Archive for News

Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival – Concert Series: February 3-20, 2023

Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival – Concert Series
February 3-20, 2023

The BeaverTails Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival presents “Live @ The Rainbow”, the festival’s spectacular free indoor concert series taking place February 3-20 as part of Ottawa’s 45th Annual Winterlude.

The festival will warm things up at Ottawa’s legendary live music hall, The Rainbow, with an eclectic array of performers. The all Canadian line-up includes Amanda Rheaume, Barry & the Blasters, Craig Cardiff, The Commotions, Emma Lamontagne, Faux Confessions, Frown Line, HOROJO, JW-Jones, The Lionyls, Lynne Hanson, Main Street Revival, Moonfruits, Okies, The Peptides, Pony Girl, Rebelle, Rory Taillon, Silent Winters, School House, Stoby, Taming Sari, Twin Flames & We Were Sharks.

“We’re excited for “Live @ The Rainbow” and the superb lineup of free shows.” says Antony Cooper, the festival’s Artistic Director. “It is a privilege to be a part of the revitalization of the Rainbow and the ongoing history of music in such a storied venue.”

“We are thrilled to partner with the BeaverTails Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival to be hosting the free indoor concert series “Live @ The Rainbow.” say Danny and Stacie Sivyer, owners of the Rainbow. “The Rainbow has been a big supporter of the Ottawa music community for over 37 years so it is a pleasure for us to host the Festival’s world class programming.” In addition to free concerts, there will be racing February 3-4 on the Rideau Canal Skateway at Dow’s Lake.”

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Member Album Pre-Order: The Pairs

The Pairs – When Will We Find Our Way?

“When Will We Find Our Way?” Is the title of The Pairs new upcoming album. This project has been slowly coming to life over the last three years. This album is a collection of songs that engage with our own experiences of unraveling and learning how to embrace the parts of our identities that our culture has shamed us into ignoring.

As we prepare to put this project out into the world, we are looking to our community for additional financial support in making it a reality. All 6 songs have been recorded and your participation in this preorder is a way you can directly contribute to our ongoing music creation and distribution efforts. We’re so excited for you to hear it, and if you purchase through this campaign, you’ll have your hands on a copy by Spring 2023. Every little bit supports the variety of costs associated with a project like this. We hope the items you purchase bring you as much joy as they bring us! If you follow the link above or below, you can see the pre-order options that we have listed for purchase.

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Hibernate! Presented by Cultivate Festival: February 10 -12, 2023

Hibernate! Presented by Cultivate Festival
February 10 -12, 2023 – Port Hope, ON

Introducing Hibernate! Presented by Cultivate Festival. Three shows over three days at the historic atmospheric Capitol Theatre February 10 -12, 2023 + Hibernate Hot Spots (coming soon) featuring cool venues, hot tunes and tasty treats throughout Downtown Port Hope on Hibernate weekend.

Featuring performances by William Prince, Okan, Larnell Lewis & Joy Lapps, The Soul Motivators, Lydia Persaud, Caroline Marie Brooks, Kyler Tapscott, Medusa & Cale Crowe!

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Member Release: Christine Graves

Christine Graves – Everyday Life

Release concert for Everyday Life in Ottawa February 2, at Red Bird Live with full band. Christine especially enjoyed recording the album in a live manner. “Working from the energy of live takes is a process I cherish, and it adds to the quality of the recording by creating a strong connection to the listener from a holistic presentation of the key musical elements.” Christine’s music can be described as spacious and introspective contemporary folk. She writes poetry and puts it into song, performing on guitar and ukulele and often improvising vocal solos. Occasionally her east coast roots come to the fore, and she plays on her grandfather’s 100-year-old banjo ukulele from Nova Scotia.

