Chastity gathers a fellowship of guitar players for 'Innocence' video

Will McGuirk March 30, 2019

By Will McGuirk

One of the main themes within the work of Chastity is the idea of community, could be a band, could be an audience, could be kids hanging in a school yard or a festival line-up, wherever whichever Brandon Willams has a real knack of bringing folks together.

In this latest video for the track “Innocence” from the album ‘Death Lust’ Chastity gathered a fellowship of guitarists; Linnea Siggelkow and Colm Hinds from Ellis, Katie Monks from Dilly Dally, Liam Sanagan from Techno Hall of Fame, Denholm Whale from Odonis Odonis, Mark Grundy from Heaven 4 Real, Curtis Skeete from Native Other, Jordan Keen from Tonight Tonight and Adam Sturgeon from Whoop Szo.

It got loud they say, no doubt.

2019 River & Sky line-up announced; U.S. Girls. Fucked Up, Hollerado headlining

Will McGuirk March 26, 2019

By Will McGuirk

River & Sky is not your average woodsy get-together. Nope the music/camping festival held at Fishers’ Paradise, Field, ON, July 18 to 21 2019, is an adventure trek into music, an alt-hike to get higher, a wilderness sleep-over with morning saunas, its glam-rock glamping, Camp Do The Right Thing, its feed and be fed, live and let thrive, and this year the soundtrack to your enviro-sustaining outing is just as progressive as the festival, with prog-punkers Fucked Up, the prog-discotech of U.S. Girls, the prog-pop of the Fast Romantics - get the picture, then get the tickets.

The R&S is one of the best, its enlightening and northern and cosmic, and after ten years, just got wonderfully weird, bringing in a broad list of bands reaching deep into their own community and as far out into the world as is possible for a small indie self-made north Ontario festival to go. And it seems such as thing can go far out.

In a press release director Peter Zwarich says celebrating inclusivity and acceptance is the goal and to that end world music is coming to the banks of the Sturgeon River.

“ We’re excited to feature Altin Gün, an Amsterdam-based band playing Turkish folk with a 1970s psychedelic-funk twist, Mdou Moctor, and his Tuareg band from Niger, who has been called the ‘Hendrix of the Sahara,’ the Austin duo Little Mazarn, with ethereal banjo and vocals by Lindsey Verrill, and New York City’s Gladys Lazer, the project of Tel Aviv-born drummer Gal Lazer,” he says. “We want everyone to soak in some nature and summertime vibes and feel at home at R&S.”

Regionally-related acts include Tommy & the Commies, Dirty Princes, Oli Palkovits, Slow Eaters, all from Sudbury, our pal Annie Sumi with ties to North Bay, and Lisa Marie Naponse of Atikameksheng Anishinawbek.

For a small festival with a sustainability goal, travelling by car and parking, are issues to be dealt with. To that end organisers have partnered with Temagami Outfitting Company to offer packaged canoe trips to Fishers’ Paradise. Pine Falls Lodge will be the starting point for the Murray Creek Route.

What better way to arrive to a party in the North than in Voyageur style.

Here’s the details y’all need to know.

5-Day Advance Pass:
Get there a full day ahead of the festival’s official start: Arrive July 17 and stay until end of day July 21. $230 (includes HST and processing fees)

4-Day Advance Passes:
Arrive July 18 and stay until July 21. $210 (includes HST and processing fees)

3-Day Advance Passes:
Arrive July 19 and stay until the evening, July 21. $160 (includes HST and processing fees).

Full Day Passes (advance): Friday $75, Saturday $75, Sunday $30. Night Passes (advance): $55 (Thursday; Friday; Saturday)

Children 16 years and younger with their families get in for free.Dogs welcome on leashes. Must be spayed or neutered. Sauna and Swimming – yes, but always at your own risk. No Beer tent: BYOB at your campsite. Camping available in field and forest area on the property. Cost of camping (in a tent) included in the price. Trailers/RVs will pay a fee, depending on the size. .

Charlotte Cornfield - Photo by Jenna Ledger

Slowcity.ca Open Mic: March marches on edition featuring Lucy Rose, Charlotte Cornfield, Lee Harvey Osmond, Dynoro with Ina Wroldsen, Amaara, PUP, Alae plus Haviah Mighty returns

Will McGuirk March 25, 2019

By Will McGuirk

Well, I’ve no idea how we got here March. Your turn is done, Spring is springing, its almost over and thus its time to begin, get the music outside, get yourself outside, sit on the deck and turn up slowcity'.ca’s open mic with a wide range of new rad tunes from Lucy Rose, Charlotte Cornfield, Lee Harvey Osmond, Dynoro x Ina Wroldsen, AMAARA, PUP, Alae and HAVIAH MIGHTY.

