Back to the Index ... Next month and beyond
Attention all music lovers.... All weeknight concerts will begin early from now on. Be there early! From this point on... if you see a show posted on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... the doors will open at 8:00pm. Bands will play at 9:00pm, 10:00pm and 11:00pm... Weekday concerts will be finished at midnight. The earlier you come out... the earlier we get things going and then the earlier you get home to bed in order to still make it to work and school the next morning.
. Weekend shows will stay with the doors at 10:00pm and music from 11:00pm to 2:00am.
Tuesday, June 2nd - Dog Day - $5.00 at the door
Originating in Canada, Dog Day is a quartet -two girls and two boys- of those that inspire so much energy to their songs that these finish for being inflamed in our ears. Theirs they are positions in that already distant creative explosion of the indie-rock one American of ends of the 80, that that was convinced to itself, and to millions of fans in all the planet, that two guitars sufficed, low, battery, good voices and ideas to shake fossilized structures. And they comply with all and each one of the requirements, so by force they shake. (rough translation).
Wednesday, June 3rd - Jon Brooks - $3.00 at the door
Upon his return from a 1997 pilgrimage to war ruined Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jon Brooks traded guitar for pen, claiming his faith in song as a legitimate healer had been challenged. Eight years later Brooks declared an opposing view to be equally true: that “only the song carried within itself the means toward greater justice and community survival. I believe the opposing blend of rational word and emotional melody may afford us the rare chance to see others as we might see ourselves. I want my songs to be three and half-minute pills which, if digested, induce upon the listener empathy toward others.” In Brooks’ words: “I aim to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. The songwriter should attempt to improve the world by way of showing it to us as it is the mandate of all art to improve the world by inspiring empathy…ultimately, the folk singer is trying to politicize love – to lobby for compassion to be our principle representative on Parliament Hill.”
In 2006 he released No Mean City, a weighty and conceptual exposition of the modern urban soul’s homelessness and moral fatigue. 2007 afforded Brooks only superlative acclaim with the release of Ours And The Shepherds, a CD of Canadian war stories inspired by James Loney, Senator Romeo Dallaire, Sgt. Tommy Prince, and John McRae among others. The collection earned Brooks a ‘Best Songwriter’ nomination at the 2007 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Penguin Eggs deemed it “a thoroughly wonderful and truly important addition to the canon of Canadian folk music.” Ours And The Shepherds is now among the collections of The Canadian War Museum and The John McRae Society. Jon is also a published essayist with Guernica Editions’ Barry Callaghan Essays On His Works (2007) with contributions by Margaret Atwood, William Kennedy, Joyce Carol Oates, and others.
His third CD, ‘Moth Nor Rust,’ is an investigation into all the living things that neither “moth nor rust” can touch: love, hope, memory, justice, faith; in a word, peace. More than a celebration of the inner life, 'Moth Nor Rust' is an implicit reminder of how the folk song may be a means toward lifting humanity in the 21st century. The Tired Soil (2010) will offer a view of the Canadian immigrant experience.
Thursday, June 4th - The
Mudmen - $10.00 at the door - doors at 9:00pm
There's not many shows like this that you can go to these days in clubs... The Mudmen are taking a number of genres and fusing them into a new hybrid of Rock and Celtic... it's not like the Pogues... not like Flogging Molly... it's not really like anything out there. One thing you can say for sure... people love it. We generally blow the roof off this place when the Mudmen come to town. Get here early because we will fill up fast and probably sell out. The show will start early because we know you still have to work on Friday. Prepare thyself for the pipes. here's the official bio... surf on over to their myspace to hear their songs...
Celtic overtones in a fusion of rock and punk? It's not for the timid. The MUDMEN are beyond unique in their hard driving sound onslaught. Centered around ripping bagpipes, the MUDMEN have created one of the most mesmerizing rock performances anywhere. The band's powerfully intense live show has leveled audiences throughout North America over the past eight years with its fusion of melody and original Celtic Rock power.
Recently featured on the brand new CBC Hockey Night In Canada Theme song, "MudPipers" Robby and Sandy Campbell, are the driving force behind the group. The MUDMEN have tapped their Celtic roots for the brand new album , "The High Road," and have not stopped performing the hard hitting Trad/Rock blend since its release.
