Steve Addabbo Out of Nothing

Fri Oct 21, 2022

Steve Addabbo has earned his stripes behind the board and behind the glass as a producer, session player, audio engineer and mixing and mastering ace working with likes of Bobby McFerrin, Bob Dylan, Eric Andersen, Loudon Wainwright III, Jeff Buckley, Suzanne Vega, Olivia Newton-John ans Shawn Colvin. As a  mix engineer he has mixed, among other projects, the Bob Dylan box sets Bootleg 10: Another Self Portrait and Bootleg 12: The Cutting Edge for which he received a Grammy Award.  More recently he has mixed the Dylan Bootleg 13, Trouble No More and Bootleg 14, More Blood, More Tracks and the most recent yet to be released: Tribute To a Songpoet, The Songs of Eric Andersen.

And now Steve has shown his skills on the other side of the glass with his 14-song solo album featuring self-penned and co-written gems that allow us a glimpse Steve Adddabbo, the artist.

Adjusting to the Special Needs and Challenges of Today

Fri Oct 14 2022
Peter Åstedt

I have attended many showcase festivals over the past half year. What strikes me is how organized most of them are, but how lost they are in some fields including people. I have been looking for a while now at how many of how them are accessible for handicapped and special needs and to be honest it’s sad to see the lack of support and awareness in this area.

Almost none of them have handicapped speakers, but worse is that they don’t have handicap-friendly venues or facilities. At the same, they almost compete to have small stickers to have on your badge if you are he, she, or them it’s totally ignored that there is around 26% of people that is handicapped or challenged, or if there are people that have special needs. Or that around 11% actually are in wheelchairs, something you very rarely see at festivals. In fact, in Sweden, a person in a wheelchair was thrown out from a festival because he wanted to get further ahead to see the show since people were standing in front of him.

Lynx Dean Releases New Single in Random Order Style with After Kill

Fri Oct 14, 2022

From reciting books of the bible in a cult to headlining pride festivals, lead vocalist and fearless leader Lynx tours the world advocating a sense of belonging and a be who you are attitude. Their signature sound evolved through many late nights of watching Twin Peaks, James Bond and Tarantino films - injecting more than a hint of subversiveness into the sexy soundscapes of dangerous spy movies.

Lynx has a love of genre melding and pop culture maintaining their roots while bringing underground music to the mainstream.

After Kill, is Lynx Deans 2nd single, since jumping into the solo arena, ready for action!

Single Release Coming October 28, 2022 - just in time for Hallowe'en!

Lynx DeanSpeaking of action, who doesn't love a hot zombie/vampire love affair??

Previously, spearheading the band Random Order, Lynx often wrote with tongue in cheek humour of risque  relationships gone sour.

The Awesome Music Project Launches Online Music Auction to Raise Funds to Support Music and Mental Wellness Programs

Fri Oct 14 2022
The Awesome Music Project

Auction items include music trips, autographed items, original photography prints, vinyl packages, event tickets, and a 15-minute Zoom call with Cmdr. Chris Hadfield

For a complete list of auction items, please visit the website: theawesomemusicproject.com/auction

The Awesome Music Project, a Canadian charity dedicated to raising awareness and supporting research into music’s transformative impact on mental wellness and mental health, will be launching its first-ever Awesome Online Music Auction on World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2022.

“What better way to mark World Mental Health Day than with an auction to raise much-needed funds to help bring music-focused mental wellness programs to communities across Canada,” said AMP Executive Director Cori Ferguson. “We are blessed to have received an incredible line-up of donations from partners across the country, and I think we’ve got something that will appeal to casual and hardcore music fans alike.”

Featured auction items include:

JUNO Award Nominees Girl Pow-R Stand Up To a Fake Friend on Empowering, Head-Bopping Anthem “Slam”

Fri Oct 07 2022
JUNO Award Nominees Girl Pow-R Stand Up To a Fake Friend on Empowering, Head-Bopping Anthem “Slam”

Anyone who’s ever had a fake friend knows that, in contrast, loyalty in a friendship is an important quality that is worth its weight in gold!  JUNO-nominated Canadian pop group Girl Pow-R captures the unique agony of knowing a backstabber with their new single “Slam” – check it out on YouTube here:

The fifth single from Girl Pow-R’s sophomore album, “Slam” begins with funky flute and ominous beats, and then dissolves into a head-bopping groove as the group sets their boundaries with a “friend”:
You snuck around my back
And I will not take that
I thought that you were real
Yo, what’s the deal?

