Shawn Desman Announces Headlining Show at Toronto’s HISTORY
Mother Mother Announces Cross Canada Tour
The Muffins’ Martha Johnson Sets The Pace For World Parkinson’s Month With ‘Slow Emotion’
Rock Icon Billy Idol Announces Rebel Yell Canada 2024 Tour

Paul Fairley: Learning The Ropes Pays Dividends

Keith Sharp
Paul Fairley: Learning The Ropes Pays Dividends
  Paul Fairley appreciates the value of a sound education. As a graduate of the highly respected Harris Institute (Toronto) where the Barrie native earned a Recording Arts Management diploma in 2006, Fairley developed his skills that have stood him in good stead while creating his own Admiral Entertainment concert promotion business based out of Barrie Ontario. “Had I not... Read More

Born to Be Music Creators

Keith Sharp
Born to Be Music Creators
Randy Bachman, MAGIC!, Dallas Green to be Honoured at 2015 SOCAN Awards Toronto, June 15, 2015 – A Winnipeg-born songwriter who became a worldwide legend of rock; a music creator from Oshawa, Ontario, who was born to make one of the most famous songs in history; a post-punk native of St. Catharines, Ontario, who has fronted two of the biggest acts of... Read More

WALK OFF THE EARTH Sing It All Away

Keith Sharp
WALK OFF THE EARTH Sing It All Away
So we know that the five members of Burlington Ontario’s Walk Off The Earth are all amazingly talented, multi-instrumental musicians who earned their initial breakthrough in 2012 with their unique performance of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”, Sarah Blackwood, Ryan Marshall, Gianni Luminati, Mike Taylor and Joel Cassady all plucking away on the same guitar at once on... Read More

SCARLETT JANE Scarlett Jane

Keith Sharp
SCARLETT JANE Scarlett Jane
(Warner Music Canada) By Keith Sharp Think of a folksier version of Tegan & Sara and you have the vocal duo of Andrea Ramolo and Cindy Doire. Acquaintances for over 10 years before deciding their vocal harmonies did blend together as a group, Scarlett Jane are about to release their second studio recording, a self-titled release recorded at The Tragically... Read More

New Festival Promoters: Battling The Bursting Bubble

Keith Sharp
New Festival Promoters: Battling The Bursting Bubble
This is the story about two music entrepreneurs; Brantford Ontario’s Jamie Stephens and Quan Diep, who splits his time between Calgary and Red Deer Alberta. Both are about to debut two-day music festivals, Stephens executing WT Fest June 13-14 at Lions Park in Brantford while Diep premieres his Summer Sensational Beach Music Festival July 10-11 at scenic Sylvan Lake located... Read More

2015 Music Express Summer Concert Guide

Keith Sharp
2015 Music Express Summer Concert Guide
Arcade Fire Meets The Rolling Stones! Yes it’s that time again when the summer concert festivals swing into action with both grandiose and modest events attracting both mega concert performers, up-and –coming big names and every other permutation from classic rock, alternative, punk, blues and country. Below is a compilation of events and their locations for your information. You are... Read More

David Clayton-Thomas

Keith Sharp
David Clayton-Thomas
  Combo (Antoinette Music Producers) Just imagine six talented veteran musicians circling a piano in a Toronto recording studio, performing 11 jazz classics live off the floor. With `Combo’, that’s exactly what you get when famed Blood Sweat & Tears vocalist, David Clayton-Thomas joins forces with pianist, Matt Kieswetter, bassist George Koller, guitarist Ted Quinlan, percussionist Ben Riley and tenor... Read More

GOVERNOR GENERAL’S PERFORMING ARTS AWARDS GALA 20

Music Express
GOVERNOR GENERAL’S PERFORMING ARTS AWARDS GALA 20
Half Moon Run – HIGHLIGHTS – Artes nos tenent et inspirant is the latin phrase emblazoned on the GGPAA emblem which means, “the arts engage and inspire us”. It is the same wording inscribed on the medals given to each of the publically elected awardees each year since the GGPAA’s inception in 1992, an event set in motion by the... Read More

The Rathburns: A Sign Of The Times

Keith Sharp
The Rathburns: A Sign Of The Times
The Rathburns’ lead vocalist Frances Virgillio had to renege from executing a planned phone interview with Music Express – something about having to work a double shift as a server at Earl’s Kitchen restaurant/bar in Woodbridge Ontario – balancing one paying job to sustain her budding music career. “You got to work so you can work,” laughed Virgillio when we... Read More

Barenaked Ladies: A Flick of the Wrist

Keith Sharp
Barenaked Ladies: A Flick of the Wrist
It takes only a couple of listens to  Barenaked Ladies’ new studio release, `Silverball’ to realize there is a new maturity about Messer’s Ed Robertson, Tyler Stewart, Kevin Hearn and Jim Creeggan. Those quirky song lyrics, so much a part of their early success, have been replaced by a more sophisticated, mainstream production which may confound hard core fans yet... Read More

