CMAO Awards took place in Markham, Ontario.  For those of you who haven’t been lucky enough to secure tickets to this outstanding event I would have to suggest buy early next year.  This year’s line up was over the top with the likes of Tim Hicks, Autumn Hill, Deric Ruttan, Small Town Pistols and Jason Blaine to name a few.

In just over four weeks the 35^th edition of the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival will present 780 musicians in 123 concerts from June 18 – July 1. From its humble origins as a weekend of outdoor jazz 35 years ago, the Festival has evolved into one of Canada’s largest and most highly anticipated international jazz festivals.

So Jason McCoy is set to host the 2nd Annual CMAO Awards being held at the Flato Markham Theatre and I had the chance to catch up with Jason earlier this week.

RBC Ottawa Bluesfest organizers today announced two major additions to an ever-burgeoning line-up, which already includes such heavy weights as Keith Urban, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kanye West and more.

It was a very red hued evening for Canadian Music Week fans at the Smiling Buddah for The Dead South. Dark and mood setting. The four piece from Saskatchewan, came dressed to kill. And kill it, they did. The audience changed when they started to play. They quieted down and moved forward. They danced and they hooted.

Republic Live, organizers of the Boots and Hearts Music Festival,has announced the Top 8 Finalists for the Emerging Artist Showcase presented by SiriusXM Canada. The final eight artists include Birds of Bellwoods, Eric Ethridge, James Barker Band, Johnson Crook, Leanne Pearson, Ray Gibson, Tenille Arts and Travis Wood. The finalists will be competing for a chance to perform on the Main Stage at Boots and Hearts prior to Thomas Rhett on Sunday, August 9^th, in addition to winning a single release with Universal Music Canada and an opportunity to perform on the Main Stage at Boots and Hearts 2016. Fans are invited to vote for the Top 8 Finalists at www.bootsandhearts.com/showcase. Fan votes will determine the artists’ placement in the performance line up on the Front Porch Stage in front of a panel of judges at Boots and Hearts on Saturday, August 8, 2015.

It’s no secret that the city of Ottawa is thirsting for country music lately, with two country music stations and a country heavy line-up at Ottawa Bluesfest, I can’t think of anyone better to kick off a summer of country music in Ottawa than the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan.  Living up to his title Luke proved he was more than ready, and able, to quench our thirst.

Leading Canadian artists and performers have touted the Brockville Arts Centre as Canada’s foremost mid-sized historic theatre. The recent $2 million facelift, has raised the eyebrows of Canada’s musical elite with a sound system equivalent to Celine Dion’s Las Vegas system. Luxurious seating duplicated form Washington’s Lincoln Centre and historic chandeliers from the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. One of the most memorable compliments comes from renowned Canadian Artist, John McDermott, who was quoted that “of the many continents he has performed at, Brockville Arts Centre has acoustic excellence second to none”.