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Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival: Feb. 24-26, 2023

Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival
Feb. 24-26, 2023

Announcing Winterfolk XXI – The 21st edition of Toronto’s Annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival will be welcoming their audience back on February 24, 25 & 26, 2023 with live shows featuring more than 100 artists on five stages. Winterfolk has found a new home in Toronto’s Kensington Market.

If you’re an artist who would like a paying gig at Winterfolk, you can apply on the website. Also looking for volunteers – front-door greeters, stage announcers, stage managers, sound technicians and stage and equipment setup and teardown personnel. Volunteers receive a full-access 3-day pass and a weekend honorarium.

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Member Release – Sue & Dwight

Sue & Dwight – The Red Rocket Two Step

“Grab your partner for The Red Rocket Two Step! Take a rollicking musical ride on a vintage Toronto streetcar with Sue and Dwight and their latest single” The Red Rocket Two Step”. The song is a story about someone riding a Red Rocket as the streetcars were known, and becoming caught up in a square dance.

The Toronto based duo’s new single is a bit Texas swing and a bit Django and a departure for the socially conscious songwriters. As Dwight notes “We loved riding Toronto’s old Red Rocket streetcars. One day we noticed that with the often jerky starting and stopping of the cars, riders walking down the crowded aisles looked like they were doing a square dance, do-si-do-ing their way to get to a seat.”

The song was created during the duo’s Lockdown Songwriting Sessions. Determined to create an appropriate musical accompaniment, they drew on the Texas Bob Wills influences they were exposed to during their long residency at Toronto’s iconic Cameron House. The duo enlisted Tony Laviola (Marc Jordan, Bob Nigrini) to join them with a rousing double bass.

Although Sue and Dwight were born too late to be part of the folk revival of the 1960’s, their music embodies the spirit of that time. Both are songwriters whose work focuses on themes of peace, courage, and social justice. ”

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Member Release: Sharron Katz

Sharron Katz – Santa Soulmate

It’s that time of year once again…yes where we share our original Christmas songs!! I love to tell folks that I’m Jewish and wrote an amazing X-mas song!! This song is called Santa Soulmate. It’s about a woman dreaming up her perfect man and deciding Santa has all the qualities she could possibly want!!

Member Release: Woody Woodburn

Woody Woodburn – I Am Enough

The EP is the second solo release by Woody Woodburn. 6 heartfelt songs that all relate to the most important things in life.

Member Release: Kari Lyn

Kari Lyn – Daylight

Daylight was a happy last minute addition to my EP. Its haunting sound reminds you of what could have been and knowing you are better off without. With phenomenal feedback from playing it in live settings such as “how have you been hiding this so long from us, THIS is a hit.. my new favourite” and “It’s so hauntingly deep”, it showcases an inner struggle, fighting between light and dark, good and bad, everything the EP ittself encompasses. Listen now on all streaming platforms.

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Member Kickstarter: Red Dirt Skinners

Red Dirt Skinners – Album Kickstarter

Anyone who follows us on social media will know how ill Sarah has been for the past few months.

We pride ourselves on being furiously independent and completely DIY professional musicians, but, as everyone else is emerging from the pandemic and pushing forward, Sarah has been struggling with long covid symptoms for over three months now. On Doctor’s advice, we’ve taken the impossible decision to put off performing until Sarah’s lungs are back to the capacity and strength that we all know and love.

You all know that we don’t like to ask, and we’re not good at it, so this isn’t coming easy to us, but, with an enforced empty diary until April 2023, we’re reaching out to you and have set up a Kickstarter campaign. We’ll be offering copies of a new “”fans only”” live CD and other bundles including backstage passes and even a day in our studio.

In October 2021, after two years of not performing, we made the brave decision to record our first live show back, with the view of using the recording for a future live album. Well… now’s the time. The album is ready, warts and all, complete with plenty of mistakes and giggles.

And you know what… we’re actually really proud of it!

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts that because of you, we are able to live a life we adore. Your ongoing support, generosity and all-round “”good vibes”” are what keep us going.

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