Deep Dark River's Northern Gothic sounds at Kops Wed. Dec 18

By Will McGuirk

Deep Dark River is Morgan Rider’s prog-folk project. Rider draws upon his classical music heritage, a love of metal and his chops as a solo artist, to create something all of his own. Dark folk, prog-folk, all apt descriptions; his work is could serve as a soundtrack to the novels of Atwood, the Queen of Northern Gothic. His new album “Levithan & the Deep, Dark Blue” has just been released. Deep Dark River will be playing at Kops Records in Oshawa Dec 18 as part of their Jolly Shwally Holidays.

The Birds of Ontario are pecking up speed; they play Kops Dec 18 and Oshawa Music Hall Dec 20

By Will McGuirk

Since landing once again in Durham Region, the Birds of Ontario, (an Americana music project by Port Perry native and onetime Modern Day Brave, Joe Roncetti who has been living in LA for many years) has really taken off. The band are flying high on their self-titled album, playing extensively around the GTA and Eastern Ontario. They will be part of the Jolly Shwally Holidays at Kops Records in Oshawa, Wednesday, Dec 18 where they will share a bill with Deep Dark River. The Birds of Ontario are also playing at the Oshawa Music Hall with The Stables and Trish Robb Dec 20. They also play The Piston in TO tonite on Dec 17 and have a gig at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in the new year, Jan 9. The album is streaming on Spotify and you can listen to the single, “Come to Me” below.

Slowcity.ca Open Mic -post Moonshine edition with Donovan Woods, Nathaniel Rateliff, Marcus King, Jenn Grant, The Blue Stones, Hot Chip, Lexxicon, HEALTH with Xiu Xiu

By Will McGuirk

In a world in which the centre will not hold, in a world where division is norm, fragments of shattered orders realign along old ideas on a global scale, so too the artists realign themselves. Look for them. Stand with them. Connect with them.

“We can always be in touch. So heartache must be getting harder.”  - Donovan Woods

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“The Party is a story about a woman, filled with anticipation in those moments while getting ready for the party, which sometimes feels like the best part,”  says Grant. “It’s about the evening to come, of dancing and love and loneliness and gathering. And something that resonates with this time of year, under all the sparkling lights.”

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Harrison, the Cassidys, Stephen Fearing, Rose Cousins, Blood Orange Dirty Projectors and Yorkston, Thorne & Khan

By Will McGuirk

Had my hair did, the hairdresser said to me when done, well that should last the rest of the decade. Only struck me then where we are at. Time has broken down for me into smaller and smaller chunks, I think I live a decade in a day. One time I had one job for 25 years and now I have twenty five different jobs in a year. We stay busy, time flies, years roll in, decades are marked but are you marking the passing of each moment , the advent of a new moment, with the same celebrations. Happy New Moment.

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“I think about how we're so disconnected. I get sucked into my phone and forget to go for a walk because of this sense of obligation that I have that convinces me to get as much work done as possible. It feels like we’re not connecting in person as much as we used to and that we may be the loneliest we've ever been. We're missing what's actually happening, like, the earth being on fire. We get caught in the spin of comparing our lives to social media depictions, false standards of a good life. I’ve been thinking about how we must be getting close to a breaking point." - Rose Cousins

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Mattie Leon releases video for 'Silver Line', plays Manantler in Bowmanville Dec 21

By Will McGuirk

This Mattie Leon, this Paul Simon in a lumber jacket, is coming to Bowmanville for a set at Manantler Craft Brewery Saturday Dec 21 2019. This video is for his new single “Silver Line” which we talked about here previously. Sweet sounds, sure to warm the cockles of the coldest Northern heart.

Kasador drop new single "Waiting", new tour dates announced.

By Will McGuirk

Our pals in Kasador, who recently took the time to come by Kops Oshawa and hang out prior to a gig at the Music Hall, have released a video for their single, “Waiting”. Its from the album ‘Brood & Bloom’, look for some visual shoutouts to the Mighty Shwarock City in there too. And this is a great pop song that will have you dancing in the aisles. Tour dates below the vid, no Oshawa gigs but the Kasadorians are always welcome to drop in if they’re passing on the 401.

Slowcity.ca Open Mic - w/ Chelsea Stewart, Claire Ridgely, Pink Leather Jackets, Jonathan Wilson, LeRiche, Bear's Den and Mondo Cozmo

By Will McGuirk

A message to you, the tide is high, get on this good time ska/reggae number from the Chelsea Gal, there’s great tunes out there and great tunes in here, don’t give in, get in, and sway to the languid rude sounds on the slooooowcity.ca open mic vibrations.

