By Will McGuirk
In the Act of Violence at the Atria Friday Oct. 14 2022. Tickets here.
Gigs This Week: Televisionaries at Dakota Tavern
By Will McGuirk
Televisionaries at Dakota Tavern Saturday Oct. 15 2022. Tickets here.
Gigs This Week: Titus Andronicus at Lee's Palace
By Will McGuirk
Titus Andronicus at Lee's Palace Sunday Oct. 16 2022. Tickets here.
Gigs This Week: Housewife at the Horseshoe Tavern
By Will McGuirk
Housewife at the Horseshoe Tavern Thursday Oct. 13 2022. Tickets here.
Gigs This Week: The Sheepdogs at Massey Hall
By Will McGuirk
The Sheepdogs at Massey Hall Thursday Oct. 13 2022. Tickets here.
Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Birds of Bellwoods, Villages, Mimi Webb, Valentyna, Mariel Buckley, Kris Ulrich, and Neil Young
By Will McGuirk
“That moment when you see the mistakes you keep making, but can’t seem to change the pattern like the lyrics say, ‘with all the lights above me, I only see that shadow cast below.’ “ - Birds of Bellwoods
“We all have those moments where you just want to drop everything and leave it all behind. “Love Will Live On” is a daydream on just how good it could be if you actually did it.” - Villages
“It’s a broad stroke of what intolerance and shame can create in a bible-belt, prairie town. Lots of imagery from my childhood, church and the bottom of a glass.” - Mariel Buckley
The Biltmore Theatre in Downtown Oshawa readies for OMA5 award show. Photo by Will McGuirk
OMA5 spotlight on Downtowns of Durham
By Will McGuirk
Wrote a piece on the OMAs for Durham Region’s blog.
The Oshawa Music Awards (OMAs), which now celebrate music from across Durham Region, were handed out at the historic Biltmore Theatre in downtown Oshawa on September 29 at an in-person gala. It was the first in-person awards show for the OMAs, which celebrated five years of honouring the musicians, and members of the music industry, who are connected to Durham Region.
Bryan Adams, Maple Leaf Gardens 1992, photo by Mikki Simeunovich
Bryan Adams plays the TCC Wednesday Oct 12 2022
By Will McGuirk
The iconic Canadian rocker Bryan Adams is making a stop in Oshawa on his extensive So Happy It Hurts tour. Adams was recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame held at Massey Hall September.
The Hall of Fame is just one of the many honours the Kingston, On. born singer/songwriter has garnered over his four decade career. Highlights include 20 Junos, three Oscar nominations, Canada’s Walk of Fame 1998, Member of the Order of Canada 1990; promoted within the order to Officer of the Order, and CRIA Artist of the Decade 1990, among them. As a world renown photographer he has photographed the late Queen Elizabeth.
Adams began his career with Sweeny Todd in BC (his family moved a lot) where he met his songwriting partner Jim Vallance. And the rest as they say is history.
I have seen Adams perform one time, at the then Concert Hall for a TV special, and there’s a reason why he is where he is. Even solo he commands the stage, and it was one of the most enjoyable evenings I have had. The man is a true entertainer, who looks happy to be on stage, thoroughly enjoying the moment, so yah So Happy It Hurts is a genuine sentiment I’m sure.
Show begins at 8 p.m. Ticket information here.
The above photo is by our house photog Mikki, and is part of her Now and Then art project.
Glass Tiger plays the Regent Theatre Thursday Oct 13 2022
By Will McGuirk
Don’t forget Glass Tiger will be at the Regent Theatre Thursday Oct 13 2022. The ‘80s iconic act began as Tokyo based out of Newmarket, ON, before changing their name and creating some of the most familiar songs in the Canadian canon.
Working with Jim Vallance, the band’s first album ‘Thin Red Line’ went gold within weeks of release, and received a Grammy nomination in 1986 for Best New Artists. They won three Junos that year and followed up with two. Glass Tiger are making up for the cancelled December 20 2021. This is a Blackrose Entertainment presentation.
Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Zoon, Amanda Sum, Super Duty Tough Work, Dan Mangan, Dan Pallotta, Noah Derksen, TFD, NGHTMRE, and Jamie,
By Will McGuirk
“As a young person I’d find ways to escape my reality, sometimes I’d lay in a field and watch the clouds shape shift in the sky, just like wasakeechuk, an old mythical creature that lived with the first indigenous people of Turtle Island.” - Zoon
“Being a Gen Zer feels shameful and comedic. It’s important to laugh at that, I think. This music video will investigate the complex feelings that come with dancing through life as a member of the Gen Z club.” - Amanda Sum
“Art happens to be our discipline so we always attempt to use it to further our cause, and create the world that we would like to see, in this case, a world where "justice" is actually served.” - Brendan Grey, Super Duty Tough Work
“This song is about being emancipated by the beautiful humility of littleness." - Dan Mangan
Adrian Sutherland, photo By Nadya Kwandibens
Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Adrian Sutherland, The Trade-Offs, Evan Redsky, Terez, Julia Wolf, Jesse Roper, Handsome Jack, and Arctic Monkeys
By Will McGuirk
“"I teach at an elementary school in Beachburg, Ontario. My grades 6/7 and 7/8 classes are looking for ways to continue with ideas from the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We heard the song Walk With Me by Adrian Sutherland and decided to reach out," wrote Steve Pritchard.”
“Throughout the 20th century many Inuit families recall the Royal Canadian Mounted Police deliberately killing sled dogs to force Inuit into government run settlements, ‘Put ‘Em Down’ is about this sad story and about the effort to put us as a people down and erase our culture. A truth many do not know a lot about because it has been kept so quiet” - Josh Qaumariaq, the Trade-Offs
“It's a reflection of not just myself, but of an entire community of young people who lack access to mental health resources, cultural resources, and positive role models - where young First Nations folks just want to escape their realities in exchange for Oblivion.” - Evan Redsky
Gigs This Week: Hollow Core at the Atria
Gigs This Week: Golden Dogs at the Dakota Tavern
By Will McGuirk
Golden Dogs at the Dakota Tavern Friday Oct 7 2022. Tickets here.