Loretta Lynn – The Coal Mine Daughter’s Goes Home

Fri Oct 07, 2022

From Butcher Holler to the Grand Ole Opry to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Loretta has completed her earthly journey. Lynn passed away at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, on October 4th, 2022.

Born Loretta Webb in a one-room rural Kentucky cabin in 1932, Lynn was one of eight siblings and the daughter of a coal miner – a fact that led to her signature song, 1970’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter”. Loretta got her first guitar in 1953 and started a band with her brother Jay Lee, Loretta and the Trailblazers. She began writing her own songs and her debut single, I’m a Honky-Tonk Girl, was released in 1960. She and Oliver marketed the single by themselves driving from one country radio station to another. “Because we were too poor to stay in hotels, we slept in the car and ate baloney and cheese sandwiches in the parks … we were on the road three months.” The song was a success, reaching the Country Top 20, and led to her being signed by a major label, Decca.

Dean Brody “Where’d You Learn How To Do That?”

Fri Sep 30, 2022

Dean BrodyIconic Canadian entertainer Dean Brody is closing out the biggest summer of his career by earning his eighth #1 at Canadian country radio on the BDS Country Chart with “Where’d You Learn How to Do That.” This monumental spot at the top of the charts follows-up Brody’s recent headlining show at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage.

“Big love and thanks to all my fans and country radio for this,” shared Brody when learning of his #1. “I’m so happy I get to make music for you all. What a year it has been!”

Canada’s Best-Selling Kids Music Group the MINI POP KIDS Celebrate their BRIGHT LIGHTS RELIT TOUR with New Video for “About That Time”

Fri Sep 30 2022
MINI POP KIDS

With 2+Billion digital streams across platforms and counting, Canada’s original, best-selling kids’ music group the MINI POP KIDS celebrate their Bright Lights Relit tour with a new video for “About That Time” – check it out on YouTube here:

A kid-friendly cover of Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” the ’70s-inspired disco-funk earworm gets the video treatment with highlights from the tour thus far, depicting a montage of the kids’ high-energy performances and fun-filled interactions with fans.

After a temporary touring hiatus due to Covid-19 restrictions, the MINI POP KIDS finally returned stateside this summer, where they will be touring through the fall. They have also added several new dates in Canada.

Wintersong Music Festival Announces 2023 Headliners: Stars, Dan Mangan & Men Without Hats

Fri Sep 23 2022
Wintersong Music Festival

Wintersong Music Festival has officially announced the headliners for their 4th edition, taking place January 20th - 21st, 2023 in Stouffville, ON. The annual festival draws thousands to the local area in the shoulder-season of Winter, giving a much-needed boost to the local economy.

Wintersong will be headlined by Montreal indie-pop band Stars; two-time JUNO award winning musician Dan Mangan; and 80’s new wave/synth-pop band Men Without Hats.

They will be joined by 2022 Polaris shortlisted OMBIIGIZI - a collaboration between Zoon’s Daniel Monkman and Status/Non Status’ Adam Sturgeon; and local indie-folk band Man Made Forest.

Buying Tickets Late Will Be A Huge Problem

Fri Sep 23 2022
Peter Åstedt

I have been attending a lot of meetings with industry people the past week. Since it’s a lot of people from the live industry the discussions have been about what has happened since COVID was left behind and everything opened up again.

This is mainly in Sweden so I can’t really say yet if it is an international trend. Of course, here we got an overproduction of events this summer. You had several events that were postponed during COVID that now had to take place at the same time as new events were coming around. I thought that we would see some events going really bad since it was so many and that people now with economic crisis would keep their money tighter.

In the end, though most events seem to have succeeded. The ones that got hit and didn’t go that well are located in bigger cities. Events in the countryside seem to go fine. But one big problem seems to be the same for everybody. People are buying tickets late.

