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Alexandria Maillot

Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Storry, The Dunlop Brothers, Nathan Smith, Overcoats, Alexandria Maillot, Best Coast, the Actual Goners and Scenic Route to Alaska

Will McGuirk February 6, 2020

By Will McGuirk

Cyberspace is the space one enters when one is on the phone I have heard say but forget where and I wonder what is the space one enters while listening to music. Where is that acoustic space, what is that place, because if we could find it I’m wagering we would set up house.


“I needed to strip to make money to pay for the music so that I wouldn’t have to strip anymore. I remember people saying I just wanted the easy money. But let me tell you, there was nothing easy about being an exotic dancer, going back to an industry that had caused me a lot of trauma.”  - STORRY


"It’s a soul-searching song about chasing your passion and learning from love. It’s about the joy and pain of loving someone, and about learning to love yourself. Consequently, it’s also about what you decide to work on in your life and how you choose to spend your time off away from your work." - Justin Dunlop



“The idea you have to fight for who you are, what you want, and what you hope to see in the world became poignant for us. We realized the thing to do is not to wait for life to get easier, but to start fighting harder.” - Overcoats


"The music video represents the unsettled, peculiar frame of mind I was in when writing Someone to Keep You Warm, The song lyrics paint images of darkness and discomfort, straying from a sense of home and leaving an aftertaste of discontent. The video translates many parts of it visually as a twisted dance between the protagonist's unkept and unhealthy lifestyle and the ghost-like mirages of those affected along the way. It is a story of a haunting, or rather, one's past catching up to them." - Alexandria Maillot


“This album is about leaving the darkness for the light, but still understanding that nothing is ever going to be perfect. It’s about burning it all down and starting from scratch even when the idea of that is fucking terrifying.” - Bethany Cosentino



Tags Auteur Research, Indoor Recess, Jason Schneider Media, Nice Marmot, Storry, The Dunlop Brothers, Nathan Smith, Overcoats, Alexandria Maillot, Best Coast, the Actual Goners, Scenic Route to Alaska

Slowcity.ca Open Mic pre-future edition with Braids, Dralms, Loving, Caveboy, Lord Dying, Nikki Yanofsky, Laila Biali and The Revivalists

Will McGuirk February 2, 2020

By Will McGuirk

The future is inevitable, even the day after the Groundhog, round and round and round again, even after palindrome dates - back and forward, to and fro, but the sun rises and the mellow days of a waning winter approach, the endlessness ends and in the waxing we wait for the inevitable breaking of Spring. Perhaps earlier in this year of hindsight, perhaps earlier than ever. The sameness is no longer.


“Why is it that where we were or what we had isn’t clear until it’s gone and over? In the end, has the story written itself?” - Dralms




“The video was filmed on location in the countries that made up former Yugoslavia. It highlights both the beauty and strangeness of Spomenik (WW2) monuments, some of which have been forgotten by the sands of time.” - Lord Dying

“Forget is about being underestimated, overlooked and doubted, but prevailing. Going from the butt of a joke to being impossible to ignore, being everywhere (like a meme!). A song for the haters.” - NIkki Yanofsky


“I believe that nothing is wasted, that even life's greatest challenges can produce something meaningful, even if only to make us more aware of and empathetic to the struggles of those around us.” - Laila Biali

Tags Whats The Story, Indoor Recess, Killbeat, Braids, Dralms, Loving, Caveboy, Lord Dying, Nikki Yanofsky, Laila Biali, The Revivalists

Lets Talk! 'Hey You Still OK?!' benefit for CMHA Saturday Feb 1 at Oshawa Music Hall

Will McGuirk January 29, 2020

By Will McGuirk

Amanda McCauley, co-organiser of the Canadian Mental Health Association fundraiser at the Oshawa Music Hall Saturday Feb 1, says this one is personal. Yes, the first of the second is her birthday but this event means more than just that for the self-described ‘Bored Schemer That Just Wanted to do Some Good’.