SHOWS

amaara March 25 @ The Great Hall, Toronto
Haviah Mighty - April 5 @ The Diezel Room, Oshawa
PUP - April 7/8 Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
Lee Harvey Osmond - May 3 @ Koerner Hall, and May 16 @ Hugh’s Room, Toronto

Nothing rotten about Greek metal gods Rotting Christ's 'Heretics' - review by Peter Fitzpatrick

Will McGuirk March 23, 2019

By Peter Fitzpatrick
Guest Hard Rock reviewer

With a band name like Rotting Christ, you might immediately have visions of angry guys with long, dark hair screaming about Satan and evil. But with their newest studio effort The Heretics, you’d be wrong.

At first glance, these Greek metal gods may seem like most black metal bands with a blasphemous name, anti-Christian lyrical themes, and a band logo that is difficult to read.

However, Rotting Christ will surprise you with strong riffs – melodic sections counterpunched by heavy, powerful chugging – supported by a mixture of choral and spoken word segments and intelligent lyrics that can be applied to any power, religious or otherwise.

Read more at The Chronicle ->

Weather Station, Rose Cousins, Ariana Gillis, Ron Sexsmith at Orillia's Roots North Fest

Will McGuirk March 22, 2019

Celebrating five years, Roots North in Downtown Orillia, ON. has announced its line-up for this year with some of the country’s best singer/songwriters lighting up the two-day festival at St Paul’s Event Centre.

The iconic Ron Sexsmith headlines Friday Apr 26 with Rose Cousins and Ariana Gillis. On Saturday its the wonderful Weather Station with Alysha Brilla and VK also performing.

There are performances scheduled at Brewery Bay and the Brownstone Cafe as well. Skye Wallace is at the cafe Friday and Zachary Lucky is at the Bay Saturday. More artists and venues are to be announced.

Tickets and information are available here ->

Hey Oshawa scensters, Saturday's choices include Greenbank, Garnet or Horseshoe

Will McGuirk March 21, 2019

By Will McGuirk

All or nothing to reference a brewery, feast or famine etc; Oshawa scenesters have a choice to make on Saturday Mar 23. So much goodness, so much high rock-ness but one can only choose one folks, (possibly two). Demographics may determine what show y’all end up at.

U.I.C is at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern: Those of a certain Star Club vintage will be on board for the OG garage punkers. The kats played the Star Club Memorial for Mike Star and they were just as fierce in 2016 as they were in 1986. They are playing with The Surfrajettes and Teenage X.

Billard Blossom at the Garnet in Peterborough: This supergroup from Velvet Elvis era Oshawa kats have a new album, “Change Your Grip” and they are out and about doing gigs, that is when they are not out and about doing other things including gigs. Some bands these kats have played in include Bradley Boy, Anagram, Tijuana Jesus and well Oliver Ward has too many to just pick one.

Rory Taillon, Stephen Fearing at the Greenbank Folk Club: Dang, this is a gig and a half!! Oshawa kats from the Wasted Space/Moustache Club times will be digging this pretty rad show for Rory Taillon. Now based in Ottawa Taillon is in many ways on a line with Tom Wilson of Blackie & the Rodeo Kings which features Colin Linden Stephen Fearing who is the headliner here. The Greenbank FC is a gem, always a great night, always an attentive audience, and one should go if only to see Fearing’s reaction when he hears the Taillon no mic required voice.

Moving on up, The Standstills set to release 'Badlands' and tour with Monster Truck, Nickelback

Will McGuirk March 21, 2019

By Will McGuirk

Our lovely pals, The Standstills, are making a hometown stop at The Oshawa Music Hall April 5 2019. The gig is part of a Spring tour with Monster Truck and the duo will be supporting their new album, “Badlands” which releases Mar 22 via eOne Music. This is all good news for the band and as they have been so good to slowcity.ca, we wish Jonny Fox and Renee Couture well.

The ‘Badlands’ follows on from their 2015 EP, ‘From the Devil’s Porch’ and the single “Orleans” which charted at #4 on Active Rock radio. The Standstills were awarded Best New Rock Group at the Canadian Radio Music Awards and iTunes named it one of the best rock albums of the year. Yay Standstills!! They also just played a sold out show at the Reeperbahn Festival held in Hamburg, Germany. They are touring with Monster Truck and then have a couple of dates after, one with Nickelback.