With songs featured on NBCs "The Black Donnelly's", PlayStation and XBOX video games, WWE Highlanders Tag Team theme song, and Don Cherry's own "Rock Em Sock Em" Hockey DVDs, the MUDMEN have proven they are not just another rock and roll novelty.
Friday, June 5th - Highway 69 Revisited - The Bob Dylan Night - $5.00 at the door
Ryan Bishops, Dan Leveque, Matt Foy, Chris Dardick, Nick Krawczuk and a few
friends gather tonight to pay trib to the songs of Bob Dylan... with a set list
stretching from The Freewheeling Bob Dylan to Time out of Mind... these house
musicians are ready to delve into 47 years of one of the richest song catelogues
in any songwriting history. These are the same musicians who have taken part
at points in projects like - The Beatles Night, The Lost Waltz - The music of
The Band, The Annual Tom Waits Birthday Party, The Bob Marley 60th Birthday
Party and more. Our house musicians are a double threat in being some of the
most accomplished writers and composers in the city yet also loving to come
out on a Friday night armed with the songbook of a performer or group that has
shaped all of our lives in pop culture. To quote Bob... "You may be rich
or poor, you may be blind or lame
You may be living in another country under another name... But you're gonna
have to serve somebody".
Saturday, June 6th - ALS Fundraiser - Apparatus, Merchants of Solace, Spirit of World Drums, Marc Serre - $5.00 at the door
ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease... it has also felled one our great singers... Leadbelly, in 1949. ALS destroys motor neurons that are an important link in the nervous system, and through which the brain controls the voluntary muscles throughout the body. Leg and foot muscles are controlled by motor neurons in the lower spinal cord. Arm, hand and finger muscles are controlled by motor neurons in the upper spinal cord. Speaking, swallowing and chewing are controlled by motor neurons in the brain stem.
A few friends of The Townehouse Tavern are participating in the ALS Walk on June 13th and tonight we are proud to host this evening of great bands and performances to help our friends reach their goals for raising dollars to go to Research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. We hope that although we are charging $5.00 at the door... you may want to help out in another way by pledging more or by joining in the battle for awareness and raising research dollars.
Some great artists are donating their time for this evening... Apparatus always fills and rocks the roof off of the house with their hard rock and captivating performance. Merchants of Solace are one of the great bands of Sudbury of the last three years, fusing funk, jazz and rock into a hybrid of dancing, jamming and groove. The Spirit of World Drums is a group of people led by Jeff Stewart who gather to play drums for music's sake and also to feel the healing power of music therapy. Songwriter Marc Serre opens the evening.
Come Early, bring your friends... thank-you for supporting this cause.
Wednesday, June 10th - SNFU, Snatchback, The Coffins - $15.00 advance… tickets on sale at the bar ... Doors at 8:00pm... Bands at 9:00pm, 10:00pm and 11:00pm.
SNFU, one of the longest running, most popular Canadian punk acts, formed in Edmonton, Alberta in 1982. They are still going strong today under the leadership of permanent member Mr. Chi Pig (vocals). Originally an acronym for Society's No Fucking Use, SNFU initially comprised Chi Pig, the Belkes, bassist Warren Bidlock and drummer Evan "Tadpole" Jones. However, over the next decade the group's rhythm section changed from album to album and tour to tour. As you can see from the list to the left, there are currently 17 people on the SNFU roster that have played at one time or an other with the band.
SNFU's first two releases, 1985's ...And No One Else Wanted to Play and If You Swear, You'll Catch No Fish, were straight- ahead skate punk albums with strongly political lyrics, released on BYO Records. For 1988's Better Than a Stick in the Eye the quintet moved to the larger indie label Cargo Records, for whom they also recorded 1992's mostly live The Last of the Big Time Suspenders, intended to be their final album.