“Mental health is something that I struggle with myself, something that I’ve watched a lot of my loved ones struggle with, and it’s something that I will advocate for as much as I possibly can,” says McCauley. “I also wanted to do something within my community – I’m a proud Oshawa resident and strong believer in supporting local businesses, so getting to do something at the Music Hall, with awesome local bands, feels incredibly rewarding.”

The band line -up is a reward onto itself. Hard rock acts, Judgement (formerly Poor Judgement), Billy Ranger, Mello Honey and Weapons are performing.

“Obviously the primary reason for doing this is to raise money for the Canadian Mental Health Association, and help support advocacy, programs and resources for people struggling with mental health,” says McCauley but she adds, she, along with fellow organisers, Matt Bell and Jackie Pollard, wanted the evening to “be a really fun night filled with great live music, and a space for people to come together and feel supported.”

Post the live rock-out a DJ will takeover and play punk rock plus emo anthems to keep the footloose fancy free. Concert goers can also enter a raffle for prizes which include a pair of Shure Headphones, a Manantler Brewing Co. prize pack, Generals Tickets, a Leafs Jersey, spa packages and more.

Weapons drummer, Galen Crampsey, says its important to normalize conversations around mental health.

“We live in a tumultuous demanding and confusing time. A lot of personal health can get swept under the proverbial rug by demands at work or expectations of strength and resilience which are absolute nonsense. I think its fundamental we start expressing ourselves and connecting with each other in the arena of life. Weapons is band that collectively believes supporting each other whether it be band members, family , friends, or community members is fundamental to keeping our collective head as a society above the water. So for us it means the world to be part of an event that is normalizing and encouraging the idea of helping and being helped without being perceived as weak or inadequate,” he says.

Tickets are $10 and are available online here. Physical tickets can be picked up at Kops Records, 156 Simcoe St. S. in Oshawa.  All proceeds for the night will be donated to CMHA plus an added $3 for every ticket sold.

On 'Stilled' the Dandy Lyon Wine get the post-industrial blues

Will McGuirk January 28, 2020

By Will McGuirk

Kat crosses the threshold of Kops, spins a disc at the POS and it lands in the player tray. And a sidewinder snakes thru the store, a lazy, lowly, slinky slide of gritted silk.

Kat calls himself Dandy Lyon and kat plus Bella Rose, are this indigo duo, they call themselves “Dandy Lyon Wine’. “Stilled” is their hope, its the record of their hope. “Stilled” will be the mover that shakes this indigo duo free.

Dandy and Bella must have taken the trip to the Crossroads but what they found there must have been more Green than Cream. And a whole lotta Young. A whole lotta when Young was finding his blues groove with ‘Chrome Dreams II’, ‘Sleeps With Angels’, and ‘This Note’s For You’, and yes yes yes the deepest of them all ‘On The Beach.’

Its the languid flow of “Tolls” that calls forth Shakey’s rhapsody in blue for his Hogtown roots from his shoreline musings but there’s more rust on the tracks of Dandy Lyon Wine than sand. This recording picks up the flakes of oxidized metal found in Blind Melon, White Stripes, G. Love & his Special Sauce, Primitive Radio Gods and Nirvana unplugging and (to whip a metaphor into submission) ‘Weld’s them into this 2020 release. Dig into the “Graveyard Blues”, “Sleepless Night” and “Storm” and stain your hands on the blues going into the black.

This “Stilled” takes the essence of them all and yes yes yes one has to say from the essence made Dandy Lyon Wine.




Slowcity.ca Open Mic - ShwaRawk City edition with Mary+Adelaide, Jools McCools, Harem Scarem and Standard Electric

Will McGuirk January 28, 2020

By Will McGuirk

The kats ‘n kits of Shwarawk City are churning out the hits with new music coming atcha from all angles. The scene underground as it is is doing well. Last week’s Whitby Courthouse Theatre show with Chastity, Dizzy and Native Other was proof. It was as if the kids ran in, took onto the stage, had a show and then ran back out again and the adults were none the wiser. Thats how rock ‘n roll goes, the kids are alright no matter how old the kids are maaan!