TOUR DATES:

March 26 - The Brass Monkey - Ottawa, ON*
March 28 - The Marquee Ballroom - Halifax, NS*
March 29 - Tide & Boar - Moncton, NB*
March 30 - Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market - Fredericton, NB*
April 5 - The Music Hall Concert Theatre - Oshawa, ON*
April 6 - The Moose & Goose - Thorold, ON*
June 30 - Tail Creek Mud & Music Festival - Nevis, AB+
July 20 - Les Grandes Fetes Telus - Rimouski, QC^
* w/Monster Truck
+ w/ Pop Evil & Grandson
^ w/Nickelback

Lennon Stella at the Danforth Music Hall, a journey into a past and into a future

Will McGuirk March 20, 2019

Sometimes it is just the journey.

In the first season of Renaissance Man there is an episode with Dani Crosby. Dani and I created a painting based on words based on feelings. I was feeling tired and old. One of the main disappointments for me at the time was the lack of anything concrete to show for being in the Oshawa music scene for three decades, apart from the Glen Bensley Walk of Fame star outside Isabella’s that is.

Dani drew my feelings out, we created a word map and then the painting came out of that process. What I learned from Dani, the painting shows, is its sometimes just the journey.

That journey definitely includes Rosanna and Giacomo Bruno of Isabella’s Chocolate Cafe. Curiously Broken Arts Collective, the all-ages organization, which officially retires at the next RMG Fridays on Apr 5, was launched in part because of a show I was presenting at the cafe. That was ten years ago.

RMG Fridays grew in part out of art shows I was presenting at Arthur on the 4th. At that time quite some years ago there was no music, no events and like today very little engagement with the local arts scene. Brad and Marylynne Stella were featured in a series of paintings by Jeff Leech. There were quite a few in the series, including Matt Holtby, Liisa Whalley and Glen Bensley. I wanted the series to be shown at the RMG so I undertook the project. It took some doing. Leech’s series was shown at the Station Gallery and he did have a painting in the Durham Reach show, as did Dani Crosby. The full series never was displayed in the RMG.

I was in Isabella’s yesterday (Mar. 19) and in the course of the conversation Rosa mentioned she was going to see Lennon Stella at the Danforth Music Hall. She invited me, we went.

The Stellas had been regulars at the cafe when the family lived in the area. Brad and Marylynne were regulars too at Glen Bensley’s open mic. The Stellas were also featured at the Shwaltz, a festival in Oshawa I had a hand in making.

“This is actually a song Lennon wrote herself”

So we went just to go and to see the girl perform on her first date of her solo show singing her songs from her album.

She seemed nervous although I doubt she was, Lennon has had a lot of experience on stage and on tv in the show, Nashville. She seemed more comfortable when she sat on a stool with an acoustic guitar for the track, “Polaroid” and behind the keys for a ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’ cover. Comfortable in so much as she was chatting with the audience, engaging more. On the tracks where she sang and danced with her band, there wasn’t so much interaction, although with every pause there was a surge of screaming with would overwhelm anyone who did try to speak.

The show was the first of two back-to-back sold-out shows. the second is tonight Mar 20.

The top photo above is of the show ticket and a copy of the Wooly Tuque, a fanzine I published in the early 90s. There is a small piece on some Stellas in a rock band, they are just kids themselves then. The Tuque was created because I didn’t think the big media in town were covering enough of the local alternative and indie scene. So I made a platform, just like this slowcity.ca is and just like Renaissance Man is.

I am a local music nerd, the scene has been good to me and think l I have been good to it in return; not just indie music but indie thinking. I am a believer in DIY, in making the world you want, in building the world you want, on action. Maybe I have nothing really to show for it all after thirty years or maybe I do. Maybe someone else decides that.

I was chatting with my mum on St Patrick’s Day as she was surrounded by several great-grandchildren. I marvelled at how she has seen them born, their parents before them and their parents, her own children. Its a wonderful thing to be, to be a witness, to life and birth and growth and pride and dreams being manifested.

So maybe there is nothing concrete, nothing tangible, no marker to say I have made something here. Maybe the only marker is the briefest of a connection with others on their journey and sometimes, most times, at all times really its just a journey, me on mine and Lennon on hers. God speed.