Kate Todd: New Country Re-Boot

Roman Mitz
Kate Todd: New Country Re-Boot
Kate Todd may have had a little luck along the way in terms of establishing herself as a bona fide actress, country singer/songwriter and music teacher, but her success is mostly the result of natural talent combined with hard work. She began her acting career portraying singer/songwriter Lily ‘Shady Lane’ Randall in the television series ‘Radio Free Roscoe’. Her most... Read More

AN ELECTRIFYING NIGHT OF COUNTRY MUSIC! WINNERS OF THE 2015 CMAO AWARDS

Keith Sharp
AN ELECTRIFYING NIGHT OF COUNTRY MUSIC! WINNERS OF THE 2015 CMAO AWARDS
Deric Rutta Toronto, ON – The Flato Markham Theatre was the scene of an electrifying night of country music on Monday evening for the 3rd Annual Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAO) Awards, presented by Slaight Music. The Awards Show was hosted by the Road Hammers’ Jason McCoy for the 2nd year in a row and he skillfully entertained the sold-out... Read More

Indie Connectors: Success Breeds Success

Keith Sharp
Indie Connectors: Success Breeds Success
 Andrea Morris, Doug Elliott, Stephane Girard,Yvonne Valnea As she established Last Tango Productions as a major Toronto-based music publicity/promotions company which has operated for the past 20 years, Yvonne Valnea has continually served on numerous industry panels at events like Canadian Music Week, Country Music Week, NXNE etc where she has advised up-and-coming musicians on the pitfalls of breaking ground... Read More

Scott Richmond. Come What May

Keith Sharp
Scott Richmond. Come What May
(Self Released) Sometimes major talent emerges from some unlikely places. Scott Richmond grew up in rural Saskatchewan but this release packs all the professionalism of a top-notch Nashville recording. And that’s because it was recorded at Nashville’s East Side Manor  Studios under the direction of producer Gabe Masterton. To call Richmond a country/blues player would be an injustice because his... Read More

Aviator Shades: The Grass Is Greener This Side Of The Atlantic

Keith Sharp
Aviator Shades: The Grass Is Greener This Side Of The Atlantic
Aviator Shades’ vocalist /bassist Dave Gorman is a man after my own heart. Moments after we commence an informal chat during eOne Entertainment’s Canadian Music Week band showcase staged at the Gibson Guitar Lounge Saturday afternoon, May 9th, Gorman’s smart phone rings to broadcast that day’s European soccer scores. It turned out Gorman is an avid Chelsea fan while I... Read More

WHITEHORSE – An Engaging Evening of Orchestral Enchantment

Music Express
WHITEHORSE – An Engaging Evening of Orchestral Enchantment
Luke Doucet & Melissa McClelland. A drum kit, a collection of guitars and amps, bass, keyboards, and a series of mics on stands, stood in a tight formation in the center of the NAC’S Theatre stage. Naturally, one would have thought such a set-up was to be manned by several band members, but instead, a man and woman emerged from... Read More

Chalk Circle: Retaining That Adrenalin Rush!

Keith Sharp
Chalk Circle: Retaining That Adrenalin Rush!
Chalk Circle’s Chris Tait and Brad Hopkins can relate to the adrenalin boost that occurs when they step on stage to perform their set list. Yes it’s been 25 years since the band initially broke up but nostalgia is a cyclical entity and every so often Chalk Circle’s songs are back in vogue and Tait and Hopkins find a warm... Read More

RON SEXSMITH – LIVE! AT OTTAWA’S NAC THEATRE

Music Express
RON SEXSMITH – LIVE! AT OTTAWA’S NAC THEATRE
When you listen to the music of Canadian recording artist and multi-Juno Award winner, Ron Sexsmith, be prepared to slow down your life for a moment, and slip into a world of easy-paced melodies and earnestly written songs you’ll find yourself quickly identifying with. His natural songwriting ability has earned him a long list of accolades and tips of the... Read More

Local Talent Shines At Music Express CMW Showcase

Keith Sharp
Local Talent Shines At Music Express CMW Showcase
Music Express Showcase- Canadian Music Week Wednesday, May 6th 2015 Rivoli Nightclub Toronto. Eight of Ontario’s up-and-coming bands proved there is talent galore in this province by marking Canadian Music Week with an appearance at the Music Express Music Showcase  May 6th at the venerable Rivoli nightclub. The Rathburns, Beautiful Nothing, The Cocksure Lads, Honeyrunners, Suns Of Stone, 40 Sons,... Read More

Canada’s music community rallies to support Unison initiative

Keith Sharp
Canada’s music community rallies to support Unison initiative
Canada’s music community rallied to show they do support each other by staging a charity concert Wednesday May 6th at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre which helped reach the charity’s target goal of over 1 million dollars for the Unison Benevolent Fund – a charity launched in 2011 to provide emergency funds for musicians in need. An impressive lineup of star... Read More