Tops, photo by Justin Aranha

Slowcity.ca Open Mic - Tops, Little Misty, (Sandy) Alex G, Amanda Rheaume, The Actual Goners Seth Anderson,

Will McGuirk January 22, 2020

By Will McGuirk

"this river I step in is not the river I stand in" - Heraclitus.

We are always behind. We are always already in the past even as we move forward. Time flows on, we move on; the question is only how. An appointment we didn’t make but which we have to keep, an appointment we have to keep but we don’t know where nor when and we can’t stop to check because we have to move. Its absurd.

“Old Ghosts” is the kind of song you listen to when you’re on a long trip, looking at the trees go by through the side window of a train. It’s all about moving forward.” - Little Mistry



"Too often we allow others to take our power. We feel we have to apologize for being ourselves… messy, empowered, insecure, confident or not.” - Amanda Rheaume



“Sometimes you just need to step away for a moment, and come back even stronger.” - Seth Anderson

Tags Little Misty, Sandy Alex G, Hard Copy Media, Amanda Rheaume, Whats The Story

Pete Carmichael - Rest in Peace pal - Thank you for the Rock 'n Roll you have left us

Will McGuirk January 22, 2020

“Don’t you know why people love one another it so they can feel their hearts beat together”

By Will McGuirk

There were a lot of plans for the SHWALTZ, over a decade ago now, but for me, building the list of acts, it was to bring together pals who hadn’t hung out in a while. Bands tour, the Durham Region scene was busy, lots of bands and lots of high school buds and Dungeon alumni and Velvet Elvis kids had moved on, mostly to TO, hitting the road, making records and waves and missing each other in person and in spirit. So the Shwaltz crew wanted to gather everyone home for a day.

Pete Carmichael was in the Diableros, they came out, it seems every band in the D-Rock had some connection to Pete; Another Blue Door, Winnie’s Concepts, Sports - I have visions of stored old tapes and CDs in my head from back in those days and have the Diableros vinyl beside me as I write.

We found out last night Pete had passed away at his home in Toronto. He was still making music, still playing and still in the scene, The Volts were, I believe, his latest outfit. Pete and I shared a birthday so we stayed in touch on that day but folks grow up and move away. He was lovely, he had an air to him that perhaps only Rock ‘n Roll emits. He was born for music, it was deep in him and when he sang, such painful beauty in that voice.

The Shwaltz gave us all a chance to hang. It was a celebration of us by us in a city, a region, which doesn’t offer much to kids wanting to create, to make, to matter. So we mattered to each other. It rained in the evening and we had to pull the plug after the Diableros. We moved the whole thing, an entire festival, to the Atria, cramming everyone in, for an unforgettable night, an unforgettable gathering.

There are others on that poster we have lost - Glenn, Michal, Chris and now Pete. We offer our condolences to Pete’s friends and family. And we hold dear onto the memory of that day.

“2020s goal: be the most roaringly loud dandy; get suspenders, a cane and a roadie.” - Pete Carmichael

Storry, photo by Jordan Oram

Slowcity.ca Open Mic - Storry, Rachel Beck, Skye Wallace, Whyte Horses, Marcus King, Sarah Harmer, Holy Fuck, Mute Choir and Best Coast

Will McGuirk January 21, 2020

By Will McGuirk

“the robots are smarter than ever, and the algorithm knows more and more what we like as individuals, but we have to remind ourselves that there is music in the margins that can go missing and that that music is more important than ever.” - Holy Fuck

I wonder what a world made entirely of music would look like.


“I believe as creators, the art doesn't always come from us, but sometimes it is channeled through us from a higher source.” - Storry


“Warrior is most directly inspired by my four-year-old daughter, Nora,” reflects Rachel. “…imagining the kind of woman she will grow up to be. It is also influenced by badass women throughout history – the ground-breakers and the change-makers. Amelia. Greta. Rosa. Malala.”




