The Town Heroes
2022-04-22 20:00 - 22:00 (America/Halifax) | The Frolic’n Folk Pub & Grill, 4115 HWY 223, Iona, Nova Scotia, B2C 1A3, Canada
Whether a sweaty rock show or an intimate acoustic environment, The Town Heroes want you to be entertained.
Born and raised in small town Nova Scotia, Mike Ryan and Bruce Gillis have played together for the past 10 years — touring the world, releasing 5 critically acclaimed albums and winning an array of industry awards. Anthemic choruses, danceable arrangements, and tender falsettos highlight their catchy yet thoughtful songs. At heart, a perfect soundtrack for contemplating life with a bounce in your step.
Musically, the band blends their 90’s alt-rock influences with singer-songwriter stylings in the vein of Neil Young or Ryan Adams. On stage they move like intense caricatures – soaked in sweat, pushing every chord, note and beat to the limit. A structured wall of sound emerges; familiar yet distinctive. Camaraderie shows in their musicianship, their song-writing highlights what they are: friends playing music for the love of it, in it for the long haul.
The band released their sixth full length album Home during the summer of 2021.
Home is a concept album. The entirety of the storyline takes place over a two week period during a summer in Cape Breton. The 9 songs, told from 3 different perspectives, tell the chronological tale of coming home, youth, summer love, and ultimately lost love. A father — longing for what he left behind — returns to his hometown after moving to San Francisco for work. A young “local” boy falls for his daughter, a short romance ensues, and the romance dies upon her inevitable return home. The album captures the energy and spirit of a youthful summer and coming of age. It’s a soundtrack for the summer, relatable and, most importantly during the current locked down world we live in: FUN.
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Songwriters Circle
2022-05-20 20:00 - 22:00
An evening of storytelling and songs, featuring Carmen Townsend, Ian MacDougall, & Victor Tomiczek

Carmen Townsend is known for her gunning riffs, soaring vocals, and empowering live shows, Cape Breton’s Carmen Townsend has been performing since the age of 15 and has wowed audiences all over the world with an incomparable sound that is undeniably her own. She is a multi-award winning rock artist in a male dominated genre. In a world full of singer/songwriters, it is her birth right to rock. Carmen’s award winning debut album was named Album of the Year at Nova Scotia Music Week and landed her on stage in front of thousands supporting female rock legends, Heart, all over Canada. She has lent her voice to many projects including Matt Mays’ Juno winning Album, Coyote. Carmen continues to perform regularly and is currently working on a new release.

Ian MacDougall holds a strange and unassuming presence on the East Coast musical landscape. Fronting his internationally acclaimed, musically obese, Cape Breton institution The Tom Fun Orchestra, Ian has spent years touring around the world bringing epic anthems and odes to packed clubs, massive festivals and empty taverns. He has shared the stage with a curious array of musicians ranging from Primus to Fred Eaglesmith; Julie Doiron to The Men of the Deeps. Outside of the successes and excesses of Tom Fun, Ian has developed a catalogue of songs that read like a hazy surrealist commentary of life and lure on Cape Breton Island. By himself, these songs stand truly engaging. His complicated musical lulls of ennui and frustration find solace in triumphant melodies of reckless elation. Sometimes. Sometimes it’s something else all together.

Victor Tomiczek is a singer-songwriter from Dominion, Cape Breton. He plays banjo and guitar in The Tom Fun Orchestra and leads the Sydney-based rock group Ladyslippers. Victor’s songs range from tales of working class strife to whimsical flights of fancy and all the high, low, and in between. Victor is currently working on his first solo album. He lives in Sydney with his wife, daughters, kitties, and dog.

Full Bar till 11PM & Kitchen Service till 9PM
Ages 19+

Mike McKenna Jr. with Special Guest Wayne Bedecki
2022-06-03 20:00 - 22:00
2021 East Coast Music Award Winner Singer-songwriter Mike McKenna Jr. has emerged on the Canadian music scene with a raspy, soulful, intimate voice, his distinct indie folk/Americana tones, and songs laden with captivating storytelling. Originally from Cape Breton Island, he continues to bring us the nostalgia of his home through carefully chosen narrative, poetry, protest, and true stories about life and death in Nova Scotia’s coastal, working-class communities. Known for his powerful lyricism and intricate musicianship, Mike’s newest record At The Edge of the World (2020) continues to be met with incredible support both in Canada and internationally.
In just over a year since it’s release, Mike’s sophomore album has received a long list of awards and nominations; WINNER of the Rising Star Recording of the Year by the 2021 East Coast Music Awards (along with nominations for for Contemporary Roots Recording of the Year and Fan’s Choice Video of the Year), nominee for Contemporary Album of the Year by the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards, nominee for Americana/Bluegrass Recording of the Year by the Music Nova Scotia Awards, and nominee for 2020 Album of the Year by Blues and Roots Radio. It was also listed on the Bluegrass Situation’s ‘Class of 2020 Playlist, Absolute Best of this Year’s Roots Music Releases’.
Several songs from the record have received high-profile features and recognition, including Spotify Editorial playlists Renegade Folk and Contemporary Folk, Mahogany Sessions’ Acoustic Coffeehouse and Chilled Folk Vol. 3, The Bluegrass Situation’s ‘Mixtape’, Americana UK, Exclaim!, Canadian Beats, Roots Music Canada, The East and many more. Two songs from ATEOTW finished as semi-finalists in the world’s largest songwriting contest, ISC (International Songwriting Competition); the opening song and title track At the Edge of the World in 2019 and the 7th song of the album, High Ground in 2020!
Produced by Berklee graduate, Victoria’s Quinn Bachand (Rosier, Kittel & Co, Brishen), At the Edge of the World delivers a wider, fuller sound than Mike’s previous records, lead by his incredibly raw, confident vocals and surrounded by a beautiful mix of electric and pedal-steel guitar, electric bass, vocal harmonies, strings, piano and drums. During post-production it would then pass through the talented hands of Canada’s top analog specialists; mixing engineer Jon Anderson (Andy Shauf, Rosier, Foxwarren) and Grammy-nominated mastering engineer, Juno/Polaris winner Philip Shaw Bova (Father John Misty, Feist, Bahamas).

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Robert Bouchard with Nick Boudreau
2022-06-10 20:00
A life-long performing artist, Robert Bouchard has toured this national vast expanse on more than one occasion. He is a bonafide country sensation who has earned many accolades, the most recent being an induction into the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame.
With the recent release of his latest CD entitled ‘That’s What I Live For’, we witness the cream rising to top yet again.
His fans have already heard and witnessed what he was placed on this earth to do, sing & entertain! Others are in for the finest country artist to ever emerge from these parts. Robert Bouchard is a must-see & hear!
Dennis ‘Nick’ Boudreau is a most sought after and respected guitarist. Nick toured extensively with country artists Robert Bouchard and Cornelia & Billy. He toured Canada and Germany, work that lasted most of his adult life. Nick was a featured guitarist on a Rankin Family tour. He is modest and humble, yet musical colleagues sing his praises as a player of guitar, banjo, bass, and mandolin. Throughout his entire career, Nick has always partaken in fundraising initiatives, especially for persons with serious illness.
We look forward to welcoming Robert and Nick in Iona.

