Carleton Stone will perform at ECMA Week in April. (Mat Dunlap photo)
The East Coast Music Association has released its list of showcase performers for East Coast Music Week, taking place in Moncton, April 11-15.
The list includes Moncton’s own Motorleague, Backyard Devils, Divorcees and others like Kim Stockwood, Christina Martin, Old Man Luedecke, Roch Voisine, Tim Chaisson and the Morning Fold and many, many more.
Click here for the full list of performers.
Smith celebrates new album on tour
Warner Music Canada recording artist and 2011 Juno Award Winner Meaghan Smith is going on tour to support her new holiday collection, It Snowed. The tour kicked off in Vancouver last week and passes through Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, before returning her home to Halifax on Dec. 16 (full list of dates below).
It Snowed represents Meaghan Smith’s first project since The Cricket’s Orchestra, which propelled her to winning the 2011 Juno Award for Best New Artist.
Remaining tour dates:
December 5 – Calgary – Ironwood Stage and Grill
December 6 – Hamilton – The Peart Company
December 7 – Toronto – The Rivoli
December 8 – Wakefield – The Black Sheep Inn
December 9 – Montreal – Club Lambi
December 16 – Halifax – St. Matthew’s United Church
December 19 – Fredericton – Charlotte Street Arts Centre
David Myles is Home For Christmas
New Brunswick native David Myles is home for Christmas, just in time for his second annual Singing For Supper tour in support of food banks in New Brunswick. Myles is performing three free shows for the public in Moncton on Monday, Dec. 12, at Champlain Mall; Saint John on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at McAllister Place Mall; and in Fredericton on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at the Regent Mall. All shows take place from 12-1:30 p.m.
Myles will be collecting cash donations and non-perishable food items, on location during the shows.
To help promote the tour, Myles released his own recording of I’ll Be Home For Christmas on Nov. 22; a song made famous by Bing Crosby in 1943. Fun fact: Myles’ great-great-great Aunt Catherine and great-great-great Uncle Patrick were Bing Crosby’s great Aunt Catherine and great Uncle Patrick.
There are two versions of I’ll Be Home For Christmas, one that is slow and one that is uptempo. Both songs were recorded by Charles Austin at the Echo Chamber in Halifax and feature James Hill on ukulele and violin. All proceeds from sales of the digital download will be donated to the Food Banks in New Brunswick.
Plan b launches 2-CD Best of
Moncton bar Plan b Bar & Lounge has officially launched The Best of b, a 2-CD compilation of some of the best acts that once performed on the stage of this bar that was named 2011 Venue of the Year during the last Music New Brunswick Awards.
Plan b opened in June 2009 with the goal of offering live music seven days a week. Since its inception, the bar has welcomed many top Maritime and Canadian music acts. Owner Tracy Petukohv with the help of several local musicians – some of them still working at the club, such as The Divorcees’ Brock Gallant, who books the talents and fellow band member Jay Byrd, who takes care of the restaurant side of the bar – have managed to raise this small watering hole into one of Canada’s most visionary live music venue.
While the place was gaining in popularity, they quickly realized that the equipment they had lacked the power necessary to keep up with the growing number of rock bands now performing at Plan b. In order to raise money to purchase the equipment upgrades, they decided to call upon the many artists that had graced the bar’s stage over the last two years.
The response was quick, with 24 acts from all over donating their works to be featured on the 2-CD compilation. Even before the proper amount of money was raised, Petukhov went ahead and placed the order for the replacement system. They hope to continue selling the CD as they have yet to reach their fundraising goal.
As they move into 2012, they intend on capturing many if not every show that happens at Plan b.
The bar has also launched a new website, www.planbmoncton.com, featuring concert listings, YouTube video page, streaming music and concert podcasts.
Plan b Bar & Lounge is located at 212, St. George Street in downtown Moncton. They are also on Facebook (search Plan B Lounge Moncton). One can reach them also by phone 506-384-2019 or by email planb.bookings@gmail.com
Flowers releases new single Disguise
Moncton-based singer-songwriter Phil Flowers has released Disguise, the first single from his album People People, launched in November of last year. This first solo album earned him three 2011 Music NB Awards: Anglophone Recording, Male Recording Artist, and Rock Recording as well as a nomination in the Emerging Artist category.
Steven Bowers releases new album
Halifax-based Steven Bowers has launched a new album, Beothuk Words. Featuring nine tracks, the album was recorded in Port Howe, N.S. at the home studio of producer Dale Murray (Cuff The Duke, Christina Martin, The Guthries) and singer Christina Martin (who provides harmony vocals throughout, and a duet on the title track). Beothuk Words features a stellar line up of musicians including multi-instrumentalists Kev Corbett and Dale Murray, Keith Mullins (drums, percussion), Fleur Mainville (fiddle), Brian Murray (banjo) and Daniel Ledwell (trumpets).
Regarding the title, Bowers says: “I was wrapping up production and trying to finish two final tracks. I stumbled on an article about the Beothuk, who were native inhabitants of Newfoundland during the time of European colonization in the 15th and 16th centuries. They became extinct as a people in 1829, and subsequently much of their language was lost. That really stuck with me. The title of the record speaks to the lyrical themes of impermanence, seasonal cycles and generations. The album closer (Song for Little You) was written after I found a photograph of my wife as a child. Its sister song and album opener (Song for Grown You) bookend the record, and the lost Beothuk Language, the idea that it came and left so quietly, was something that seemed to tie all of these ideas together.”
Halifax Pop Explosion accepting submissions
The Halifax Pop Explosion (HPX) is now accepting early bird submissions for its 20th anniversary festival, taking place Oct. 16-20, 2012.
Early bird artist submissions for HPX 2012 are $10, until Feb. 3. Regular submissions are $15 from Feb. 4 to May 21. Artist submissions are managed by Marcato Digital Solutions. For more information on Marcato, visit here: http://marcatodigital.com
For more information, you can visit http://halifaxpopexplosion.com or contact Ashley Moran, event co-ordinator at event@halifaxpopexplosion.com