"Beautiful Stranger is a story about longing, searching for love. We tried to paint a picture of a dim lit bar, lost souls finding one another before last call.” - Marcus King




“When the future is wide open, it can be easy to overthink your present decisions in the face of who you might become. You can never know for sure if life will turn out the way you hope when you go with your gut instinct. There is always a possibility for failure, and fear of failure can be overwhelming enough to drive you to the wrong kinds of compromises.” - Mute Choir


Tags Marcus King, Indoor Recess, Storry, Sarah Harmer, Killbeat, Skye Wallace, Holy Fuck, Rachel Beck

Frazey Ford, photo by Alana Paterson

Slowcity.ca Open Mic - Frazey Ford, Dana Gavanski, Ben Lee, Paul Kelly, Bombay Bicycle Club, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Richard Dawson

Will McGuirk January 21, 2020

By Will McGuirk

Slow for a reason, slow for the season, but planning, gathering, building, building, building - isn’t that what a snow fort is for? And did you notice as you stood on the turrets the sun shone longer.


“There’s certain songs that just appear and there’s no art to it. To me those songs have some kind of spiritual quality—sometimes I feel like they’re these different voices that you’re able to channel. There really was something magical about the improvisational aspect and how that shaped the album, and such a joy in the experience of really reveling in what we were all creating together.” - Frazey Ford

"a conversation with the gods of creativity, an attestation to the daily struggle to be inspired and how not to lose direction."  - Dana Gavanski





“I think I always want to see hope in the darkness, and I like to try to share that,” - Nathaniel Rateliff


Tags Dana Gavanski, Killbeat, Ben Lee, Paul Kelly, Jason Schneider Media, Nice Marmot, Bombay Bicycle Club, Nathaniel Rateliff, Indoor Recess, Hard Copy Media, Richard Dawson, Frazey Ford

Andy Shauf, photo by Colin Medley

Slowcity.ca Open Mic - Sometimes there's only music - Tami Neilson, Brielle Ansems, Andy Shauf, Soccer Mommy, Real Estate, Jesse Cook, Denise Leslie and Aerialists

Will McGuirk January 17, 2020

By Will McGuirk

Sometimes sometimes sometimes when all else no longer matters, and the world wells up and the flood overwhelms there is only music, just music which will get you up and out. If all else is beyond you, focus all you have and reach out one finger to press play on whatever device you have and let the music in. Have at it.

“This song is for anyone who measures time against a deep loss of love that was an integral part of the fabric that makes up your life.” - Tami Neilson


“More Than My Heart” is about accepting the limits of what is in our power to give to another person. Sometimes all we have to offer is our heart, and that is enough. - Brielle Ansems


‘How hard is it to give a shit?’ - Andy Shauf






Tags Killbeat, Tami Neilson, Hard Copy Media, Real Estate, Andy Shauf, Jesse Cook, That Eric Alper

Jerry Leger "Between the Lines" - new video and European tour dates announced

Will McGuirk January 16, 2020

By Will McGuirk

If you’re new here lets say we are big fans of Torono singer-songwriter, Jerry Leger, and if you are a repeat viewer you know how much we dig the vides of this songwriterly gentleman. His new album, “Time Out for Tomorrow’ is getting rave reviews as the kids say and he is travelling with it; a Slowcity.ca scene gig at the Second Wedge Brewery in Uxbridge April 5 and then the lucky Europeans get to enjoy his songs.

THURS Feb 20 :: Hugh's Room Live :: Toronto ON (opening for David Essig)

SAT March 21 :: Old Church Theatre :: Trenton ON

SUN April 5 :: Second Wedge :: Uxbridge ON (3-5pm)

EUROPEAN TOUR

THURS April 9 :: Metropool :: Hengelo NL

FRI April 10 :: Luxor Live :: Arnhem NL

SAT April 11 :: Cowboy Up :: Waardamme BE

SUN April 12 :: Grenswerk :: Venlo NL (with The Sadies)