Lennie Gallant
2022-07-05 20:00 - 22:00
Canadian East Coast songwriter Lennie Gallant has released fourteen albums (11 English, and 3 in French) of original songs which have won him a host of awards and nominations from the JUNOs, Les Prix Eloizes and The East Coast Music Awards. His multimedia show, Searching For Abegweit, ran for 180 shows and toured Eastern Canada to sold out performances. His song Peter’s Dream was recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Lennie is an international touring artist, who has performed all over North America, in Europe, for the troops in Afghanistan, and at the Olympics. He is a recipient of the the Order of Canada.
His songs have been covered by numerous artists, including Jimmy Buffett, The Rankins, and Opera superstar Measha Bruggergosman, and one of his albums even went up to the international space station and circled the planet 248 times. Lennie’s recording, Time Travel, was voted a top ten Album of The Year by a panel of Canadian industry personnel. His song and video for Sequoia, from that album, have received many accolades, especially for bringing attention to the need to protect our great ancient forests in this fragile time on the planet. Lennie’s most recent French language album is in collaboration with partner, Patricia Richard, under the name Sirène et Matelot which has been doing extremely well in the francophone world. His last recording was a Christmas album of original songs to celebrate the season and hopefully, a time of healing for this beautiful fragile planet.

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A TUESDAY SHOW**

Lucy MacNeil
2022-07-13 20:00 - 22:00
The only girl in a family of five boys, Lucy MacNeil can be described as the heart of The Barra MacNeils. Her crystalline vocals are immediately identifiable with the group’s quintessential sound.
For Lucy, music has always had a heartbeat and she recalls it as the centre of her childhood home where family, neighbours and visiting musicians were often known to gather — the perfect rhythm of everyone’s feet tapping with the music would lull her to sleep on many nights.
Lucy’s own musical journey officially began when she was 9 years old, but even before that she was step dancing alongside her mother, a well-known local dancer and teacher. Her career with The Barra MacNeils has seen her opening tours for international stars such as Celine Dion, Kenny Rogers and fellow Canadian Rita MacNeil. Yet, with all the many rich and rewarding experiences Lucy’s fondest memory of performing took place in grade 10 at Memorial High School. A contestant in the winter carnival pageant, she put together a performance for the talent portion that drew on all her talents – singing “The legend of the St. Anne’s Reel” playing the fiddle between verses and then ending with a step dance routine. The remarkable effort would lead to her very first standing ovation.
A devoted mother of two talented young girls, Lucy finds time to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, from sharing recipes with her mom, and getting car care advice from her dad, chatting with old friends or dancing to the infectious latin rhythms in her ZUMBA class. Lucy MacNeil looks forward to discovering where music and her extraordinary life will lead her next.
Vocals, bodhran, Celtic harp, fiddle, stepdancing

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Dave Sampson Redux
2022-07-19 20:00 - 22:00
Dave Sampson writes heart-on-your-sleeve folk/pop songs, delivered with a captivating and
authentic voice that could blow down a brick house. His knack for crafting simple ear-worms
and his high-energy shows have been winning him fans across Canada. He has collaborated
and shared the stage with some of Canada’s top exports such as Classified, Alan Doyle,
Donovan Woods, and more. His 2019 EP All Types of Ways, produced and recorded by
Grammy award-winning songwriter Gordie Sampson in Nashville, TN, earned him two 2020
ECMAs for Country Recording and Rising Star Recording of the Year, as well as a
nomination for Songwriter of the Year. The album features several singles which received
hundreds of thousands of streams on DSPs, were added to many editorially-curated
playlists, and were placed in several national television series and advertising campaigns.
In 2014, Dave released his anticipated debut album “No Pressure, No Diamonds” with
producers/collaborators Carleton Stone, Gordie Sampson and Dylan Guthro (Port Cities).
With the release of this album, “ No Pressure No Diamonds” was nominated for Music Nova
Scotia’s Pop Album of the Year, reached #1 on the East Coast Countdown charts twice and
received national airplay throughout Canada. Dave was also invited to Germany in 2014 with
songwriters Carleton Stone and Breagh Mackinnon to participate in a songwriting retreat
followed by a tour.
Fast forward to 2015, his song “No Pressure, No Diamonds” was interpolated by Canadian
Hip Hop icon Classified and released as his first single (“No Pressure”) on the billboard
charts via Atlantic Records. “No Pressure’ features hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, and was
awarded Gold Record status by Music Canada. Dave also received a songwriting nod on
Classifieds “Oh No” track on his album “Grateful”, and Neon Dreams’ singles “Find a Way” &
“Love Experts” which made it to the billboard EDM top 40.
Dave has also been hand-picked as one of Nova Scotia’s most promising young songwriters
to take part in the prestigious, invitation-only Gordie Sampson Song camp for the past 10
years. Through this opportunity, he has been fortunate enough to collaborate with some of
Canada’s most sought after writers: Gordie Sampson, Caitlyn Smith (Nashville), Sam Ellis
(Nashville), Thomas AWG Salter (TAWGS), and many more.

“Heartfelt, energized and emotional, Dave Sampson has obvious natural talent as a Maritime singer-songwriter.
Recommended for fans of Joel Plaskett, David Myles and Hawksley Workman. ” – Grant Lawrence (CBC Music)

“Not only is Dave Sampson a fantastic singer/songwriter, but his live performance during both shows (as a band
and as a solo artist) was second to none. The level of comfort that he and his band have on stage oozes with
every movement made.” – HalifaxBloggers.ca @ EAST COAST MUSIC WEEK 2016

“Dave Sampson writes a great, heartfelt pop song and has a warm, inviting, laid-back style that will no doubt
appeal to a wide cross-section of people. It’s not hard to imagine his music lighting up the radio and drawing
crowds” – The Scope, St. John’s, NL

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Dave Sampson
2022-07-20 20:00 - 22:00

Joel Plaskett
2022-07-27 20:00 - 22:00
From rocking Halifax’s Marquee Club to performing for the masses at Massey Hall or touring the country with his father, Joel Plaskett has forged a reputation as one of Canada’s most engaging performers and respected singer-songwriters.
Plaskett’s songs are a perennial part of the national playlist, a fixture on “best of” lists, and the soundtrack to the lives of faithful fans across the country and around the world. His accolades over a quarter century include a Juno, numerous East Coast Music, Canadian Folk and Music Nova Scotia awards, and two Polaris short list nominations.
Plaskett’s new project, 44, is his most detailed musical weave yet. A sprawling box set comprised of four, 11-song albums connected visually and thematically, at its heart 44 is an imaginative rumination on trying to slow down and grow up in a rapidly accelerating world.