Just as SNFU appeared to be finished, Epitaph Records -- the most commercially successful U.S. independent label of the 1990s -- offered them a record contract. Along with new bassist Rob Johnson and drummer Dave Rees, Chi Pig and the Belkes returned with 1993's Something Green and Leafy This Way Comes, which, not surprising, had a more typical West Coast/Epitaph sound. Following the release of 1995's The One Voted Most Likely To Succeed, the group returned with 1996's FYULABA (produced by Dave Ogilvie of Skinny Puppy), their first album not to have a seven word title (though it does have a seven letter title). In 1997 Brent Belke and David Rees left the group; SNFU decided to continue on as a four-piece with new drummer Sean Stubbs, recording the Canada-only live release Let's Get It Right the First Time.
In 2000 SNFU released a 5 song EP on Alternative Tentacles titled The Ping Pong EP. SNFU recorded their 8th full-length album "In the meantime and in between time" in 2004. This tour has been snaking its way around Ontario for a few weeks now, so we'll be seeing SNFU in full glory and well oiled. Mr. Chi Pig is, always has been, and always will be one of the most exciting front singers in music.
The Coffins are Sudbury's first pomp and sideburn/ rockabilly/ skunkabilly band since the dissolution of The Elvis Zombies in 1990. Of course, we had the country-rockabilly band Hank and Hoosier Daddies through the late 90's... but The Coffins are getting back to a dirty rockabilly that takes in The Cramps and The Brains and distills it into a potent high octane fuel.
Snatchback are a straight up skate punk band from Ottawa, Ontario.
Thursday, June 11th - Deep
Dark Woods, One
Hundred Dollars ($100) - Fundraiser for River and Sky festival -
$10.00 at the door - 
9:00pm
River and Sky is a new festival holding its first edition on July 17-19 about an hour East of Sudbury. The founders of the festival are all Townehouse folk and long time supporters of Music here in Sudbury... we are proud to help them raise some funds toward their first festival tonight. These are two of the most acclaimed roots music bands of the last year... I guarantee that unless you were looking for Speed Metal, this will be the best show you see this month. One Hundred Dollars has garned so much press this past year and has a real buzz happening. Deep Dark Woods has been one of the most played groups on CBC Radio 3 and Radio 1 in the last year or so... You just can't miss this show... and along with the Northern Lights Festival Boreal... you have to mark down River and Sky Festival for your summer events.
The timeless sound of the aptly named "The Deep Dark Woods" belongs
to the depressing winters of the north. Pulsing with human warmth, these original
songs echo through the lonesome night. Ryan Boldt's plainspoken lyrics offer
a strong but gentle tone which understates poetry, oftentimes as startling as
hot blood in fresh snow. Despite the dark themes, the heaviness never overwhelms
the music's playfulness. An utterly fun rhythm section, brilliant guitar work,
and eerily rich harmonies drive the songs. One could easily be forgiven for
mistaking their songs as treasures of decades past, as The Deep Dark Woods approach
their instruments with studied respect for the honoured traditions of the shadowy
side of roots music.
The Deep Dark Woods' newest release "Winter Hours" is a collection
of their best recordings yet. Working with Juno award winning producer/musician
Steve Dawson at Vancouver's famed recording studio "The Factory",
they managed to truly bring out an energy that the new songs deserved, recording
the album live off the floor. What was created was an album full of raw emotion,
sadness, beautiful vocals and harmonies, new sounds, and well thought out arrangements."Winter
Hours" represents the ever changing sound of the band, and a step forward
from their latest Black Hen release "Hang Me, oh Hang Me"(WCMA Nominated).
$100 emerged in November 2006, when Simone Schmidt (voice and lyrics) and Ian Russell (vocals and guitar) took their original country songs to the stage, earning a steady following in Toronto’s local folk, roots and independent music scene. Stew Crookes (pedal steel) joined them shortly after, and together they released their first EP “Hold It Together,” in the summer of 2007. The same summer saw Russell’s diagnosis with Leukemia, with a difficult chemotherapy protocol to follow. Holed up in the house for months together, Schmidt and Russell took the time to craft more original tunes. One lucky performance they opened for Rick White (Eric’s Trip, Elevator, the Unintended) who invited them to record with him. Russell called on his former band mates from Jon-Rae & the River, David Clarke (the Drums), Paul Mortimer, (bass) and Jonathan Adjemian (piano and organ) to lend some texture to the tunes. The album was recorded live off the floor in 13 hours. more...
