For much of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Caribbean, Jamaican and reggae music scene in Toronto was almost unrivaled in North America in terms of quality and performers. Jay Douglas, lead singer of The Cougars and one of the biggest and brightest talents of that time, is the subject of a fantastic new TVO Original documentary entitled Play It Loud! -- How Toronto Got Soul. The documentary, directed by Graeme Mathieson, produced by Andrew Munger (Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band), and Executive Produced by Clement Virgo (Brother, The Wire) will have its official premiere on December 4 and December 7 at the Hot Doc Cinema, 506 Bloor St W, Toronto. Tickets are now available to the public here.

The Wednesday, December 4 screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Graeme Mathieson, musician Jay Douglas and producer Andrew Munger. The Saturday, December 7 screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Graeme Mathieson. Both sessions will be moderated by Heather Haynes, Hot Docs' Director of Programming.

Legendary Blues Night at Grossman’s Tavern Featuring The Happy Pals, Frankie Foo, Danny Marks, The Hogtown Allstars, and Special Guest Donnie Walsh of Downchild, with MC Dan McKinnon

Grossman’s Tavern, the heart of Toronto’s blues scene, is thrilled to announce a powerhouse lineup for a special night of live blues on November 26, 2024 at 7:00pm at 377 Spadina Ave, Toronto. This memorable event will feature performances by some of Toronto’s finest blues acts, including The Happy Pals, Frankie Foo, Danny Marks, The Hogtown Allstars, and special guest Donnie Walsh of Downchild. Renowned Toronto musician Dan McKinnon will serve as the night’s MC, guiding audiences through an evening of soulful, electrifying performances.

This event is part of Grossman’s Tavern’s long-standing commitment to fostering the Toronto music scene. Known for its vibrant history and dedication to local talent, Grossman’s is also the home of the Amy Louie Grossman’s Music Scholarship (ALGMS), which supports Toronto-based musicians in their career development.

Canadian Music Week (CMW) has undergone a rebrand and expansion under the vision of Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group. The festival will continue as Departure Festival and Conference, which is due to take place May 6–11, 2025, in Toronto at Hotel X and various venues.

Said to "deepen community connections, invite audiences to explore the city's diverse creative landscape and solidify its presence as a must-attend event for creatives from around the world," Departure will henceforth expand into other art disciplines besides music, including technology and comedy for its 2025 inaugural edition. The event will expand into film and fashion in the near future.

"Departure honours where we've come from and celebrates where we are going," said Kevin Barton, Executive Producer at Loft Entertainment. "We're creating a launchpad that opens doors to deeper, more inclusive conversations and showcases the richness of Toronto's cultural scene, celebrates Canadian creatives, and welcomes global artists. We invite industry professionals, music and arts lovers and festivalgoers to experience the event in a whole new way."

Celebrating 50 years, legendary Canadian rock band GODDO mark a milestone with Decades, the definitive hits compilation released on October 25, 2024 through Canadian label Music In Motion Ent. This 14-track collection, curated for both lifelong fans and new listeners, features remastered tracks from every GODDO studio album, plus new recordings that capture the essence of a band that has helped define Canadian classic rock.

Signed Deluxe Version available at rockpapermerch.com/

GODDO's iconic track "Pretty Bad Boy" gets a fresh, re-imagined recording for the Decades project. The song reunites original drummer Marty Morin and keyboardist Drew Winters (who played on the original 1981 version). Guest guitarist Sean Kelly (Nelly Furtado, Lee Aaron) brings new depth to the track’s classic sound. Produced by Thiago Lima and Vic Branco at Toronto’s renowned Iguana Studios, this rendition is enhanced with a Dolby Atmos mix, immersing listeners in a multidimensional, richly layered sound experience. A new music video showcasing the history of the band is available on YouTube.

Cerberus Artist Management is extremely proud and excited to welcome the legendary band WHEN IN ROME UK to our management roster in a partnership with Karen McQuade!

WHEN IN ROME UK is the British Pop-Synth group, consisting of multi-talented vocalists and musicians Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann. The band is best known for their massive hit single, “The Promise”, which went #1 in many countries around the world. Their music continues to be a staple on TikTok and Instagram as the band continues to tour worldwide.

In addition to being management clients, WHEN IN ROME UK signed with Hetherman’s Sonic Envy / Warner Music in 2023 and will have a new album coming spring of 2025. More updates to come soon about the upcoming release.

Gordon Lightfoot called Tom Rush the best live solo act he’s ever seen and on Saturday night Tom Rush validated Gord’s assertion.

No stranger to the Toronto music scene, Tom performed at the legendary Riverboat at the height of the folk revival, the original Hugh’s Room and most recently opening for Gordon Lightfoot at his two last performances at the renovated Massey Hall. But this was Tom‘s first performance at the brand new location of Hugh’s Room Live. And what a beautiful venue it is. Great sound, great sightlines, and a perfect listening room. 

This was Saturday night, the second night of a two night stand, and there wasn’t a seat to be had. The moment Tom stepped on the stage a hush fell over the room and all eyes and ears were on the performer. And what a performance it was. The adoring crowd hung on every word. It was a wonderful mixture of love and respect for Tom and he returned the love and respect in equal measure. His easy delivery, warm, smooth vocal style wrapped the room in a warm coat and the well paced show rolled along with the time flying by.