Plaskett began his musical career in the early 1990s as a member of alt-rock favourites Thrush Hermit, recruiting lifelong fans as the band toured North America in a half-size school bus, setting up their signature neon ROCK & ROLL sign from show to show.
In the early 2000s, Plaskett started touring under his own name with his band, The Emergency (featuring Dave Marsh on drums since 1999, and for the last 14 years, Chris Pennell on bass). Backed by the Emergency and racking up a growing roster of anthemic singalongs, Plaskett worked his way up from small clubs to opening for Paul McCartney and the Tragically Hip, and filling larger venues with his own devoted audience.
Plaskett is a versatile and ever-evolving artist, at turns delivering intimate and idiosyncratic singer-songwriter fare (In Need of Medical Attention, La De Da, The Park Avenue Sobriety Test); incendiary riff-rock (Down at the Khyber, Truthfully, Truthfully), left-leaning folk rock (Solidarity), as well as conceptual epics and off-kilter feats of musical stamina (Ashtray Rock, Three, Scrappy Happiness, 44).
Recorded to analog tape, Plaskett’s records reflect his attention to detail, his dedication to technique, musical history and craft, and a sincere and inimitable lyrical style that runs through his diverse and ever-expanding catalogue.
In addition to producing most of his own records since 1999, Plaskett has also set up shop behind the console at his New Scotland Yard studio in downtown Dartmouth, N.S. His work with artists like Jimmy Rankin, Two Hours Traffic, David Myles, Sarah Slean, Shotgun Jimmie, Dennis Ellsworth, Old Man Luedecke, Dave Marsh, Colleen Brown and longtime collaborator Mo Kenney has led to numerous awards for production, and turned New Scotland Yard into a popular destination for artists looking to develop and document their sound.
In front of the studio is The New Scotland Yard Emporium, where Plaskett has partnered with Halifax mainstay Taz Records to bring a curated selection of records to his adopted hometown, providing a spot where music fans can congregate to grab a coffee or beer while they dig for records.
In a world increasingly connected—and disconnected — by digital mediums, Joel Plaskett prefers to make his connections the old-fashioned way, building community at his studio and shop, dedicating himself to the art and authenticity of songwriting and analog recording processes, and moving audiences with the electrifying, uplifting experience of live performance.
In all aspects of his work, Plaskett embraces both the communal and individual experiences music provides. The ways music and words combine to connect with the listener, turning a minute into a moment out of time, reminding us that we aren’t alone.

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Tim Baker & All Hands
2022-08-02 20:00 - 22:00
At the end of 2017, twelve years after their inception, the multi-award winning band, Hey Rosetta! went on hiatus, after selling 10,000 tickets to five farewell shows. For the band’s principal songwriter and lead vocalist Tim Baker, this was the start of a new chapter.

On his debut solo album Forever Overhead, Baker warmly welcomes you to it. The first words we hear him sing, on the first single “Dance,” is akin to a toast: “here’s to the other side.” What follows are eleven songs that centre on kinship and show that Baker’s sharp songwriting, the heart of Hey Rosetta!, is as affecting as ever.
When crafting the album, Baker drew from 70s songwriters, like Jackson Browne and Randy Newman, whose music filled his childhood home and from his contemporaries (Feist, Leif Vollebekk, The Barr Brothers). Produced by Marcus Paquin (The National, Local Natives), Forever Overhead blends piano ballads with ebullient folk-rock tracks featuring Liam O’Neill (Suuns), Ben Whiteley (The Weather Station), as well as Mishka Stein & Joe Grass (Patrick Watson).
In the album’s opening track “Dance,” Baker moves alongside soft piano chords as buoyant, 70s pop style instrumentation and a piercing guitar riff steadily build, bolstering his words of longing. He sings of connectivity and the tender emotions that are coupled with glances across a gym’s confetti-lined linoleum floor, the air thick with potential Like Forever Overhead as a whole, Baker brings beauty and hope into listeners’ lives.
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Matt Minglewood
2022-08-03 20:00 - 22:00
Matt Minglewood – genre – Northern Rock with a Canadianna feel, a musical hybrid with one foot steeped in the musical roots of blues & country and the other knee-deep in rock. To quote one fan “We had a blast! A cornucopia of awesomeness ” What’s in store at a Minglewood Show – tunes from Matt’s latest release ‘Fly Like Desperados’ , and old classic fan favourites, peppered with songs & stories.
Minglewood, known for his high octane shows will have you enjoying his brand of rock as it should be heard, wrenched from the heart and shot from the hip. For all music fans with a taste for the blues & rock, to witness this band is a feather in your cap. Joining Matt on stage & on his latest release ‘Fly Like Desperados’ is Moon McInnis on drums & vocals, the vivacious and extremely talented Emily Dingwall does the honors on bass and vocals, 19 year old Nick McInnis adds his immense talent on guitar and Jeff Stapleton tickling the keyboards & vocals. The youthfulness in the band has added a fiery spark to their shows.
Hope you got the opportunity to catch one of their shows, you won’t be disappointed.
Matt has released 14 recordings and has amassed numerous awards & accolades including two ECMA awards for 2018 ‘Blues Recording of the Year’ and the coveted ‘Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year’ awards. To name but a few of the awards he has amassed throughout his career include:
East Coast Music Awards
2018 Fans Choice ‘Entertainer of the Year’
2018 Blues Recording of the Year for ‘Fly Like Desperados’2008 Blues Recording of the Year for ‘The Story”
2006 Blues Recording of the Year for ‘Live at Last’
Lifetime Achievement Award
Maple Blues Awards
2015 Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement) 2013 Entertainer of the Year Award
Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival
2005 Dutch Mason Blues Award
Canadian Country Song of the Year
Me & The Boys 1986
Great Canadian Blues Award
CBC Radio Saturday Night with Holger Peterson
Honorary Doctorate from UCB
Two Juno Nominations & Three Gold Records
Bestowed with the Queens Jubilee Medal for his contribution to Canadian Music

