Beauty Americana on tap at Manantler Craft Brewery with Bagtownie Kenny James stopping by Oct 1 2016. His “Tougher Than Nails” album has it all, sweeping vistas of Western twang, shuffle beats, and a delivery that calls to mind Blue Rodeo with a chunky chunk of Dwight Yoakam's sidestepping rockabilly. The Sackville NB based artist plays what we used to call cowpunk back in the Queen St. days but whatever you want to call it don’t call it too late.
Americana Review weighs in on TURF highlights this weekend, Sept 18-19
By Americana Review
A huge weekend of music in the Greater Toronto Area takes place over the next few days with the fourth edition of the Toronto Urban Roots Festival, a musical celebration of roots music and independent artists taking place at Historic Fort York, just east of downtown Toronto.
Finding its permanent home on the festival schedule, the third weekend of September, the Toronto Urban Roots Festival (or TURF as it’s more commonly known), has taken its rightful place among the top music festivals not just in Toronto, but North America. TURF offers a wide variety of artists that represent many musical tastes. Veteran artists and relative newcomers will take the TURF stages over the weekend, with many acts taking the stage at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern and Lee’s Palace as part of the TURF Club Series. The Series kicked off in strong fashion on Wednesday night with Limblifter and Overnight at the Horseshoe, and the Sheepdogs and Adam Baldwin playing to a sold out Lee’s Palace.
Among the highlights of this coming weekend, be sure to check out some great Canadian acts like Matt Andersen and the Bona Fide, The Sadies, Whitehorse, Corb Lund and Lee Harvey Osmond. TURF will also showcase some incredible acts from south of the border with two legendary alt-country bands the Drive-by Truckers and the Dropkick Murphy’s performing on two different stages on Friday night. Fortunately their sets are back to back, so you can catch full sets from both bands. Margo Price, whom some music journalists tout as one of the female saviours of traditional country music, will perform Friday afternoon. The Felice Brothers highlight a solid lineup on Saturday, with Death Cab For Cutie at the top of the bill to close the Fort York portion of TURF on Sunday night.
A vendor section and some of the best food trucks in Toronto contribute to what is one of the best weeks and weekends on the musical calendar in the GTA. Whether you take in one day, all three days, or take in a club show, the Toronto Urban Roots Festival is the areas’ best showcase of independent artists showcasing their gifted talent. Check out the TURF web site for full lineup and scheduling.
Crepe House serves up Norfolk County Beerstock in Powell Park, Oct 1 2016
The Norfolk County Beerstock takes place this year Oct 1 at Powell Park in downtown Port Dover. In past years the event was held at the Crepe House on Park Street. The change of location reflects the growth of Beerstock and allows for more vendors for more people. Vendors include Beau's All Natural Brewing, Bell City Brewing, Black Oak Brewing Company, Blue Elephant Craft Brew House, The Cider Keg, Collective Arts Brewing, New Limburg Brewery, Ramblin' Road Brewery Farm, South Coast Wines, Wellington Brewery as well as Dover Cheese Shop, David's Restaurant, Erie Beach Hotel , Klassy Kettle Corn, Lago Trattoria , Matz Fruit Barn, Schofeilds Bistro, Two Eleven Mainand Urban Parisian. Entertainment is provided by The Dudes, Jesse Murphy Trio, Lower Ground and others. Tickets are $25 in advance, $35 at the gate. Tickets include five sample vouchers and a Festival sample cup. Beerstock runs 11 a.m. to 6p.m. Tickets available here.
Beau’s Polaris Pale Ale, maybe for The Party at Andy Shauf’s.
Beau’s Craft Brewery has teamed with Polaris Music Prize for a celebratory brew to honour the 2016 nominees. Black Mountain, White Lung, Andy Shauf, Basia Bulat, Grimes, Carly Rae Jepsen, Jessy Lanza, Kaytranada, PUP, U.S.Girls, Beau’s is an award winning, employee-ownedindependent brewery in Vankleek Hill, ON. It was founded in 2006 by Steve Beauchesne and his dad. The Polaris Pale Ale, wheat and hops based with a woodland nose, will be available in 600 ml bottles for the Polaris gala Sept 19 2016, at the pre-party 5-7 p.m. at the Drake Hotel and at the main event itself at The Carlu, 8-11p.m. (both in Toronto). The beer will be available at the Drake Devonshire Inn in Wellington, Prince Edward County. If there are any left after all those music journos discover it, you may be able to get yourself some at stores in Ontari-ari-o and Quebec afterwards.
Edited: 600L to 600 ml - 08252016 11:30 am
All or Nothing wins the bottle of Trafalgar, sweet deal brewed up with mead maker
All or Nothing Brewery in Oshawa Ont. has purchased all and everything of the Oakville-based Trafalgar Ales & Meads as well as its sister companies, the Black Creek Historic Brewery and Trafalgar Artisanal Distillery. Co-owner Jeff Dornan of All or Nothing says the brewery has no immediate plans to leave Oshawa although the Press release states the purchase comes with a bricks and mortar facility in Oakville.
"All or Nothing will continue to exist in Oshawa for the foreseeable future, we just resigned our lease for another 2 years so we are not planning to uproot and move operations anytime soon. The Durham region has been very good to us over the last couple years and we want to continue to work and live in the community," says Dornan when contacted by Slowcity.ca
The purchase gives All or Nothing access to greater production capacity he says and further investments in the new facility will be made, including fermentation tanks and new canning lines.
"We will be expanding the All or Nothing line into additional wheat beers sticking with our company philosophy of being Canada's choice for wheat beer. We are looking at having an additional All or Nothing sku launch into the LCBO for fall of this year," he says.
Many breweries are becoming community hubs, event spaces and restaurants. Dornan says they have plans to use the location in a variety of ways.
"Trafalgar currently has a great bottle shop and intimate event space that we are looking to freshen up and create more regular programming in. We are always excited when brewery fans come to visit and look forward to welcoming them to the Trafalgar location in the days ahead," he says.
Slowcity.ca is always excited to see creative entrepreneurs coming out on the win side of an all or nothing.