Legendary Music Icon Jeff Bova Inducted into the Legends of Vinyl Hall of Fame

Fri Sep 23 2022
Jeff Bova

Jeff Bova may not be a household name but his body of work and the list of the iconic artists he has produced and worked with is known in most households that have radios, televisions or computer, phones and all streaming services.

Bova is a Grammy Award-winning producer, arranger, and musician with hundreds of platinum and gold records to his name. He won his Grammy for Album of the Year as the producer on Celine Dion’s, “Falling Into You” and during a career spanning over 40 years, he toured as a member of Herbie Hancock’s Rockit Band and has contributed to hundreds of recordings by significant mainstream artists, including Katy Perry, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Robert Palmer, Billy Joel, Bee Gees, Backstreet Boys, Cher, Meat Loaf, Cyndi Lauper, Iron Maiden and many more.

CMW (Canadian Music Week) Is Still The Big Festival In Canada

Fri Sep 23 2022
CMW

CMW recently celebrated its 40th Anniversary so it’s a legendary music mainstay that has been there for many years. The festival has changed locations various times during those years as well. This year they went back to InterContinental Toronto Centre in downtown Toronto.

This was CMW’s post-COVID comeback to be held in person. Of course, during the pandemic, there were some digital things for CMW but being back in person was an important step. COVID  had so much impact on the festival since Canada has been one of the stricter countries with its COVID rules and the festival has been forced to switch dates a couple of times as well.  This year it was 6 to 11th of June, quite late compared to earlier editions.

Bonnie Raitt Releases New Product and..”Just Like That”

Fri Sep 23, 2022

Raised in Los Angeles in a climate of respect for the arts, Quaker traditions, and a commitment to social activism. A Stella guitar given to her as a Christmas present launched Bonnie on her creative journey at the age of eight. While growing up, though passionate about music from the start, she never considered that it would play a greater role than as one of her many growing interests.

With Just Like That…, her twenty-first album and her first new release in more than six years, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bonnie Raitt continues to draw on the range of influences that have shaped her legendary career, while creating something that speaks to the circumstances and challenges of these unprecedented times.

The title comes from a line in one of her new original songs (“Just like that your life can change”), which seemed especially fitting “because there’s never been a time that made me look around and say, ‘Nobody saw this coming’—where all of a sudden, everything shifted.”

A Hot Athens Music Week

Fri Sep 23 2022
A Hot Athens Music Week

You can say that Athens Music Week is the last showcase before the summer break. It’s the end of June and after it, nothing really comes up until the end of August. This year the whole south of Europe had extreme heatwaves so during Athens Music Week the temperature out in the sun reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). So, getting to the place where the panels are held is like a sanctuary with air-conditioning that is working hard trying to cool it down.

3x JUNO Nominees / 4x CFMA Winning Sultans of String & Friends Recording “Walking Through the Fire”

Fri Sep 16 2022
Sultans of String

Canadian 3x JUNO Award-nominees and 4x Canadian Folk Music Award-winners Sultans of String & Friends are now embarking on the most ambitious and essential project of their career: Their ninth album entitled “Walking through the Fire”, which will be a beautiful collection of collaborations with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island/Canada. The band has launched an INDIEGOGO campaign to raise funds and they would love your support. With your help they we can make this recording a reality! 

Visit Sultans of String's INDIEGOGO page: indiegogo.com/projects/indigenous-collabs-w-sultans-of-string-friends#/

Are Online Markets Really Worth It?

Fri Sep 16 2022
Peter Åstedt

During COVID, we had to go over to online showcases and meeting points. It was interesting to make that experiment. We had heard that online will be the future. Now after two years of online events, we are getting the answer. And it’s so clear. No, online is not even close to doing what a real event is doing.

These are the usual comments on why you should do it online. The cost to be at an event is hundreds of dollars for registration and with the trend of inflation, flights and hotels the costs are high. Expenses besides the conference itself such as meals and other miscellaneous expenses.