Madison Violet
2022-08-10 20:00 - 22:00
After 20 years together, Juno nominated singer-songwriting duo, Madison Violet, are as much wanderers as they are musicians. It is a career filled with endless roads stretching into the horizon, winding through changing landscapes, each kilometer traveled carrying with it the promise of inspiration. Perhaps that is the secret of what has made Madison Violet such an enduring band. Because with each new town, each new venue, their curiosity grows, their love of music deepens, their desire to push musical boundaries expands.
It is believed that the spark that ignited Madison Violet’s irrepressible curiosity came from an unlikely source; while sitting in Brenley’s grandmother’s kitchen in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, filled to bursting with family, friends, instruments (and maybe even a foe or two), and miles from their adopted home of Toronto, Ontario, two musicians looked at each over the flickering light of the old wood stove and knew that theirs would be an unconventional journey. Inspired by their heritage, emboldened by their vision, Lisa MacIsaac and Brenley MacEachern decided that they would create a sound that would have it’s roots in their past while continually exploring new sounds. From the beginning, the multi-instrumentalists have carried authenticity with them like a talisman, writing all of their own music and lyrics, believing that the best way to connect to their audiences was to treat them like old friends sharing a secret and a smile. As vocalists they have an innate ability to break your heart, slyly knowing that their soaring harmonies will mend it, often all in the span of one song.
​The shared belief in themselves and their fearlessness to follow their dreams did eventually pay off and accolades and awards soon became synonymous with Madison Violet; including a Juno nomination, a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Vocal Group Album of the Year and a Critic’s Choice Award from Country Music People’s Magazine. Their songs have been featured in the notorious music magazine MOJO’s Top 10 Playlist, and received a mass of acclaim from outlets such as the BBC, the CBC, Maverick Magazine and NPR, and have earned the duo the Grand Prize in the Maxell John Lennon Song Writing Contest (which was voted on by a panel of distinguished artists including Elton John, Tim McGraw, Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, John Legend, Enrique Iglesias and Mary J.Blige). Madison Violet were on Germany’s WDR’s list of ‘Best Bands of All Time’ and with a bit of a departure from their rootsy sound, their single ‘These Ships’ was released in 2014 on one of the largest dance labels in the U.S., Ultra Records, garnering over 1,000,000 plays on Spotify. Madison Violet has 9 studio albums to their credit including the new Christmas classic “Sleigh Bells in the Snow” featuring their friend and collaborator Ron Sexsmith, singing on Frosty the Snowman.
In March 2019, Madison Violet will release their latest album “Everything’s Shifting”. The album is a heartfelt examination of how memory can splinter a heart, how loss shapes perspective and how sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can’t have love without regret. It is an album to be listened to on the open road, with the windows rolled down: a love letter to their fans, from two wanderers who continue to follow the melodies wherever they lead.

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Pretty Archie
2022-08-17 20:00 - 22:00
Pinning down the sound of Cape-Breton-based quintet Pretty Archie has always been about as easy as catching a greased pig, but with the release of their new, self-titled album the band is confident that their unique mix of folk, Americana, bluegrass, Alt-Country, and East Coast music will appeal to a wider audience than ever before. Celebrating their tenth anniversary with what is arguably their finest work to date, the album was released on February 11, 2022 via Curve Music/Warner Music.
Pretty Archie, their sixth album, is one of which they are justifiably proud, for it represents a quantum leap forward in the evolution of the group’s sound. ”I feel each of our other records was a step ahead of the previous one, but this one is six steps ahead,” declares bassist/vocalist/songwriter Colin Gillis. “We are proud of everything we’ve put out, but this is at a different level.”
Helping the group realize the formidable creative achievement that is Pretty Archie was internationally-acclaimed record producer and engineer Mark Howard, whose star-studded resume includes work with the likes of Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, U2, Tom Waits, The Tragically Hip, Peter Gabriel, and more. Howard’s fortuitous recent relocation to Cape Breton allowed Pretty Archie to take advantage of his skills, and the band couldn’t be happier with the results.
To record Pretty Archie, Howard and the band set up shop in the rustic setting of an A-frame lakeside cottage in Cape Breton. Lead vocalist/songwriter/guitarist Brian Cathcart explains that “Mark is very much about the vibe of the room, and this worked out perfectly. We were in the house for two weeks, basically doing a song a day, and we did evening sessions that had a cooler relaxed feel.”
“It was all basically recorded live off the floor, with minimal overdubs,” adds Colin. “That’s something we had always wanted, and Mark was able to do that. There’s a certain ambiance and energy in recording that way.”
Describing the new album, Brian states “it is more focused, even though you still can’t quite put a finger on it. For us, it definitely has way more of a country vibe. This record leans more towards alternative country or Americana, rather than the super commercial country out there.”
The catchy “Reasons” is one of the tunes that changed considerably in the studio, as Brian explains. “Originally that was rather a ‘cry in your beer’ song, but Mark wanted it faster. He had the 808 drum machine rhythm and we just sped the tune up to that, so now it is short, sweet and punchy.” There’s a similar upbeat tone to “Familiar Feelings,” another song that showcases the band’s instrumental prowess.
Brian digs deep vocally on the haunting ballad “Feel It In My Bones,” while, at Howard’s suggestion, “Someone New” became a duet, featuring Austin-based Maritime honkytonker Whitney Rose, with the contrasting vocals adding real resonance. Brian is especially proud of “Maritime,” a song written right in the studio that features these poignant lyrics – ”If your heart breaks down, we’ll use mine. It is weathered and weary, but it is Maritime.”
Cathcart explains that “as a band, we wear our East Coast hearts on our sleeves. We are very proud of where we are from, but our focus now is exposing people internationally to our part of the world.” Gillis adds that “if you are genuine and true to yourselves, then people will attach themselves to that, no matter where you are from.”
Pretty Archie have long been regional favourites, with a stack of Music Nova Scotia and East Coast Music Award nominations to their credit. They are now looking globally, and with Pretty Archie they have an album ready for international prime time play. Do yourself a big favour and check it out.
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J.P. Cormier
2022-08-31 20:00 - 22:00
Nobody really knows who J.P. Cormier is for sure. That’s to be expected, believe me.
In 1974 he was a five year old boy, discovering an innate talent for playing the guitar, I had a little hand in that, guiding him through the beginning stages. He learned faster than I could teach.
By the mid eighties, not out of his teens, he was a sideman for bands and artists of many different genres in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and all across the deep south. As he travelled and worked he added more and more instruments to his arsenal of capabilities. He became indispensable to the bands he worked for.
In the early Nineties, he became a sideman for one of Canada’s favourite sons, Stompin’ Tom Connors and also became a staple of the recordings at Studio H in Halifax. His work with the CBC there, spanned musical, production and arranging duties.
All this before he was 20.
In the mid nineties he reentered the musical scene of his beloved East Coast and the Island called Cape Breton. He exploded onto the trad music scene there as a fiddler, performing some of the most difficult music ever produced by legends like Winston Fitzgerald and Angus Chisholm with a facility that stunned onlookers. Especially those who knew he wasn’t born there, but born in Ontario to Cape Breton parents. Somehow, some way, his music was the real thing, sounding like he had been steeped continually in a handed-down brew of family tradition from the old country.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
His previous gig was in Nashville playing mandolin and banjo in a grammy nominated bluegrass gospel band and performing on the Opry, and playing television shows with the likes of Waylon Jennings. All those people also thought he was one of them, American, reared in the ways of bluegrass, old time and Americana music. They knew he was from Canada, but it just didn’t seem possible.
Then in 1997, something amazing happened.
An album released in Canada, out of nowhere, called Another Morning. This time it was him as a songwriter and a lead singer.
And what a songwriter he turned out to be. Some of the performances on that album are literally part of the musical vocabulary today in the East Coast. Songs like the title cut, and Kelly’s Mountain, The Molly May (co written with his cousin Gervais) and others. It inspired, 25 years ago, some of the biggest names in the business today. People like Dave Gunning, Matt Andersen, David Myles, Joel Plaskett, all of which will tell you: that record changed things.
The Canadian industry thought so too, and it received a juno nomination and won an ECMA.
And that was just the beginning.
36 years later after stepping on stage as professional union musician for the first time at the tender age of 13, JP is still going, and frighteningly, still getting better.
16 albums followed the success of Another Morning, winning 12 more ECMA’s, another Juno nomination, a Canadian Folk Music Award and 5 Music Nova Scotia Awards. Each album was a snapshot of each thing that he can do. There are fiddle albums, Mandolin, Banjo, Guitar, tribute records, songwriting collections, a purely astounding spectrum of talent and musical vision.
His catalogue of recordings and the 150 or so records he’s produced on other artists, resemble the tapestry he weaves in live performance. Where he used to carry 3 and 4 piece bands, he tours alone now.
Just him and the instruments.
People still leave his shows confused, amazed and wondering what they just saw. Did they see a storyteller? A Songwriter? Arguably one of the best guitar players in the business today? Someone who crosses the lines between different instruments like there are no lines? Who was that masked man, anyway?
Accolades aside, and there are many from people like Chet Atkins, Marty Stuart, Waylon Jennings, Gordon Lightfoot; JP sees himself as just a performer. He’s shy, but has a razor sharp wit and lightning sense of humour. He can be reserved or edgy to the point no return. He speaks for soldiers, first responders, other artists, the forgotten and lost. He speaks sometimes only for himself and refuses rebuttal.
Of all the things he is, foremost he is an entertainer. I think one of the best. After you’ve seen what he does, I’m certain you will too.

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Lookout Tower
2022-09-30 20:00 - 22:00
Winter Swamp Music!
A groovy mix of bluesy rockers, soulful ballads and blizzard funks. Lookout Tower recorded their debut album ‘Smoke Over Sound’ last spring in a century old church in Forks Baddeck with the help of engineer Jamie Foulds. It captures the natural reverb of the room and with the session recorded with instruments live off the floor it’s got that live and raw feel which contributes to their sound.
The original songs are currently getting airplay on radio stations and the band is playing shows around the island to promote the release.
Rankin MacEachern on vocals, Bryan Picard on guitars and vocals, John Pinnington on drums and Franzi Habith on bass.
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Steve Poltz
2022-10-19 20:00 - 22:00
This is the story of Steve Poltz.
Some people start life with a plan. Not Steve. He opens himself up to the universe in a way most of us will never be loose enough to achieve, and the universe responds with a wink, a seemingly bottomless well of inspiration, and the talent to truly connect with an audience. While 2021 could have found him adrift, faced with a tour moratorium the likes of which he hadn’t experienced in decades, it opened a door — literally, his friend Oliver Wood of The Wood Brother’s door — to creating an exuberant, thoughtful batch of songs that celebrate life in all of its stages.
The resulting album is called Stardust & Satellites [Red House / Compass Records].
“I just make stuff up,” he exclaims, quipping, “it sounded good to say that.” Steve is the sort of prolific writer and collaborator who downplays what seems like a non-stop geyser of creativity. “I have no rhyme or reason for what I do. It’s all magic. I go by instinct. It just felt right, so I went with it.”
The “it” in question is one of those serendipitous situations that were created by the pandemic. Steve, a road dog and performance junkie who regularly spends 300+ days a year on the road, bringing it to the people, should’ve been on tour last year. Esteemed Nashville roots rockers The Wood Brothers (Chris Wood being a former neighbor to Steve), also should’ve been on tour. Stuck in Nashville, Steve often joined the Wood Brothers for outdoor socially distant hangs, and, on a whim, decided to record one song with Oliver Wood and Jano Rix.
They cut “Frenemy,” a wistful, “keep your friends close and your enemies even closer” song that made it clear to all involved that they’d stumbled onto something special. With no studio clock ticking, no schedule or deadlines to meet, the companionship and ability to collaborate with like-minded musicians added a joyful diversion to what was a boring-ass year. Musically, the sky was the limit, and the group of musicians and friends embarked on a musical experience that found cast and crew reaching toward the stratosphere with Stardust & Satellites, which Oliver and Jano Rix of The Wood Brothers produced.
The album begins with the lithe fingerpicking of “Wrong Town,” an anthem summing up the life of an itinerant songwriter/performer, where he declares, “The truth is I have no plan at all,” going on to cite Emmylou Harris and Don Was as his style icons. It’s a “pleased to meet me” sort of song, and it was written to greet the audience at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 2019. “I wanted to write an opening song,” Steve recalls.“I sat down with fellow Nashville songwriter Anthony da Costa, and ‘Wrong Town’ just appeared.”
But even gonzo guys have their moments where the cycle of life seems to be almost too much to bear. “Conveyor Belt” is a heartfelt song, a song that could only be written at a certain point in one’s life, and that point is when you’re saying goodbye to your parents and addressing your own mortality. Steve explains, “My mom passed away, and then a few years later my dad crossed over. I started thinking that I was next on the conveyor belt in a factory on the wheel of time. Next thing I know, I grabbed my guitar and this song appeared to me like a gift. It didn’t exist and then voila, there it was. I feel lucky to be a conduit.”
The song is written over a gentle, repetitive melody that moves along with the inevitability of ye old sands of time. For fans, it’s a different side of Steve, using a voice and a new solemnity for a song that touches a universal nerve.
On one of the last nights of the recording sessions, Steve locked himself up in his writing room and within an hour, had conjured the catchy, effervescent “Can O’ Pop,” destined to be the radio single.
“Jano from The Wood Brothers was leaving the studio, and I asked him to give me a beat, and I told him I’d write a song with the beat he gave me,” recalls Steve. The exuberant, syncopated groove seems to bubble up as Steve admits, in his best mid-period Dylan, “I want to feel the fizzy rhythm with you.”
“Hey, Everyone loves a can of pop” he cracks.
Among other highlights, “It’s Baseball Season” seesaws on a sunny acoustic guitar as he pays homage to America’s favorite pastime. Poltz is a true fan, and the song’s laid-back, relaxed vibe speaks of carefree days at the ballpark. Steve even pays tribute to legendary baseball announcer Ernie Harwell.
With a cult following that includes fellow musicians, regular folks and festival goers who stumble onto his performances, there’s no common denominator to Steve’s fans. Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and raised in San Diego, CA Steve toured and recorded with San Diego cult favorites The Rugburns (they still play annual sold-out reunion shows). But it was through his creative partnership with Jewel that he vaulted into the national spotlight; co-writing her multiplatinum Billboard Hot 100-busting smash, “You Were Meant For Me,” and continues to work with her to this day.
Over the years, the Nashville-based troubadour has built a fascinating solo catalog, earmarked by his debut, One Left Shoe, Dreamhouse, Folk Singer, and 2019’s Shine On. No Depression crowned him, “A sardonic provocateur with a lighthearted acoustic-driven wit, suggesting at times a sunnier, less psychedelic Todd Snider, or maybe a less wan, washed Jackson Brown,” while the Associated Press dubbed him “part busker, part Iggy Pop and part Robin Williams, a freewheeling folkie with a quick wit and big heart.”
Among other collaborations, GRAMMY-winning bluegrass phenom Billy Strings tapped him to co-write “Leaders” on 2021’s Renewal and he’s co-written with Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, Nicki Bluhm, Oliver Wood and even Mojo Nixon.
He’s resumed his tour schedule, and when he comes to your town, he’ll say, as he does every night, “This is the best show I’ve ever played.” And hell, maybe it just is.
Ultimately, Steve never needed a plan.
He’s something of a natural, after all.

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Steve Poltz Redux
2022-10-20 20:00 - 22:00

A Very Very Cassie and Maggie Christmas
2022-11-25 20:00 - 22:00
Please RSVP at this link https://forms.gle/zdnKPFLmjmh66QkL6

“Cassie and Maggie… What an unbelievably gifted duo, the train is just gathering steam and leaving the station on these new stars. It is going to be a glorious journey, and it is already well-begun.” –Live Ireland Radio- Dublin, IR
From the deepest roots of Canada and its very earliest musical traditions come Nova Scotian sisters Cassie and Maggie, putting their own 21st Century stamp on the Celtic soundtrack of this nation. Exciting and innovative, their talent is surpassed only by the sheer joy they exude in performance. Alternating between Gaelic and English, traditional and contemporary, haunting and electrifying, the duo is nothing short of mesmerizing.
Born to a family of deep Nova Scotia roots and a rich musical history, the two have been enchanting audiences around the world with their unparalleled unity of strings, voices and fabulous percussive step dance. Theirs is the perfect balance between musical integrity and sheer entertainment as they seamlessly blend tunes passed down through generations of musicians with their own songwriting, borrowing from other writers, other genres and other eras.
They’re turning heads wherever they go – 2018 JUNO award nominees, Galaxie Radio Rising Star award winners, 17 Canadian Folk Music, East Coast Music and Music Nova Scotia awards and nominations, Female Singers of the Year by Live Ireland Radio, Female Vocal Album of the Year by Chicago Irish American News, and Album of the Year by NPR’s Celtic Connection – the list goes on.”
“Be it their foot percussion accompanying driving Nova Scotian sets, their perfect blend of sibling harmonies, added to a stunning interplay on various instruments, a musical evening spent with Cassie and Maggie is a great night, altogether” -Irish Music Magazine. Their new album, The Willow Collection “showcases not only their musical ability, but the depth and variety of their musicianship.”

“Nova Scotian sisters Cassie & Maggie are among the top musical acts in demand on the Irish/American/Canadian scene”
— Irish Music Magazine

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Hauler
2022-12-02 20:00 - 22:00
Seamlessly blending and bending roots, rock, and traditional Cape Breton Celtic music together into a hearty homemade soup that can dynamically have you hanging off every lyric – or knock you flat on your arse – Cape Breton’s contemporary Celtic trio Hauler has been simmering on the stove and are now ready to serve themselves up with the release of their upcoming debut album.
Familiar faces from saltwater funk trio Slowcoaster Steve MacDougall and Mike Lelievre have been sharing stages since long before they had any to play on, bringing hard-hitting pop-rock to the masses between Cheticamp and China for almost 20 years, and this represents a timely and natural return to their acoustic roots. Teaming up with fiddler Colin Grant, Instrumental Artist of the Year at the 2017 Canadian Folk Music Awards and a versatile musician who bounces between genres like a token fiddler should, the trio weaves traditional Irish and Scottish ballads, indie folk originals, and traditional and contemporary tune instrumentals with a modern acoustic approach that proves Cape Breton music can reassuringly re-invent itself.
HAULER IS:
Mike Lelievre | guitar/bass/vocals
Colin Grant | fiddle
Steven MacDougall | guitars/vocals

RG Schaller & The Peacemakers
2022-12-09 19:00 - 23:00
The Frolic and Folk is excited to announce that Rg Schaller and the Peacemakers are coming for an unforgettable evening of entertainment.
A unique 5 piece band on the rise in a sea of talent.
Also joining are singer/songwriters Duane Nardocchio and Sonnie Greening, as well as some very special guests.
Tickets available at door and online $20
Ages 19+

New Years Eve Eve with Pretty Archie
2022-12-30 21:00 - 23:30
This is for December 30th!

First come first serve. Not assigned seating. Doors open at 4PM
Midnight snacks, champagne, and swag included in your ticket price.
Ages 19+

Pinning down the sound of Cape-Breton-based quintet Pretty Archie has always been about as easy as catching a greased pig, but with the release of their new, self-titled album the band is confident that their unique mix of folk, Americana, bluegrass, Alt-Country, and East Coast music will appeal to a wider audience than ever before. Celebrating their tenth anniversary with what is arguably their finest work to date, the album was released on February 11, 2022 via Curve Music/Warner Music.
Pretty Archie, their sixth album, is one of which they are justifiably proud, for it represents a quantum leap forward in the evolution of the group’s sound. ”I feel each of our other records was a step ahead of the previous one, but this one is six steps ahead,” declares bassist/vocalist/songwriter Colin Gillis. “We are proud of everything we’ve put out, but this is at a different level.” ‘Familiar Feeling’ the first single from the album, is nominated for Canadian Folk Music Awards ‘Single of the Year’
Helping the group realize the formidable creative achievement that is Pretty Archie was internationally-acclaimed record producer and engineer Mark Howard, whose star-studded resume includes work with the likes of Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, U2, Tom Waits, The Tragically Hip, Peter Gabriel, and more. Howard’s fortuitous recent relocation to Cape Breton allowed Pretty Archie to take advantage of his skills, and the band couldn’t be happier with the results.
To record Pretty Archie, Howard and the band set up shop in the rustic setting of an A-frame lakeside cottage in Cape Breton. Lead vocalist/songwriter/guitarist Brian Cathcart explains that “Mark is very much about the vibe of the room, and this worked out perfectly. We were in the house for two weeks, basically doing a song a day, and we did evening sessions that had a cooler relaxed feel.”
“It was all basically recorded live off the floor, with minimal overdubs,” adds Colin. “That’s something we had always wanted, and Mark was able to do that. There’s a certain ambiance and energy in recording that way.”
Describing the new album, Brian states “it is more focused, even though you still can’t quite put a finger on it. For us, it definitely has way more of a country vibe. This record leans more towards alternative country or Americana, rather than the super commercial country out there.”
The catchy “Reasons” is one of the tunes that changed considerably in the studio, as Brian explains. “Originally that was rather a ‘cry in your beer’ song, but Mark wanted it faster. He had the 808 drum machine rhythm and we just sped the tune up to that, so now it is short, sweet and punchy.” There’s a similar upbeat tone to “Familiar Feelings,” another song that showcases the band’s instrumental prowess.
Brian digs deep vocally on the haunting ballad “Feel It In My Bones,” while, at Howard’s suggestion, “Someone New” became a duet, featuring Austin-based Maritime honkytonker Whitney Rose, with the contrasting vocals adding real resonance. Brian is especially proud of “Maritime,” a song written right in the studio that features these poignant lyrics – ”If your heart breaks down, we’ll use mine. It is weathered and weary, but it is Maritime.”
Cathcart explains that “as a band, we wear our East Coast hearts on our sleeves. We are very proud of where we are from, but our focus now is exposing people internationally to our part of the world.” Gillis adds that “if you are genuine and true to yourselves, then people will attach themselves to that, no matter where you are from.”
Pretty Archie have long been regional favourites, with a stack of Music Nova Scotia and East Coast Music Award nominations to their credit. They are now looking globally, and with Pretty Archie they have an album ready for international prime time play. Do yourself a big favour and check it out.

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New Years Eve with Pretty Archie
2022-12-31 21:00 - 23:30
First come first serve. Not assigned seating. Doors open at 4PM
Midnight snacks, champagne, and swag included in your ticket price.
Ages 19+

Pinning down the sound of Cape-Breton-based quintet Pretty Archie has always been about as easy as catching a greased pig, but with the release of their new, self-titled album the band is confident that their unique mix of folk, Americana, bluegrass, Alt-Country, and East Coast music will appeal to a wider audience than ever before. Celebrating their tenth anniversary with what is arguably their finest work to date, the album was released on February 11, 2022 via Curve Music/Warner Music.
Pretty Archie, their sixth album, is one of which they are justifiably proud, for it represents a quantum leap forward in the evolution of the group’s sound. ”I feel each of our other records was a step ahead of the previous one, but this one is six steps ahead,” declares bassist/vocalist/songwriter Colin Gillis. “We are proud of everything we’ve put out, but this is at a different level.” ‘Familiar Feeling’ the first single from the album, is nominated for Canadian Folk Music Awards ‘Single of the Year’
Helping the group realize the formidable creative achievement that is Pretty Archie was internationally-acclaimed record producer and engineer Mark Howard, whose star-studded resume includes work with the likes of Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, U2, Tom Waits, The Tragically Hip, Peter Gabriel, and more. Howard’s fortuitous recent relocation to Cape Breton allowed Pretty Archie to take advantage of his skills, and the band couldn’t be happier with the results.
To record Pretty Archie, Howard and the band set up shop in the rustic setting of an A-frame lakeside cottage in Cape Breton. Lead vocalist/songwriter/guitarist Brian Cathcart explains that “Mark is very much about the vibe of the room, and this worked out perfectly. We were in the house for two weeks, basically doing a song a day, and we did evening sessions that had a cooler relaxed feel.”
“It was all basically recorded live off the floor, with minimal overdubs,” adds Colin. “That’s something we had always wanted, and Mark was able to do that. There’s a certain ambiance and energy in recording that way.”
Describing the new album, Brian states “it is more focused, even though you still can’t quite put a finger on it. For us, it definitely has way more of a country vibe. This record leans more towards alternative country or Americana, rather than the super commercial country out there.”
The catchy “Reasons” is one of the tunes that changed considerably in the studio, as Brian explains. “Originally that was rather a ‘cry in your beer’ song, but Mark wanted it faster. He had the 808 drum machine rhythm and we just sped the tune up to that, so now it is short, sweet and punchy.” There’s a similar upbeat tone to “Familiar Feelings,” another song that showcases the band’s instrumental prowess.
Brian digs deep vocally on the haunting ballad “Feel It In My Bones,” while, at Howard’s suggestion, “Someone New” became a duet, featuring Austin-based Maritime honkytonker Whitney Rose, with the contrasting vocals adding real resonance. Brian is especially proud of “Maritime,” a song written right in the studio that features these poignant lyrics – ”If your heart breaks down, we’ll use mine. It is weathered and weary, but it is Maritime.”
Cathcart explains that “as a band, we wear our East Coast hearts on our sleeves. We are very proud of where we are from, but our focus now is exposing people internationally to our part of the world.” Gillis adds that “if you are genuine and true to yourselves, then people will attach themselves to that, no matter where you are from.”
Pretty Archie have long been regional favourites, with a stack of Music Nova Scotia and East Coast Music Award nominations to their credit. They are now looking globally, and with Pretty Archie they have an album ready for international prime time play. Do yourself a big favour and check it out.

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The Town Heroes Acoustic Show
2023-04-14 20:00 - 22:00, 2023-07-26 20:00 - 22:00
Whether a sweaty rock show or an intimate acoustic environment, The Town Heroes want you to be entertained.
Born and raised in small town Nova Scotia, Mike Ryan and Bruce Gillis have played together for the past 10 years — touring the world, releasing 5 critically acclaimed albums and winning an array of industry awards. Anthemic choruses, danceable arrangements, and tender falsettos highlight their catchy yet thoughtful songs. At heart, a perfect soundtrack for contemplating life with a bounce in your step.
Musically, the band blends their 90’s alt-rock influences with singer-songwriter stylings in the vein of Neil Young or Ryan Adams. On stage they move like intense caricatures – soaked in sweat, pushing every chord, note and beat to the limit. A structured wall of sound emerges; familiar yet distinctive. Camaraderie shows in their musicianship, their song-writing highlights what they are: friends playing music for the love of it, in it for the long haul.
The band released their sixth full length album Home during the summer of 2021.
Home is a concept album. The entirety of the storyline takes place over a two week period during a summer in Cape Breton. The 9 songs, told from 3 different perspectives, tell the chronological tale of coming home, youth, summer love, and ultimately lost love. A father — longing for what he left behind — returns to his hometown after moving to San Francisco for work. A young “local” boy falls for his daughter, a short romance ensues, and the romance dies upon her inevitable return home. The album captures the energy and spirit of a youthful summer and coming of age.

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Songstress Showcase
2023-05-12 20:00 - 22:00
Folksy, bluesy, soulful and a dash of the unexpected; three vocal powerhouses and Cape Breton based singer-songwriters come together to share their experiences of love, life and the feminine divine.

Angela Macdonald : Based in Sydney, NS, Angela MacDonald, is a singer-songwriter and guitar player whose music can be best described as indie/folk alternative. Following in the footsteps of her aunt, Rita MacNeil, who inspired her to write and invited her to share the stage on several occasions, she has performed as a solo artist and as one half of the duo Angel Station a name that captures the timeless essence of her powerful and haunting voice.

