By Will McGuirk
Pretty at the Atria Friday Jan 20 2023. Tickets here.
Gigs This Week: Orson Wilds at the Biltmore Theatre
By Will McGuirk
Orson Wilds at the Biltmore Theatre Saturday Jan 21 2023. Tickets here.
Gigs This Week: Livers at the Dakota Tavern
By Will McGuirk
Livers at the Dakota Tavern Friday Jan 20 2023. Tickets here.
Gigs This Week: Black Halos at the Horseshoe Tavern
Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Matt Holtby, Chastity, Mimi Webb, Pierre Kwenders, Margo Price, The Weather, Edwin Raphael, and Noisy
By Will McGuirk
“represents the relationship one has with time, the constant balancing as a slow dance that one tries to weave," - Edwin Raphael
Upcoming Toronto concerts: Altin Gün, Billy Nomates, Big Joanie, shame, and the Murder Capital
By Will McGuirk
Some rad shows coming up in Toronto just announced by Collective Concerts. Dutch/Turkish psych rockers Altin Gün play the Danforth Music Hall Aug 2 2023. Its a ways away but tickets are on sale Jan 13. I’ve been a fan for sometime, headed to River & Sky to see them sometime back but unfortunately had too much fun-juice and slept through it hahahah. So yes to being awake in August!! They have a new album, Ask, due March 10.
I’ve also been a fan of Billy Nomates, recommended as they say if you like Dry Cleaning, the Wet Leg, Yard Act, Bob Vylan, Fontaines DC, that speakeasy post punk sound the Idles kinda kicked off. Billy Nomates plays the Garrison Friday May 19. Guaranteed her next TO show will be a much bigger room.
Also in the nouveau-post punk scene are the Murder Capital. The Irish kats will be in at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern Saturday April 1. Ok fine, no joke lol! Their new album Gigi’s Recovery is out Jan 20.
Also at the Garrison is Big Joanie on Tuesday May 30. New to me, introduced to the tunes by a pal; I’m sure it was the Pixies/Cure/Breeders vibes . So yes to Big Joanie.
Yes also to Shame, bit of a pattern I know, more clangy Brit post-punk, although I think its more post-shoegaze like its post-punk if Television are punk, like post-that, but ya know either way tis good stuff. This band has been airing around my home for some time so time to check them out myself I think.
Posters and videos below and ticket info for all shows here ->
Fest News: Wintersong sounds out over Stouffville
By Will McGuirk
You may need hats, just saying.
Wintersong, the Stouffville and environs based festival features the Men Without Hats, along with headliners, Stars, Dan Mangan, and Ombiigizi, and Kiwi Jr. Over two days, Jan 20/21 2023 over 50 acts in multiple venues and outdoor locations. Thats some feat for the organisers but these organisers had been involved in the Guinness World Record for longest Concert so easy peasy yah.
Great line-up of locals too, and its such a lovely downtown too, historic, and walkable, and last time I was there, for the record breaking event, such kindness shown. And just on the border of both Toronto and Durham Region so all roads etc.
Fest News: Hibernate tucks into Port Hope Capital Theatre
By Will McGuirk
One of my fab fest finds last year was Cultivate at the Haute Goat north of Port Hope. Even with the rain the outdoor fest featuring Kathleen Edwards plus others was just a joy. Simple as that. Those good folks have now gathered for another what I believe will be a joyous affair, Hibernate.
Three shows, three days in February, 10, 11, 12, at the Capitol Theatre downtown, plus pop-up hot spots TBA.
Announced shows include the intriguing William Prince, supported by our pal Cale Crowe, and Caroline Marie Brooks, on Feb 11; the magnificent Soul Motivators, with Lydia Persaud, and Kyler Tapscott on the Friday, and closing it out with a Sunday matinee, Larnell Lewis, Joy Lapps, and Okan + Medusa.
U.S. Girls
Slowcity.ca Open Mic: U.S. Girls, Payphones, Orchestra GOLD, Okonski, New Pornographers, and Lexy Panterra
By Will McGuirk
“I really wanted to concentrate on women empowerment and what makes us strong and unique. We made it pop with the music video with all my girls and I hope all the fans really enjoy this.” - Lexy Panterra.
Gigs This Week: Howlin' Gales at the Atria Friday Jan 13
By Will McGuirk
TO country-rockers the Howlin’ Gales blow into the Atria in downtown Oshawa Friday Jan 13 2023. The ‘Gales are singer/guitarist Mark Sinclair and drummer Marcelo “Johnny” Maltez and formed in late 2019. The name comes from Sinclair’s love of Howlin’ Wolf and the howling harsh winter wind tunnels of Hogtown’s high-rise alleys. Interesting dynamic.
Besides Howlin’ Wolf the band name-checks The Band, Guy Clarke, Blink 182, and Marianas Trench as influences on their punked up psych-folk sounds. Its a broad range for sure but the band says they strive to reflect not recreate.
“We’re students of music, we draw from artists who we’re influenced by but we’re never gonna sound like them (and we wouldn’t want to.) We make it our own by simply being different humans, having different experiences then the artists that came before, and building on what so many great acts have done in the past and continue to do to this day.”
The band plans to continue on their own past, on a path that includes playing as much as they can, honing the craft. Thus more shows, more faces and as they say, more “kickass shows!”
Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Status/Non-Status, Jill Barber, Debby Friday, Ernie Vincent, Hammock, Celeigh Cardinal, plus James Yorkston, Nina Persson and The Second Hand Orchestra
By Will McGuirk
“While each song is deeply personal, at the time it felt as though they pushed the album further into the rural-folk spectrum than we envisioned for ourselves, but together now make for a sentimental journey that sounds just right on the cold winds of winter,” - Adam Sturgeon, Status/Non-Status
"It’s a gentle reminder that its okay to not feel okay… and that sometimes just getting through the day is enough" - Jill Barber
Lynn Miles
Lynn Miles plays the Greenbank Folk Music Society Jan 21 2023
By Will McGuirk
The Greenbank Folk Music Society launches the new year with a performance by one of Canada’s finest, singer/songwriter Lynn Miles. Miles will be accompanied by Keith Glass (Prairie Oyster). The show takes place at the Greenbank Centennial Hall, Greenbank, on Saturday Jan. 21 2023. Also on the bill will be Benj Rowland, one half of the Mayhemingways, who will be supporting their performance.
Tickets are $35 and are available in person at Blue Heron Books in Uxbridge and P O E Design, in Port Perry. Tickets can also be reserved by phoning 905-985-8351.
Doors open: 7:30 PM. Showtime: 8 pm.
Gigs This Week: Interview with Stephen Stanley, plays Kops Records Dec 22
By Will McGuirk
So great to have Stephen Stanley do a show at Kops Records in Oshawa. Thursday Dec 22 2022. Stanley will be playing with Chris Bennet. Opening is Evan Rotella. Performance starts at 5:30 p.m. We had a catch-up emailer with Stephen.
Slowcity.ca: Obv folks know you because of LOTL but you have been a successful solo singer/ songwriter for decades - can you give me an idea of what you have been doing in terms of performances and tours, and albums released?
Stephen Stanley: “This past year ended up being a big surprise on the touring front. Guitarist Chris Bennett and I headed out to BC and The Yukon for a bunch of shows this past August opening for New York singer/songwriter Willie Nile and his band. That felt so much like the old days with LOTL - getting to spend an extended time with another band and forming strong friendships and memories. Also, we were greeted consistently by audiences that were more than expressive about the return to live music.
“Then in October, Hugh Christopher Brown, Ron Hawkins and I - put together a unique one-off tour through Ontario and parts of Quebec. Playing songs from all three of our catalogues, with a slightly different interpretation in each case. This was a soul affirming trip, playing to packed houses, we started out with the goal of a two hour show and by the time the tour wrapped up in Toronto, we had played somewhere in the range of 3 hours and twenty minutes...
Photo by Sean Ryan
“Spell that off with a large clutch of shows in the Ontario corridor with my band (The Stephen Stanley Band) and as a duo with Chris Bennett, this has ended up being a very successful year of live music for us, beyond anything we could have imagined from where things were when the year started.
“My band made our first record, Jimmy & the Moon, released in early 2018, on the label Wolfe Island Records. The label is a wonderful artist collective, and the recordings are overseen by Hugh Christopher Brown on Wolfe Island... Frankly, the next album, which will be called "Before the Collapse of the Hive" should have been done by now. The remote location and the pandemic didn't really work in our favour as there were at least two very long periods of time when we had to put recording on hold. But, the album is almost done, and I'm hoping it will be out before spring 2023.”
SC: The Radio show is exciting, how did that come about and what do you think you would like it to grow into?
SS: “Northern Wish on Hunters Bay Radio in Huntsville, Ontario... Yes, I love doing the show. It has become a weekly search to find new Canadian music that isn't really getting the mainstream treatment (although, so much of it should be). I love it because it has changed my listening habits. I was someone who would find one or two albums at a time and listen to them until I couldn't stand them anymore. . . Now, I'm listening to everything. The show has really opened my eyes and ears...
“It really stemmed from my long relationship and love with Muskoka. I worked in the area for five years when I was a kid. Made some lifelong friends that are still a big part of my life today. . . Always being in the area, I would regularly listen to Hunters Bay Radio, and I liked the format, the diversity of shows, music and subject matter. That led to doing their artist-based one-off hour called "My Tunes" - programming an hour of music with songs I was listening to at the time. I really enjoyed that, so I reached out to the station manager and said, "if you ever need someone to fill in. . . " and I think it was a couple months later that I got the weekly gig. . .
“I just delivered my 91st episode this past week... And where would I like it to go... Well, this is a volunteer position as HBR is a community radio station. I would love the idea of doing more in radio, but I consider that a pipe dream, so I will likely ride this wave for as long as it feels fun and fulfilling. . .”
SC: You seem to be around East Ontario a lot, not just cottage country but PEC and Wolfe Island too, where are you based and why there? is being in the country more attractive than the city, and how does this affect or influence your songwriting?
SS: “I love the last part of this question, because it really made me consider the reality that I am a city boy, and my songwriting is mostly affected by living in the city. I'm still based in Toronto, but as you said, I have been spending a lot of time outside of the city. Especially while making records on Wolfe Island. By extension PEC somehow became a hotbed of gigs for us this past year, so I was there a few times playing and hanging out with friends. . .
“Honestly, I think I write about the people in my life more than anything else, and that's a borderless experience, so it likely doesn't matter where I am. . . This next album is a group of songs with an overriding worldview, more so than I have ever done before, but it's still through the lens of the people who I'm surrounded with. I have always been a write what you know person. It just so happens that for the last many years, I have really liked the idea of creating music outside of the city. Where studio life doesn't feel like a 9-5 job, and you immerse yourself in a lifestyle that includes recording but also so many other things that inform the process. . .”