"Forest of Tears," $100's first full length album was released on Blue Fog Recordings in July 2008 and has garnered critical praise for its compelling songs and masterful performances. Named Best Folk/Roots Act in Toronto by Now Magazine, $100 brings the listener back to an old kind of country, while remaining true and relevant to their urban context and contemporary themes. Compared to Emmy Lou Harris, Gordon Lightfoot and Dolly Parton, $100 brings back the craft of song writing with compelling narratives and lively hooks.
$100 is currently working on a project called "Regional 7 Inch" which
sees vinyl 45's released throughout Canada on a variety of labels. The songs
focus on subject matter that is regionally relevant to the place out of which
the label is based.
Friday,
June 12th - Madison
Violet,
Catherine MacLellan
- $5.00 at the door
Madison Violet (aka Madviolet) are a Toronto based duo, consisting of Lisa MacIsaac (vocals, guitar, fiddle, mandolin) and Brenley MacEachern (vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica). Together, they've been touring the globe non-stop for 9 years, from Antigonish to Australia, Geneva to Grenada. Collectively they've racked up a fan following who love their shows because of their way to make people feel like they're sitting at a campfire, roasting marshmallows with their friends.
Madison Violet started out as Madviolet (which was only to be confused as an 80's psychedelic band The Mad Violets one too many times) so they extended their name to something a little sweeter. Their 1st two albums were recorded in London, UK with legendary producer, John Reynolds (Sinead O'Conner, U2, Damien Dempsey) and they came with great success: 4 ECMA nominations (Best New Artist, Group Recording of the Year, Folk Album of the Year and Pop Album of the Year) , a Canadian Folk Award nomination (Best Vocal Group) and a Top 40 Hot AC single in Canada.
In 2008, Madison Violet released their 2006 album Caravan in Germany after having signed to label, Big Lake (Rough Trade). This proved to be successful, with German radio picking up on their first single 'Worry The Jury' and audiences growing exponentially at each show. September, Madison Violet spent touring Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. October will find Brenley and Lisa in Europe once again, supporting Ron Sexmith in the UK, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Holland and Norway.
Summer of 2008, Madison Violet recorded their 3rd album, No Fool For Trying; this time in Canada, with producer Les Cooper at the helm. He's taken them in a much rootsier direction. Guest appearances by Paul Mathew on upright bass.
Matching pure
and ethereal vocals with poetic lyrics and her uncompromising song writing craft,
there is no doubt as to why Catherine MacLellan has become one of the most celebrated
new singer-songwriters in Canada, and around the world, by her contemporaries
and media alike.
Voted ‘Critics Favourite New Discovery’ by Penguin Eggs Magazine in 2008, Catherine has quickly built up a loyal fan base and has been a hit with critics worldwide. Her last album Church Bell Blues hit #1 on the iTunes Canada Roots charts, received critical acclaim and comparisons to Joni Mitchell from international magazines such as Q, Maverick, fRoots, the Austin Chronicle, and Boston Globe. She toured with Bruce Cockburn in the USA and with Steve Forbert in the UK, showcased in Paris, Cannes, Berlin, New York, London, and Memphis.
Saturday, June 13th - Atropheed, Life Blown Open - $5.00 at the door
Atropheed is a hard rock band from Sudbury. This four piece band has been slogging it out at home and on the road for three years.