Swedish LBGTQIA+ Community Leaders and Retro-Rockers THE MAGNETTES Bring Their “Monster” Tour to Canada With Exclusive Show in Toronto

Fri Sep 16 2022
The Magnettes

On Tuesday, September 27th, live at Bar Cathedral (54 The Esplanade), The Magnettes are performing a free show at 10:00pm to launch the new global initiative EuroCan. Industry professionals and true music fans are expected to attend in celebration of the new initiative and to experience the transformative blending of cultures. Spark Houston, one of Canada’s most promising and exciting rap talents and The Magnettes, Sweden’s brash, beautiful, feminist punk icons are sure to own the stage.

This pop-trio was founded in Pajala, Sweden and speak the language Meänkieli, which was forbidden in Sweden and was not recognized until 1999. The Magnettes incorporate parts of Meänkieli into their songs. They crafted their own blend of electro-pop and riot grrrl punk. In 2015, they performed at SXSW in Austin, TX and signed with the label Digsin, where their debut album Ugly Youth was released in 2017. Their single “Young & Wild” premiered on prime-time TV and became the 10 most played Swedish song on Swedish radio the same year.

The 7th Annual Kensington Market Jazz Festival Announces Return October 1 and 2, 2022

Fri Sep 16 2022
Kensington Market Jazz Festival

 The highly anticipated Kensington Market Jazz Festival (KMJF) returns this year for the 7th year of performances, boasting an incredible lineup. Since its inception, the can’t-miss festival has brought the biggest names in jazz music and up-and-coming superstars to Toronto in a series of ticketed and curated busking shows.

The KMJF will return to in-person entertainment Oct. 1-2 in Toronto’s vibrant neighbourhood of art, vintage shops and multicultural cuisine, a designated National Historic Site of Canada.

Created and helmed by award-winning jazz vocalist Molly Johnson, KMJF will kick off at Tom’s Place (190 Baldwin St), the hub of the festival’s solo piano series, hosted by Holly Nimmons. The other participating venues include Tapestry (formerly Poetry Jazz Café), Handlebar, Supermarket and Pamenar with seven shows each per day. There are also Pay-What-You-Can shows in Bellevue Square Park on Saturday and Sunday from 1-2:30pm and 4-5:30pm.

The weekend concerts run from 1 p.m. until 11 p.m. The media invite and details to the festival’s kickoff is below.

Excelsior Coming From Steven Page First Album Release From Barenaked Ladies Alumnus In More Than Four Years

Fri Sep 16 2022
Steven Page

On September 30, Steven Page will release Excelsior digitally; it’s his first solo album since 2018. The album on Page’s Fresh Baked Goods imprint will be available on CD November 11 with a 2-LP vinyl version out early in 2023. 

The album’s 11 tracks were composed and produced entirely by Page, who co-founded the band Barenaked Ladies, before departing on a solo career in 2009. The lion’s share of material on Excelsior was “workshopped” for audiences on his wildly popular virtual concert series Live From Home that Page has been conducting via Zoom since April of 2020 from his home near Syracuse, NY. Thousands of fans throughout the world have been tuning in on Saturdays (5 PM Eastern, 2PM Pacific,10PM/UK, 7AM Sunday - Australia-Eastern), which are limited to 1000 ticketed audience members per show, with an estimated to-date paid viewer total of 85,000+. The more than 90 episodes of Live From Home are available through Patreon.  The Excelsior track titled “Zoom” is, in fact, the album’s first single and out this week.

CBC Searchlight Winner Chad Price Releases New Album Introversion and Single “Love Song”

Fri Sep 16 2022
CBC Searchlight Winner Chad Price Releases New Album Introversion and Single “Love Song”

Today, emerging Canadian Pop R&B artist, and the 2022 Toyota Searchlight winner, Chad Price is releasing a brand new album titled “Introversion”, available everywhere and distributed via AWAL. “Introversion” marks Chad’s third full-length effort in his rapidly rising career, but in many ways, feels like his first:
“I’m incredibly proud of this album and proud of myself for reaching emotional and creative depths that I was too afraid to reach for in the past. This one feels like an actual representation of who I really am and all the things that swirl around in my head that I’m usually apprehensive to talk about as an introvert. For me, this is how I’ve always wanted to present myself to the world.”

Check out “Love Song” on YouTube here: