JUST ANNOUNCED
We’re pretty excited that the new album from Stars, The Five Ghosts, hit the streets yesterday but we’re even more excited that yesterday also brought with it the announcement that Stars will be hitting Massey Hall on October 23. Stars currently has a pretty sweet contest where they are asking you to remix their song “We Don’t Want Your Body” (the single off the new album) with “complete artistic freedom” and then post it on the world wide web (on Stars’ site, of course) for all to hear, enjoy, and vote on their favourite. All the details are here.
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Amy Goodman,Bruce Cockburn,Canadian Songbook,CBC Concerts On Demand,Cesária Évora,Dr. Vandana Shiva,Elvis Costello,Juno Awards,Maude Barlow,Naomi Klein,Ovation,Polaris Music Prize,Pug Awards,Shout Out For Global Justice,Stars,Virtuoso Performances Series
Bruce Cockburn has been very influential in the lives of all the members of Barenaked Ladies. Whether it be his incredible guitar playing, his social conscience, his beautiful songs, or his fabulous Eye Wear – Bruce has left his mark with us.
Throw in the fact that we covered one of his biggest hits and it became our first hit – then Barenaked Ladies at least owe Bruce a tribute night, perhaps even a nice dinner some time…. Congratulations for this night, Bruce – we love you and your music.
- Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies perform Wednesday, June 16 2010 as part of Canadian Songbook: 40 Years of Bruce Cockburn at Massey Hall
Barenaked Ladies,Bruce Cockburn,Canadian Songbook
Bruce Cockburn with Music Director Colin Linden (on guitar), rehearsing for Canadian Songbook
PERFORMANCES
The Canadian Songbook: 40 Years of Bruce Cockburn (Wednesday): Can we just talk about how awesome the line-up is for this event? Not only will Bruce Cockburn himself perform, we’ll also hear from Amelia Curran, Barenaked Ladies, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Buck 65, Hawksley Workman, Jason Fowler, Michael Occhipinti, Sylvia Tyson, and The Wailin’ Jennys. Oh, and as if that wasn’t enough, Jian Ghomeshi hosts. Check out this article from the Toronto Star to get the inside scoop on how Cockburn feels about the fete.
TSO Goes Late Night (Saturday): This week, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performs Beethoven Symphony No. 9 and to mix it up, they are featuring one very special late night performance of the symphony on Saturday starting at 11pm. PLUS: stick around after the concert for a fantastic party in the Lobby!
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Anthony Bourdain,Bruce Cockburn,Canada Walk Of Fame,Canadian Songbook,Charlie Cutts,Communicator Awards,David Sedaris,Glenn Gould Studio,Lyle Lovett,Royal Wood,The Xx,TSO,TSO Goes Late Night
Rather than spell out all the many reasons we think Bruce Cockburn is an absolute treasure, I thought I’d just pass along a quote I read in yesterday’s Globe and Mail as a random example. The question to Mr. Cockburn was simply “What are your thoughts on Canada hosting the upcoming G8 and G20 conferences?”
He replies, “Meetings of nations are always better than not having meetings of nations. I think, however, they should have their meetings on that island of floating plastic (garbage) in the Pacific. They should sit there, and look at that and make their decisions.”
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Bruce Cockburn,Canadian Songbook,G20,G8
Charlie Cutts is the President and CEO of the Corporation of Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall. In our ongoing quest to highlight the year’s best shows and brightest artists, we thought we’d go straight to the top for our New Year’s Eve finale.
Gabriela Montero
Through the course of the year I see a lot of shows: many at our Halls, and many more at other venues. Rather than offer a standard list of the best performances of 2009, I though I’d venture a bit off the beaten path and give you my favourite shows with a twist – ones that brought a dash of the unexpected, that took me a bit by surprise.
- Gabriela Montero: a wonderfully interesting pianist from Venezuela, with a huge repertoire and incredible skill at improvisation. She has said, “When improvising, I connect with my audience in a completely unique way – and they connect with me.” Entirely true.
- Buddy Guy: Because he “brings it” every single night! (If you didn’t get a chance to see him in 2009 I recommend you come out to Massey Hall this April: the five-time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee has a return engagement.
- Pink Martini: Whatever you are expecting, they deliver more. Thomas Lauderdale and China Forbes are incredibly interesting and personable, on stage and off.
- Canadian Songbook: Harry Manx gave an incredible interpretation of Neil Young’s “Down by the River” and Colin Linden stood out for his incredible guitar work.
- Lyle Lovett: I spoke to him backstage. I felt like I was the only person in the room with him – what a gentleman. What an incredible, witty sense of humour. What a delight!
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Buddy Guy,Canadian Songbook,Cecilia Bartoli,Downchild Blues Band,Gabriela Montero,Jeremy Hotz,Lyle Lovett,Molly Johnson,Moody Blues,Pink Martini,Three Girls And Their Buddy
For the past few weeks we’ve been reading a lot of year-end lists, and we finally thought that we should get in on the action ourselves. We decided to canvas all the staff here at the Halls, to get some nominations for the best shows of the year.
When you spend all day every day planning and attending concerts it can be far too easy to become jaded, inured to the artistry with which you’re surrounded. That’s the beauty of the end-of-year round-up: it forces you to look back and appreciate.
Enough with the chatter! On to the list.
Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall staff agree, the top show of 2009 was Cecilia Bartoli (March) in a landslide. Honourable mentions go to Fleet Foxes (August) and Aretha Franklin (November). CONTINUE READING >
Bono,Canadian Songbook,Colin James,Elvis Costello,Final Fantasy,Hillside Festival,Montreal Jazz Festival,Neil Young,Owen Pallett,Snoop Dogg,Spectacle,Stevie Wonder,The Edge,The Sisters Euclid,Thousand Islands Music Festival