Life Blown Open began 5 years ago by Justin Ross and Tanner Reinhardt. Since then, Paul Loewenberg has joined, and a fourth addition is in the works. Since the beginning, the band has aimed to create music that is creative and experimental. So far, they've made two albums which accomplish that goal. Feedback indicates that people find the music to be interesting and unique, which indicates that they're doing a good job. The band continues to write, perform and play Smash Bros. in their home town of Sudbury. One day, they believe that they will leave Sudbury
Sunday, June 14th - The
Tom Savage Trio - no cover - pass the hat
Think of this as a neat cross of Born to Run Springsteen and the Grievous Angels. Straight ahead rousing country rock with good songs. With the release of Tom Savage's fourth studio album, we are witness to the continuing evolution of an artist. However, there is an important distinction to be made between Savage's earlier solo records, and this new release under the Tom Savage Trio banner. For this record, the Kingston, Ontario-based songwriter has all but abandoned his acoustic guitar, in favour of a raucous, electrified sound. Backed by bass(Geoff Chown) and drums ( Sandy Mackenzie), "Savage replicates the live bar-room feel that lends itself well to his music". - Scott Chomistek, Beatroute magazine
TST's sound is often compared with modern bands like Son Volt and Drive-By Truckers. These comparisons are welcome, but the band draws their inspiration from the artists on which they cut their musical teeth. Specifically, Neil Young's "Ragged Glory" album and The Cult's "Electric". Savage's writing style owes much to Mr. Young as well. In recent years, however, he has been increasingly influenced by the work of Robert Earl Keen and Townes Van Zandt. A Tom Savage Trio live show is something to behold. The grainy spontaneity of 70's Jam Rock, a dash of 80's Punk, a hint of outlaw Rockabilly, anchored by Savage's impeccable song writing, meld together to bring the audience member for a ride down the dirt road of rock and roll.
Wednesday, June 17th - Meadowlark Lemon, Muleskinner, Bot - $5.00 at the door
Meadowlark Lemon (www.myspace.com/meadowlarklemonband) is a two-piece prog band. I don't care how much Jon hates the moniker, that is what they are. They play drums with their feet, write songs in odd time signatures, and do as much as humanly possible onstage to achieve the sonic force of a four-piece. A Meadowlark Lemon set, much like a religious experience, is composed of noise, chaos and sweet melody. Unlike a religious experience, there are a lot more leather jackets and sunglasses. This date is in the middle of the MLem cross-Canada tour; please come out and suppport the bad dudes.
Joining MLem on their cross-Canada tour is Mule Skinner (www.myspace.com/muleskinnerband). Sudbury expatriates Matt Davis and Damien Florio used to be in an awe-inspiring and powerful post-rock band called Elephanta. They moved to Niagara Falls about two years ago and started Mule Skinner, which is not quite an alt-country band and not quite a post-rock band. Post-country? For anyone who has ever wondered what the stomp of Johnny Cash would sound like if it were married to the crashing climaxes of Mogwai, Mule Skinner is your answer.
Rounding off the show tonight will be local noisemakers Bot (www.myspace.com/wearebot). This four-piece has been leaving all-ages audiences scratching their heads for the past few years. Now, Townehouse-goers finally get to see what all the fuss is about. One thing is for sure, you will not forget Bot. Bot is noisy, atonal guitar riffs married to jazzy bass lines and frenetic drumming with acetone vocals. Bot is making the most challenging music in the Sudbury music scene today. Their influences range from the No-Wave movement in New York of the late 70's to, more recently, modern experimenters like local legends Varge.
Thursday, June 18th - Los Banditos - $5.00 at the door
The Bandit rides again... last time Ryan came out with a set of Stones covers, the time before that was reggae, surf and country... When Ryan Bishops takes the stage, it could be any kind of night... but know this... it's fun rock and roll the way your parents used to dance to in the 60's. Throw in a little Velvet Underground and maybe some Sonic Youth and you'll get the hang of it.
Friday, June 19th -
Alun Piggins & the Quitters - $5.00 at the door
Alun is threatening to bring up his Toronto band for a show sometime soon... he's telling us that with The Kid South and The Hobbit along with Jay and Alun, that they have a real band for the first time in years... drawing at every club they play at in Toronto and being a real talked about happening hip thing. Of course... in Sudbury, Alun has always been the hip thing to go out and see. It's edgy rock and roll played with heart, volume, bounce... soul. Where will that leave his Northern Bass Player? on Keys. Is it looking like Alun might take another run at being a respectable musician? Well I wouldn't go that far... but you know it's going to be a great show no matter what.
Saturday, June 20th - Dunnerz and Gunnerz - $5.00 at the door
Yes, Brian Dunn takes a night with an electric guitar to take in a bunch of favourites from Neil Young, The Band, a few November All Stars songs... and whatever else this fine gaggle of musical obsessives can wrap their heads around. A special event tonight sees the 19th birthday of Stephanie Fyfe... she's been playing bars since she was 12 years old... so she's already a vet of the bar scene... but for the first time you might see her with a beer in hand... don't bust her... she's 19 now...
