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

The Phoenix: Return Of The Glory Days

Keith Sharp
The Phoenix: Return Of The Glory Days
Saturday December 13th 2014 and 410 Sherbourne Street Toronto is rocking. Now known as the Phoenix Concert Theatre and formerly known as the Diamond Club during the venue’s heyday from 1984 until 1991, one of this city’s few surviving rock music  venues is packing them in as Moe Berg reunites Pursuit Of Happiness and is joined on a bill with... Read More

Marsden’s New Spirit Of Radio Is Digital!

Keith Sharp
Marsden’s New Spirit Of Radio Is Digital!
When Durham region Conservative Party MP Erin O’Toole rises in the House of Parliament to pay tribute to your accomplishments, you must have done something right. And this was the accolade paid to legendary deejay David Marsden who recently ended an 11-year stint as a weekend host on Oshawa’s CKGE 94.9 The Rock radio station. Yes the same deejay who... Read More

WARNER MUSIC CANADA SIGNS CANADIAN BLUES-ROCK SENSATION PHILIP SAYCE

Keith Sharp
WARNER MUSIC CANADA SIGNS CANADIAN BLUES-ROCK SENSATION PHILIP SAYCE
“One of rock’s best-kept secrets.” London Daily Star, UK Warner Music Canada is thrilled to announce the signing of guitarist Philip Sayce. Warner will be releasing Philip’s critically acclaimed album Influence on March 10, 2015. Originally released in Europe in late August 2014 to critical acclaim, the Canadian version of Influence will include two new songs led by the first... Read More

JIM FOSTER

Keith Sharp
JIM FOSTER
6 Foot Ladder (Quest Records) A man, his guitar and his iPhone, that’s all Vancouver’s Jim Foster needed to record the 11 tracks featured on his latest minimalistic release 6 Foot Ladder. Foster’s technique of recording songs directly onto his iPhone served him well on his previous release, “A Sailor’s Advice” and works equally well on this collection of bare... Read More

MISS SAPPHIRE

Keith Sharp
MISS SAPPHIRE
Learn To Fly (Starlight Music) Introducing Miss Sapphire, a Vancouver native blues/jazz singer also well known in Asia and Europe where she has established a reputation in both the music and film industry. Equally adept at composing, producing and performing, Miss Sapphire has just delivered the first segment of an ambitious four-part recording titled Learn To Fly which is a... Read More

PLAYING WITH STORY – Northern Pikes, Calgary AB

Music Express
PLAYING WITH STORY – Northern Pikes, Calgary AB
Deerfoot Casino, Calgary | November 29, 2014 With no pretense of fanfare, The Northern Pikes, in trio format hit the stage running and never looked back. Blasting into one of their biggest hits, “Teenland” and taking the room by storm, they shook and shimmied, casting the story into the crowd and never releasing it. The song, complete with Zeppelin’s “Whole... Read More

THE TEA PARTY LIVE AT THE COMMODORE BALLROOM

Music Express
THE TEA PARTY LIVE AT THE COMMODORE BALLROOM
With guests Pigeon Park December 9th & 10th, 2014 Jeff Martin, Stuart Chatwood and Jeff Burrows’ incredible musical talents were demonstrated completely during this long awaited performance in Vancouver, B.C. The three artists from Windsor Ontario were back with progressive rock music that exceeded new boundaries of imagination. They all looked ready to Rock the Commodore. Jeff Martin’s sleek anchor... Read More

RANDY BACHMAN TO LAUNCH HEAVY BLUES

Keith Sharp
RANDY BACHMAN TO LAUNCH HEAVY BLUES
(December 17 – Toronto, ON) The man known as the “architect of Canadian rock n’ roll” is forging ahead into 2015 with a brand new project billed simply as BACHMAN. Joined by a virtuoso rhythm section with Anna Ruddick on bass and Dale Anne Brendan on drums, the trio’s debut effort entitled Heavy Blues will be available worldwide on April... Read More

MONSTER TRUCK ROLLS INTO OTTAWA

Music Express
MONSTER TRUCK ROLLS INTO OTTAWA
Saturday night, Monster Truck rolled into Ottawa’s Bronson Centre, and turned this once Catholic high school for girls 700-seat auditorium into a spectacular arena rock show. Ultra high ceilings, a massive elevated stage, theatre-style seating, and plenty of standing room up front, made this the perfect sized venue, and despite its cavernous interior, maintained excellent acoustics. The name, Monster Truck,... Read More

WARMING TO THE HEAT – MOIST

Music Express
WARMING TO THE HEAT – MOIST
Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, Calgary – November 28, 2014 A keyboard sequence swishing through the PA from side to side and enough smoke to suggest a raging fire backstage signaled the opening of the show as each member of Moist moved separately to the stage. The sequence surrendered to grinding guitar chords as “Mechanical” churned into life. The song,... Read More

M+M – The Song Remains The Same

Keith Sharp
M+M – The Song Remains The Same
The release of their 1984 album `Mystery Walk’ found the band Martha and the Muffins at a transitional stage, the band’s name shortened to M+M and now primarily consisting of just lead vocalist Martha Johnson and her husband, guitarist Mark Gane augmented by a number of key session players. Yet that 10-track recording registered two hit singles; “Black Stations/White Stations”... Read More

MDM Recordings: Feeling The Passion

Keith Sharp
MDM Recordings: Feeling The Passion
When Mike Denney travelled to the 2008 Canadian Country Music Awards in Winnipeg, the last thought on his mind was to initiate a new record company. Victimized by three personal redundancies as the music industry went pear-shaped as major record companies merged, downsized and eradicated literally hundreds of employees in response to plunging record sales, Denney felt he had to... Read More

SO TRUE – THE TREWS

Music Express
SO TRUE – THE TREWS
Flames Central, Calgary – November 21, 2014 Honesty in any form of musical expression is challenging. One wants to stay true to an artistic vision while maintaining a hold on reality and, slim though it may be, make a living from one’s art; the balance between making yourself happy as an artist and your audience happy to support you. Opening... Read More

BRYAN ADAMS Reckless 30th Anniversary

Keith Sharp
BRYAN ADAMS Reckless 30th Anniversary
(Universal/A&M) It was just before Christmas 1984 when I received a phone call from Bruce Allen asking if I was interested in writing a Music Express feature story on Bryan Adams who was conducting his first headline U.S tour in support of his fourth album, Reckless. The album had just been released in October and, based on the strength of... Read More

Catching A Lift With Dallas Smith

Roman Mitz
Catching A Lift With Dallas Smith
Dallas Smith is feeling very upbeat these days so it seems appropriate that the title of his new country platter is Lifted. His debut album Jumped Right In launched five singles onto the Canadian charts and landed him a Juno nomination for Album of the Year. He supported that album with a string of tour dates opening for veteran rocker... Read More

The Tea Party – Breaking The Firewall

Keith Sharp
The Tea Party – Breaking The Firewall
“It was 98 degrees when I left Perth Australia last week and now it’s minus a zillion degrees,” protested The Tea Party’s lead vocalist/guitarist Jeff Martin, calling in from Quebec City where the band is about to play the second date of a short Canadian tour in support of their latest recording The Ocean At The End, the band’s first studio... Read More

GORDON LIGHTFOOT – LIVE AT OTTAWA’S NAC

Music Express
GORDON LIGHTFOOT – LIVE AT OTTAWA’S NAC
Upon the mention of the name Lightfoot, words like troubadour, singer/songwriter genius, and Canadian folk music legend come to mind…to name a few. But more, he has the ability to write songs that stick like glue. Completely memorable songs that have woven their way through our lives, with each one reminding us of a certain time, a certain moment, heartache,... Read More

NEIL YOUNG – STORYTONE

Keith Sharp
NEIL YOUNG – STORYTONE
(Reprise Records) Storytone, Neil Young’s latest foray in the work of recorded music, consists of 10 songs recorded twice. Firstly, as minimal acoustic versions with Young singing with piano or guitar and secondly, as full-production versions recorded live with a 92 piece orchestra and choir, and a big band ensemble. Young’s plaintive voice, as distinct as a prairie whisper, adds... Read More