Sonnie Greening : As an emerging artist in the post-lockdown renaissance, Sonnie is evolving as a finger style player and newcomer to the stage, both solo and as a member of the Baddeck based band, The Brackish. Rooted in indie acoustic folk, Sonnie’s songwriting and big, bold sound has branched into blues with classic rock influence while her guitar styling compliments her melodic vocals and harmonies.

Abbey Mullendore : A Lake Ainslie born sensation, Abbey’s killer power rock vocals will take you right back to the 70s, so it’s no surprise that she has been reprising Stevie Nicks, note for note, in the Classic Albums Live tour in addition to her solo work as a songwriter and dynamo duo with her brother. Her mushrooms might not be magical, but her voice is!

Mike McKenna Jr.
2023-06-02 20:00 - 22:00

Ria Mae
2023-06-21 20:00 - 22:00
Ria recently had her collaboration “Too Close’ with Canadian singer Dan Talevski certified Platinum, having garnered over 15 million streams on Spotify and counting.
Since the June 2016 release of her full length, self-title album, the three-time JUNO nominee, and multi-platinum selling artist has toured Europe with Tegan and Sara, North America with Dido, and Canada with Scott Helman. She has performed with Elle King, Xavier Rudd, Shawn Hook, Family of the Year, Francesco Yates, Coleman Hell and more.
Ria has enjoyed radio chart success in Canada with platinum certified singles, ‘Clothes Off, Ooh Love, and ‘Bend’, and her songs have been streamed over 70 million times worldwide.

“Amazing show! A great combo of new and old songs. Lots of audience interaction – she even came off stage into the crowd to dance with us! Great lyrics and dance beats. Always a fun show to see Ria!” – loriesen

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Willie Stratton
2023-07-05 20:00 - 22:00
For more than a decade now, Willie Stratton has been building his good name on stellar sonic shape-shifting and a charismatic, super charged live show. The Halifax-based singer-songwriter has proven time and again that he can dive into any of rock ‘n’ roll’s various iterations—heartsick blues, twanged-up country, hip-shaking rockabilly, groovy surf, anything and everything in between—and emerge, again, as a maestro of the style.
But on his latest album Stratton seeks synthesis: Drugstore Dreamin’ finds him playing alchemist, melting down the myriad sounds he’s mastered over the years to create singular sonic gold.
As Stratton deftly weaves and mixes musical forms, Drugstore Dreamin’s intoxicating concoction brings his timeless songwriting to the forefront.

David Francey
2023-07-12 20:00 - 22:00
“Francey’s clear, simple songs speak volumes to his followers. After a decade in music, David Francey is known as one of Canada’s finest tunesmiths and a champion of the Everyman, admired for his less-is-more approach to writing. It’s amazing how he manages to address deep stuff with such spare ingredients” – The Edmonton Journal

David Francey is a Scottish-born Canadian carpenter-turned-songwriter, who has become known as “one of Canada’s most revered folk poets and singers” (Toronto Star). Born in Ayrshire, Scotland to parents who were factory workers, he moved to Canada when he was twelve. For decades, he worked across Canada in rail yards, construction sites, and in the Yukon bush, all the while writing poetry, setting it to melodies in his head and singing it to himself as he worked.
A truly authentic folk singer, Francey is a documentarian of the working person who never imagined earning a living from his music. But when he was in his 40s, his wife, artist Beth Girdler, encouraged him to share his songs and sing in public. The reaction was instant. His first album Torn Screen Door came out in 1999 and was a hit in Canada. Since then, he has released eleven albums, won three Juno Awards and has had his songs covered by such artists as The Del McCoury Band, The Rankin Family, James Keelaghan and Tracy Grammer.
Francey also had the honour of receiving the prestigious SOCAN Folk Music Award as well as taking home the Grand Prize in both the International Acoustic Music Award and in the Folk category for the John Lennon Songwriting Award.
“David’s straightforward songs tell honest stories of real people and real places. Poetic perception and a keen eye for the heart of the matter are trademarks of the man and his music. His songs and stories are a direct connection for audiences seeking depth and meaning in the day-to-day.” Shelter Valley Folk Festival
David Francey was born in Ayrshire, Scotland where he got his first taste of the working life as a paperboy. At age 10 he was devouring the newspapers he delivered, establishing a life-long interest in politics and world events while developing the social conscience that forms the backdrop of his songs.
He was twelve when his family immigrated to Toronto. He says he can trace his love of the land, the history, and the people of his adopted country to weekend family drives exploring southern Ontario. Music played a large part in these family outings. They sang traditional Scottish tunes as they drove through the Canadian countryside. Dad and sister Muriel sang melody, while mother and David sang harmonies.
His attachment to Canada grew with travel. He hitched across the country three times, then thumbed his way to the Yukon. This attachment surfaces in his songs of rail lines, farms, and the St. Lawrence Seaway. He grew to understand the people while working in Toronto train yards, the Yukon bush, and as a carpenter in the Eastern Townships. These experiences colour his first CD, Torn Screen Door, with songs like Hard Steel Mill, Gypsy Boys, and Working Poor and his second, Far End of Summer, with Highway, Flowers of Saskatchewan and February Morning Drive.
In concert David is a singer and a storyteller. His wry humour and astute observations combined with his openhearted singing style have earned him a loyal following.
David lives with his wife, artist Beth Girdler in the quiet but charming Lanark Highlands in southern Ontario. They are visited often by their son Colin, daughters Amy and Julia and grandkids Tristan, Alice and Millicent.
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Carleton Stone
2023-07-19 20:00 - 22:00
There’s a fantasy about show business that we’ve been fed since performers started offering up their hearts on stage for public consumption. The glamour, the jetsetting, and the parties all get played up over the reality of the whole thing: a career that seeps into your real life and can dismantle your relationships, the exhaustion of the road, and more than a few hangovers. On his third solo album, the self-produced Papercut—armed with a couple lifetimes of songwriting and touring in his rear view mirror—Carleton Stone gets honest about the toll of devotion to craft while illustrating his mastery of it. Through sax-blasted Americana, power-pop laced with ‘80s synth, and dreamy, sophisticated pop melodies, the Nova Scotia songwriter blurs genres to explore a tumultuous few years and some of the scariest questions someone can ask: what the hell have I done? What if I’d gone down some other path?
Carleton took a break from his award-winning solo career when he became a founding member of Port Cities. The band released music and successfully toured nonstop for five years before the world ground to a halt. During lockdown, Carleton worked to hone his skills as a producer and in 2021, Carleton produced Willie Stratton’s Drugstore Dreamin’ (2022) along with his own record.
An outstanding writer, Carleton has written songs for and with such diverse artists as Donovan Woods, Classified featuring Snoop Dogg, Ria Mae, Bobby Bazini, and Neon Dreams. Carleton has three solo albums to his credit and has toured internationally for the better part of the last decade.