Thursday, June 25th - Dead Flowers w/ Guests - $5.00 at the door
Dead Flowers take a night here as they get ready to launch themselves out over the crowd. Maty, Rus, Maranger and Pierre have started a great new rock and roll band here... They're named for a Stones song... they seek that same swagger that made the Stones the goddamn sexiest band in the world... they've taken that and added a little Stoogeness to it... covered, boiled, stirred and now poured out onto a stage for all to enjoy.
Friday,
June 26th - Laganza
w/ The Jess Lee Band
- $5.00 at the door
Laganza is a four-piece Rock, Blues Reggae band out of Muskoka ON. Original members Tobin Spring, Derek Cochrane and Benji Jordan formed the band during the mid 90's at Huntsville High School. Spring and Cochrane both received musical instruction from Hawksley Workman for a number of years. Both Spring and Cochrane went on to study Jazz at Humber College. Since the band's inception they have played over a thousand gigs in the Ontario region. Tobin and Benji also attended Cambrian College for music studies for a time. Laganza rides a line between extremely groovy Reggae and, with the addition of a second guitarist, have reached into Allman Brothers territory.
Jess Lee has been playing around Sudbury since her mid-teens. This songwriter is getting ready to launch her debut full length CD and tackle the Canadian music scene. She studies music at Laurentian, plays several instruments and joins in on the jam as often as she can. Jess has a powerful voice, a genuine presence and no fear. Her debut CD boasts an all-star cast featuring the likes of Allan Walsh, Chris Whiteley and more.
Saturday, June 27th - Stef Paquette - $5.00 at the door
To celebrate St Jean Baptiste Day, we have a great after party with Stef Paquette- songwriter, dynamic performer and one of the stars of the TV Series, Meteo +. His band is always a gathering of top players around town... Dan Bedard, Marc Savard, Shawn Pitzel. The band will take a set to play some funky R&B to get everyone dancing... Steph will roll out his trademark show of poignant songs and rolling in the aisles humour and presentation.
From his debut in 1993 with Les Chaizes Muzicales, Stef has been a big voice in the music community in Sudbury. Stef also completed a three month tour in the summer of 2008 that took him to every corner of the country to perform as part of a touring cultural project that took one Francophone musician from each province, built a show from their music and toured the show to as many communities in the country as they could get to in 3 months. Stef continues to write for his upcoming record and to perform at festivals, events, clubs and theatres across Ontario and Quebec.
Tuesday, June 30th - Low Guns - $2.00 at the door
Dwayne Trudeau and Luke Sellen serve up a night of dirty blues and R&B that crosses over lines from Hound Dog Taylor to Jon Spencer Blues Explosion to White Stripes. Or maybe... if the Rolling Stones had been a two piece band.
Wednesday, July 1st - Canada Day Party - $5.00 at the door
We'll put up a good one... for many years, The Townehouse has hosted a great Canada Day Reggae Party.
Thursday, July 2nd - Rough Sea, UV Ray, PG-13, Hometown Hecklers - $5.00 at the door
NORTHERN LIGHTS FESTIVAL BOREAL... TOWNEHOUSE TAVERN, OFFSITE VENUE
Friday, July 3rd - Bambara Trans, Angie Nussey - Free with Northern Lights Weekend Pass, $6.00 without
Very high demand for more from this band makes their return to Northern Lights
a highly anticipated event. Formé en 2006 par Khalil Abouabdelmajid,
Bambara Trans se caractérise autant par le brassage ethnoculturel de
ses musiciens, provenant de divers horizons, Maroc, Québec, France et
Nouvelle Écosse, que par le métissage de sa musique. Inspirés
par les rythmes traditionnels des quatre coins du monde, Bambara Trans fusionne
à souhait pour créer des mélodies qui lui sont propres,
ne pouvant être étiquetés d'aucun genre musical particulier.