Wooly release Blue Heron Books session video for "Mother'

Will McGuirk March 19, 2019

By Will McGuirk

Wooly are a young four piece from Whitby working on the next level, I think they will get there. Building on relationships created while I was working recently in Uxbridge at Blue Heron Books with musician Matt Gunn and filmmaker Luke Camozzi, Wooly came in to record a session.

As you can the bookstore is a beauty, one of the finest independent bookstores in North America (its won awards folks) and it is the hub of the arts in north Durham Region. Take the time to visit and support with dollars, and while you are at check out the Second Wedge Brewery, another rad place in the downtown.

Matt Gunn is making music and making things happen and Luke is generous and professional and has a great eye.

There is a lack of all-ages opportunities for musicians in Durham Region - this is just one attempt at creating a platform for them here on slowcity.ca. It may lead to an actual space for all-ages shows, we will see, but I am happy to have this document of my time at Blue Heron and to share this video with you.

Anything like this takes a crew so thank you to Shelley and staff, Luke, Matt and the band; Alex, Jonah, Amika and Chris for the trust.

Slowcity.ca Open Mic: The day after the night before edition featuring Beoga, Adyn Townes, Black Label Society, Local Natives and Sleepy Tom with Lights,

Will McGuirk March 18, 2019

What a fine and rare weekend was had, mixing pop and politics, St. Patrick’s Day and JUNO awards in London, Ontario, but back to life, back to reality but slowly with some help from these guests here on the open mic; Beoga, Adyn Townes, Black Label Society, Local Natives, and Sleepy Tom .

Black Label Society - May 14, 15 @ Opera House, Toronto
Local Natives - May 27 @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto

Going to the #JUNOSldn; A guide to the city's indie scene by Adam Sturgeon of WHOOP-Szo

Will McGuirk March 14, 2019

By Will McGuirk
with Adam Sturgeon

The annual movable musical feast that is the Junos travelling from coast to coast to coast, city to city to city, provides an opportunity to spotlight the host city, its music, arts, food and heritage.

However a machine that big takes up space and can cast a shadow on the work of those already present, building, creating and making in their hometown, long before and long after the country pays and stops paying attention.

Adam Sturgeon is one of those builder folks in London Ontario, the 2019 JUNOs host,. We asked Adam for a guide to the city he has been involved in and he kindly agreed.

So if London is calling you this weekend, make room for some of Adam’s suggestions and mos def checkout his band of pals, WHOOP-Szo at the Toboggan Brewing Company, with Howzat and Voivod. And when his band comes to your town, pay attention to them then too.

Thank you Adam, so what should a visitor check out to get the Londoner’s London?

”For galleries you gotta check out Forest City Gallery and it's neighbour Good Sport. These are the most community minded spaces. FCG has an illustrious history, not only is it one of Canada's first artists run centres and a main player in establishing artists fee's (via CARFAC) it is also the home to the Hear Here Music Series and also the home to the Nihilist Spasm Band. During the Junos I'd also hit up Museum London for their "women to the front" exhibit, Print Pop at DNA Artspace (123 Dundas St) happening all day Saturday.”

”Call the Office remains a staple, rain or shine, and new spaces like the Baker's Dozen (B13) play host to a number of community events and organizations. One of the longest running venues nowadays happens to be home at the corner of Oxford and Adelaide. It's been many things from the Out of Sound House, to the Foam Doam and now simply the DOAM. It's great that the neighbours have never cared and offers a bit of seclusion for young bands to let fly. Luckily, this week is London Girls Rock Camp at TAP (The Arts Project). These lucky ones are the next generation getting the type of support and empowerment this city truly needs right now.”

”Can't come to London and not get a late night Greek Fry at Sammy Souvlaki's (Richmond and York St) Food Truck. Alternately a Peanut Butter Burger from Prince Al's might move you. If you're looking for something a little nicer I might hit up the Root Cellar or Morrissey House (Meatloaf anybody).”

“I'm not a huge drinker but Anderson's sure makes a mean Cream Ale and London Brewing Co-Op might also host a show in their community minded space.

One thing London definitely has is awesome record shops: Speed City, Grooves, Village Idiot and Odyssey are all totally unique to themselves and bringing in the right digs for all the different music lovers in London.

Finally, you gotta get some JOE; Rebel Remedy Health bar might swoon you with their herbal tonics, kombucha's and etc, but sure do make a mean latte. Same goes for Back Roads, Juicy Tings and Bicycle Cafe.“