Bachman Turner-Overdrive, the legendary rock n’ roll band behind worldwide hits such as “Takin’ Care Of Business” and “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet”, have announced an extensive tour across Canada in April and May of next year titled, Back In Overdrive Tour 2025. Multi-platinum April Wine and Headpins, two fellow Canadian rock bands, will open in support.

The tour will visit two cities in Atlantic Canada, including TD Station in Saint John on Wednesday, May 7 and the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Thursday, May 8.

Tickets go on sale next Friday, November 8 at 10 a.m. local time. For tickets and more information, visit: btoband.com, evenko.ca and livenation.com

 Canadian soul/blues powerhouse singer Ollee Owens releases her new album today, Nowhere to Hide, today through her Ollee Owens Music label imprint.

Produced by Bobby Blazier, the music on Nowhere to Hide is also graced by the presence of Muscle Shoals all-star guitarist Will McFarlane on eight of the album’s eleven tracks.  

 Check Out "Some Day's Here on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66rhpE1-yr8\

Moonlyn has officially surpassed 1 million streams and views across social media and music streaming platforms with her uplifting new single “Here & Now.” Known for her infectious positivity and radiant energy, Moonlyn continues her mission of spreading joy through music. As she prepares to release her highly anticipated full-length album, Possessed by Angels, on October 17, this milestone showcases the deep connection she's forged with listeners. With her third studio album, Moonlyn takes fans on a journey of vulnerability, hope, and gratitude, inspired by her personal battle with cancer and her unwavering commitment to find light even in the darkest moments.

Join theatre mentor Jani Lauzon, music mentor Sandy Graham, and film mentor Edward Heeley, along with their mentees -- Jenn Forgie, Omatta Udalor, and JC Sol -- in an exploration of how artists of different generations can inspire each other to greater heights of creativity.

Chapter Three of Creativity Forever 24 takes place on Friday, November 1st at 1:00 PM Eastern | 10:00 AM Pacific time. This two-hour session will include breakout discussions.

Click the button to register for Mixing the Generations and our two other chapters:

While the world of video games changes rapidly, soundtracks remain a crucial aspect of the gaming experience. From stirring orchestral pieces to catchy electronic beats, game music long ago ceased to be simple background noise to become a pivotal part of storytelling and immersion. Iconic soundtracks not only define the ambiance of games but also leave a timeless impression on players, profoundly influencing modern gaming.

Take, for example, the haunting sounds of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or the adrenaline-charged tracks from DOOM. Such soundtracks do much more than set the scene; they provoke emotions, create tension, and often join popular culture. In terms of music utilization, gaming has paralleled the interest shown in other entertainment media, from film to online casino environments, where such soundtracks play a critical role in shaping user experiences and user engagement.

The Evolution of Game Music

Fifteen shows throughout The Maritimes
November 22 - December 21

Renowned East Coast singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant has announced his Christmas Tour 2024

This holiday favourite is full of original seasonal songs, heart-warming stories, and captivating visuals in a multimedia presentation. The show will also present new arrangements for some traditional Christmas classics and will also showcase several songs from his new album to be released in 2025. Lennie has performed his constantly evolving Christmas show in Atlantic Canada for several years now to sold out crowds and this year’s multimedia version promises to be the best one yet.

For this tour, he will be joined by his partner and well-known Acadian musician Patricia Richard and her son, piano marvel Julien Robichaud along with talented New Brunswick-based Acadian violinist/fiddler, Marie Andrée Gaudet.

The Andy Kim Christmas returns to Toronto’s legendary Massey Hall Wednesday, December 4 for another unforgettable evening celebrating the magic of the season with performances from iconic Canadian artists. This year marks the 20th year that luminary musician and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, Andy Kim will bring together some of the nation’s most applauded talent featuring Barenaked Ladies, Alex Lifeson, Broken Social Scene, Billy Talent, Dan Hill, William Prince, Molly Johnson celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Kumbaya and more with all event proceeds donated to CAMH’s Gifts of Light.

Tickets to The Andy Kim Christmas go on sale Friday, October 18th at 10am local time at TicketMaster.ca, with prices ranging from $35.50- $85.50 plus fees. The complete line up of musical guests taking the stage will be announced in the coming weeks.

Music in Motion Canada changed the lives of many musicians. Are you next?

Calling all eager musicians and singer/songwriters who want to Fast Track their careers! Music in Motion Canada in association with EMG Collectives is proud to host their 2024 MiMc Music Awards. This competition gives undiscovered indie talent a chance to gain connections and exposure to music industry experts and opportunities. As a direct result of our 2023 event, the lives of many Canadian musicians were changed. Two of the winners were invited to perform on a festival stage in Sweden August / 2024, and our grand prize winner signed a management deal, with a worldwide release date of November 2024. Find their success stories in our inTune Magazine.

After 19 albums, countless awards and 55 years of spreading the blues around the world on tour, the time has come for THE LEGENDARY DOWNCHILD BLUES BAND to say farewell to the road and their beloved fans, with their FAREWELL TOUR.

Tickets for all shows are ON SALE NOW at downchild.com/tour-dates

It’s hard to believe THE LEGENDARY DOWNCHILD BLUES BAND are celebrating their 55^th Anniversary this year. As they say, time flies when you’re having fun!

Downchild came to international prominence as the inspiration for Hollywood stars Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi’s hit film, The Blues Brothers. In fact, two Downchild songs, “Shotgun Blues” and “I Got Everything I Need (Almost)” were even covered on The Blues Brothers’ 1978 multi-platinum album Briefcase Full of Blues.