Le nom du groupe qui provient de l'alliance de Bambara, une des langues parlées
en Afrique sub-saharienne, mais aussi la langue chantée des gnawi, et
du préfixe Trans, qui désigne la transformation, le passage, la
transposition, exprime d'ailleurs parfaitement cette démarche créative
basée sur la fusion des styles. Résultat : le groove et la belle
mélodie sont au menu de cette formation dont les airs festifs et endiablés
ne font pas la part belle aux racines et aux traditions du groupe qui transparaissent
dans chacune de leur composition. Formé de 9 musiciens chevronnés,
Bambara Trans s'appuie sur une puissante section cuivre, un batteur touche à
tout, un percussionniste, un claviériste surdoué, un guitariste
de génie, un inénarrable bassiste et un chanteur, joueur de guembri,
à la voix rauque. Groupe coup de cœur du Festival des Musiques du
Maghreb en 2007, groupe coup de cœur du Festival Musique Multi Montréal
en 2008, Bambara Trans désireux d'aller de l'avant n'a cessé de
se produire au cours de l'année, en profitant même pour enregistrer
son premier opus.
Saturday, July 4th - Mr. Something Something, Derek Olive - Free with Northern Lights Weekend Pass, $6.00 without
A little something for the body, a little something for the mind: your soundtrack
to a joyful revolution. With their fourth album, Toronto's Mr. Something Something
continue to gain international recognition for their unique blend of Afrobeat,
jazz and pop. Their irresistible rhythms and interactive live shows have long
served as a vehicle for social justice & environmental activism, and in
2009, the band is taking audience participation to new levels with its SoundCycle
- Canada's first bicycle powered sound system. Power to the people, by the people!
Western instruments and concepts of improvisation are explored and layered over
what used to be called Afrobeat; but the term strains to contain the innovations
happening in the rhythm section at every show. It also fails to express in fiery-enough
terms the imaginative solo work of respected jazz guitarist Paul MacDougall.
Liam Smith dependably delivers basslines designed to induce and sustain a state
of ecstatic dancing. And there is always inspiration to be drawn from mesmerizing
on-stage dancer/choreographer Jennifer Dallas. The horn section strikes with
power and uplifts with melody. And above it all, acting as a lightning rod,
is the lyric statement of the case for change and consciousness, passionately
delivered by electrifying frontman Johan Hultqvist.
Sunday, July 5th - Wild Turkeys, Merchants of Solace - Free with Northern Lights Weekend Pass, $6.00 without
Armed with fiddles, mandolin, guitar, bass, harmonica, a tin can percussive
suitcase contraption, and melodic four part harmonies, the Turkeys win over
the hearts and ears of audiences everywhere. This gang of brothers first came
together as a band in the winter months of 2006 and quickly formed a stronghold
in the Sault Ste. Marie Algoma region. This band blends masterful classical
techniques with a youthful and theatrical approach to old time country.
In April 2007, they released their first independently funded, original album
entitled "Unplucked", which gained nominations from the Northern Ontario
Music and Film in Motion Awards (MFM) for "Best Album" and "Best
Songwriter". April 2008, saw the successful release of their second, full
length album, "Suspendered". Watch out for these Turkeys as they are
quickly gaining national and international success
Thursday, July 9th - Johnny Sizzle - $5.00 at the door
Friday, July 10th - The Elephant Band - $5.00 at the door
Friday, July 17th - BA Johnston - $5.00 at the door
Wednesday, July 22nd - Jon Rae Fletcher - $5.00 at the door
Thursday, July 23rd - Stepper - $5.00 at the door
A good ol' fashioned SKA PARTY! This Montreal group is a mash-up of members of Interstellar Root Cellar, Strugglah and one of Sudbury's favourite Stomp groups... General Rudie! This will be a night to mark this summer as non stop dancing... LOUD SKA PARTY!
Thursday, July 30th - Tom Fun Orchestra - $5.00 at the door
Friday, August 1st - United Steelworkers of Montreal - $5.00 at the door
Wednesday, August 26th - Wax Mannequin CD Release tour - $5.00 at the door
Saturday, September 26th - Elliott Brood - $10.00 at the door
Thursday, October 1st - Cuff the Duke - $10.00 at the door