TUES April 14 :: Rocksound :: Barcelona ES

WED April 15 :: Wurlitzer Ballroom :: Madrid ES

THURS April 16 :: Rock and Blues Cafe :: Zaragoza ES

FRI April 17 :: Sala Niagara :: Santander ES

SAT April 18 :: Psilocybenea :: Hondarribia ES

TUES April 21 :: The Greystones :: Sheffield UK

WED April 22 :: Green Note :: London UK

THURS April 23 :: Broadcast :: Glasgow UK

FRI April 24 :: O'Riley's :: Hull UK

SAT April 25 :: Roman Lakes :: Stockport UK

SUN April 26 :: The Railway Inn :: Winchester UK

TUES April 28 :: Music Star :: Norderstedt DE

WED April 29 :: Pintxos & Vanner :: Orebro SE

THURS April 30 :: Melodybox :: Stockholm SE

FRI May 1 :: Arnemoem Gard :: Ringebu NO

SAT May 2 :: Bar Moskus :: Trondheim NO

SUN May 3 :: Krosset :: Oslo NO

TUES May 5 :: Creative Outlaws :: Recklinghausen DE

WED May 6 :: De Rozenknop :: Eindhoven NL

THURS May 7 :: Der Aa Theatre :: Groningen NL

SAT May 9 :: La Truite d'Argent :: Houffalize BE

SUN May 10 :: Cafe de Stad :: Utrecht NL

Tags Jerry Leger, Jason Schneider Media

R Grunwald, photo by Jen Squires

Slowcity.ca Open Mic - Sun's up edition with R Grunwald, Brandon Wolfe Scott, Margo Price, Lynne Hanson, Finnz, Spinning Coin, Jonathan Wilson and LA Priest

Will McGuirk January 16, 2020

By Will McGuirk

Hi. Well welcome back, welcome to 2020, the roaring twenties maybe the roaring fires maybe, the roaring masses maybe, lots to roar about - in satisfaction maybe in rage definitely. Its been awhile because I’ve been working on the Oshawa Music Awards. Lots of news coming but until then ease into this.


“The narrative is not me preaching, but more about stepping outside my own echo chamber of ignorance. Looking to the future generation I think it's important to inspire change and hope in the face of sadness and ecological grief." - Brandon Wolfe Scott



"I've been sober for eight years now, and I've made that long walk home from the bar or wherever I was coming home from many, many times in my life. So it's a really personal song for me. When I was writing it, I could really see the movie in my head." - Lynne Hanson



“It’s trying to connect with other people on a human level, doing something that we love, and trying to embrace the unknown.” - Spinning Coin



Tags Brandon Wolfe Scott, Killbeat, Finnz, Karyzma, Margo Price, Indoor Recess, Lynne Hanson, Whats The Story, R Grunwald, Spinning Coin, Hard Copy Media, Jonathan Wilson

Take me to church; Musicians step up once again to help those in need in the City of Oshawa

Will McGuirk December 18, 2019

By Will McGuirk

Kudos to the musicians in and around the mighty Shwa’ for stepping up, once again. Its been a busy time already with Bowmanville’s Concert to Feed The Need on Sunday Dec 15 featuring Wooly, the Doozies, Jake Henley, Alicia Robicheau and many many more. Tuesday The Doozies once again played Kops Records in Oshawa for the Jolly Shwally Holidays with Poor Pelly opening. The Doozies will be also taking part in the Professors of Funk’s Friends & Family Christmas Special at Simcoe St. United Church happening Wednesday and Thursday this week. This is a fundraiser for the Back Door Mission. Earlier on Wednesday, the Birds of Ontario and Deep Dark River will be at Kops. The record store on Simcoe St has bands in all week, raising art supplies for the Living Room Art Studio, a neighbouring art hive.

Thursday, Native Other and Condo play Kops while on Friday Wildlife and Sean MacTaggart are in at the store. Later Friday evening the Birds of Ontario join Trish Robb and The Stables at the Oshawa Music Hall. And the week wraps up its Christmas giving with Beams, the Butter Cups and Brooklyn Doran at Kops.


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