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“Today, in many normal situations we find ourselves feeling disconnected from those around us, because we've hired a middle man to help us communicate. Sometimes it just gets in the way of genuine connection. Put down your phone. Stay connected to what really matters.” - LeRiche

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Back on track with Holy Fuck, Union Duke, Friendly Rich, Pablo Paddy, Sam Weber, Loving, Sasha Cay, Blair Lee and Heather Valley

By Will McGuirk

Holy Fuck! So much to do. I have lots of events at Kops Records Oshawa coming up, I’m involved in the 2020 Oshawa Music Awards and I have a new TV show for Bell FIbe1 on the Oshawa music scene about to start shooting. its always about building platforms, but its also about maintaining them. So lets get back on track and dig into some new tunes here.

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"There isn't a single narrative driving this album, but we do linger on some basic human problems: confusion in the face of a desire for self-knowledge and belonging, a struggle for meaning that is circular and sometimes seemingly endless," - Loving

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Its beginning to look a lot like. . . with Valerie June, Tamia, Good Lovelies, Sasami, Bailen, and Andrew Bird

By Will McGuirk

Here in the Slowcity.ca there is an ice storm, the ground is covered in slippy white stuff, its crunchy and cold and its beginning to look like Winter is snapping at our heels. So here is some cheery Xmas sounds for y’all to go with the hot bevys and slippers.

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The Good Lovlies will be donating a portion of each sale of their new ‘Evergreen’ album sold during their 2019 Christmas tour towards the planting of a "Good Lovelies Forest," near Burk's Falls, ON. “This is one small step that we can take to offset our carbon emissions as touring musicians,” says Caroline Brooks. The Good Lovelies forest will be planted in the spring of 2020

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Jolly Shwally Holidays; Kops Oshawa presents Wildlife, Beams, Native Other, The Doozies and more

By Will McGuirk

Kops Records Oshawa is wishing all a jolly shwally Christmas. The store, located at 156 Simcoe S., in the area of the Motor City we call SoJo, is hosting a week of bands starting Dec 17 and running through to Dec 22.

Its a full on celebration of Oshawa music at a time when this city may just need something to perk itself up. That behemoth in the south is slouching outta here at year-end and there will be hurt, there will be pain, and healing will be required. In response some ex-pat Shwakats are coming home with love and some Shwakats who live here are coming out to show the Shwa some love.

The shows are free but we are asking all who attend to bring donations of art materials for our neighbours at the Living Room Art Studio. They help heal and they will be needed and they run on donations so help out. We need the Living Room, we will need their healing, we also need art, we also need music, lots of it.

So very happy to announce this shwasome line-up;

Dec. 17 2019 - Poor Pelly, The Doozies

Dec. 18, 2019 - Birds of Ontario, Deep Dark River

Dec. 19, 2019 - Condo, Native Other

Dec. 20, 2019 - Wildlife, Kate Boothman

Dec 21, 2019 - Brooklyn Doran, The Butter Cups, Beams

Dec 22, 2019 - Azalyne and friends

The shows are all-ages and take place in the late afternoon.

Taylor Knox plays Oshawa Music Hall Saturday Nov 23, afternoon in-store at Kops

By Will McGuirk

Its takes work and commitment, it doesn’t just happen, not for anyone, and it took work for power pop stalwart Taylor Knox to come into Oshawa headlining at the Oshawa Music Hall on Saturday. I saw it first hand. Taylor came into Oshawa several times when I was doing shows, the Ziggy Pop nights, at The Hub some years back. He didn’t draw, thats Ok., I didn’t care because he was great. He came back and back again, and he works and writes and works and tours and now he returns to Oshawa topping the bill. He is touring his new record, ‘Here Tonight’, its great, hooky as a fishing hat. See ya Saturday.

Jackie releases 'Lifetime in a Touch', plays Oshawa Music Hall Nov 23

By Will McGuirk

“Maybe writing quality music will be more important than having Instagram followers again someday.” - Jackie Mohr

Jackie will open for Taylor Knox at the Oshawa Music Hall Nov 23 2019.

Dan Edmonds releases single 'Beside You', new album 'Softie' due Nov 22 2019

By Will McGuirk

“The intention of "Beside You" was to examine the imbalance between love and insecurity. Specifically, it was written in a moment in which I was deeply invested in someone, perhaps too much for my own good. I was trying to capture a specific feeling -- when you've built up an idea of someone, and believe it to be true. It can crush your spirit when what you've built falls.” - Dan Edmonds