PERFORMANCES
The Tenors (Thursday and Friday): The Tenors return to Roy Thomson Hall for two highly anticipated performances this week. You can watch them perform “Free the Children” as they did recently for We Day Seattlehere. The video for the title track for their latest album, Lead With Your Heart, is also available for your viewing pleasure here.
Esperanza Spalding (Friday): Three-time Grammy Award winner, Ms. Esperanza Spalding makes her Massey Hall debut this Friday with her Radio Music Society concert. You can read all about the project and the album (a companion album to her other recording Chamber Music Society) on her website here as well as videos (including the official trailer for the album) here and above.
National Geographic Live: Tim Laman & Ed Scholes (Monday and next Tuesday): Next week marks the final iteration in the 2012-2013 National Geographic Live series at Roy Thomson Hall and we’re very excited to see Laman, photographer, and Scholes, ornithologist take the stage for their presentation Birds of Paradise – Extreme, Bizarre, Extraordinary. To prepare you for their CONTINUE READING >
JUST ANNOUNCED
Just yesterday we announced that music legend Engelbert Humperdinck will return to Toronto for the first time in over 10 years. We’ll likely hear “Spanish Eyes” and “Please Release Me” among many of his numerous hits on April 12 at Massey Hall but we’re also looking forward to getting a sample of new material he’s been working on for his Duets album, which is said to feature Sir Elton John and Seal among others on the recordings. Tickets are available to FriendsFirst now and the public on sale begins this Friday at 10am.
PERFORMANCES Mo Kenney (Wednesday) Our Canadian Songbook at The Rivoli series continues this week with Mo Kenney. The term “one to watch” gets thrown around a lot but in this case, she really has something special happening. Her self titled album was recently released on Pheromone Records, and she has found a collaborator, mentor and producer in Joel Plaskett (watch the embedded video above).
PERFORMANCES Belle Starr (Wednesday): We’ve called Belle Starr a trifecta of talent, and we weren’t kidding – Stephanie Cadman, Kendel Carson, and Miranda Mulholland are bound to knock your socks off this week at our third night of music from our Canadian Songbook at the Rivoli series. If you haven’t seen it yet, you simply must check out the video for their cover of the haunting “Jolene” (embedded above).
Toronto Children’s Chorus (Saturday, 2pm): The Toronto Children’s Chorus returns to the stage of Roy Thomson Hall with their performance of A Chorus Christmas: Dancing Days. The afternoon, a true marker of our immersion in the holiday season, includes a performance featuring Judy Loman on harp and the accompaniment of special guest quintet, True North Brass. Andy Morris (percussion) and Chris Dawes (organ) also join the Chorus while they celebrate their 35th Anniversary season.
The Barra MacNeils: An East Coast Christmas (Saturday, 8pm): This performance promises to be both seriously festive and triumphantly special and includes special guests Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea, Canadian Country Music Award winner Jimmy Rankin, David Myles (who we’re thrilled to see return to one of our stages after his lovely concert at Glenn Gould Studio last season), and JUNO Award winner Meaghan Smith. The show may just well become your favourite Christmas recipe – a delicious mixture of the Barras signature take on Celtic music alongside the East Coast sounds of their friends from the Atlantic Provinces.
JUST ANNOUNCED
Just this week we announced two concerts for the New Year and 2013 is looking bright! Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience is a rock concert that will make its way to Massey Hall on January 31. The show, which features Zeppelin songs, video and light effects, and of course the living heir to the Bonham (drum) throne, Jason Bonham (son of John Bonham, legendary drummer for Led Zeppelin). Then, on April 11, An Evening withYES will take to the Massey Hall stage with an ambitious program, performing three albums in their entirety in this one concert: The Yes Album, Close To The Edge, and Going For The One. Tickets for both concerts go on sale to FriendsFirst members tomorrow and to the general public on Friday.
JUST ANNOUNCED There are two fun announcements this week for you, our loyal Buzz readers. Lisa Lampanelli returns to Massey Hall this December with her outrageous stand-up comedy that’s given her the title of “Comedy’s Lovable Queen of Mean.” Tickets are on sale for FriendsFirst members tomorrow (Thursday) and to the public on Friday at 10am. And Nancy and Ann Wilson return to Massey Hall’s stage as Heart this March. Tickets for this one are now available for sale to FriendsFirst members and will be available to the public starting Friday at 10am.
PERFORMANCES
Del Barber (Wednesday): Del Barber performs at The Rivoli as our inaugural Canadian Songbook at the Rivoli series performance. We’re super excited to hear him perform tunes from his critically acclaimed release, Headwaters, as well as his signature storytelling. Barber is known to weave his performance into a colourful tapestry. Special guest for the evening is Carleton Stone who recently released his self-titled album, produced by Hawksley Workman. Also super cool: the just released duet with Stone and Molly Thomason, produced by Joel Plaskett. This is what you call keeping good company. And, if you’re keen to see lots of good stuff at the Rivoli this season, be sure to check out the Canadian Songbook Society.
Doobie Brothers (Friday): We know that some of you have had this Friday circled on your calendars for quite some time and the day is nearly here! The Doobie Brothers perform at Massey Hall celebrating their 40th anniversary. Enjoy!
Skydiggers (Saturday): We’re thrilled to welcome back Skydiggers to the Glenn Gould Studio this weekend. CONTINUE READING >
JUST ANNOUNCED
Big show announcement this week with the news of An Acoustic Evening with Ben Harper on September 29, 2012. He’ll be performing songs from throughout his career, acoustically in Massey Hall. Tickets go onsale to FriendsFirst on Thursday and to the general public on Friday at 10AM. Check out the above video to hear a classic track from his classic Welcome To the Cruel World album.
PERFORMANCES
Yundi (Originally scheduled for Friday – POSTPONED): A reminder that the recital originally scheduled for March 23 has been postponed due to scheduling difficulties and we are currently working with artist management to secure a new date. More information on this is available at the event page above.
David Myles (Saturday): Mr. Myles performs at Glenn Gould Studio this weekend and we’re excited to see him take the room by storm. Myles is nominated for no less than an impressive FIVE ECMA Awards including Songwriter of the Year (you can check out the full list here). We’ve been spending some extra time with him this week seeing him perform on Canada AM, telling us about the song he performed on a video featured here on Soundboard, and on our podcast, he talked to us about the art and craft of songwriting.
Nicole Cabell (Friday): The lovely Nicole Cabell returns to Roy Thomson Hall with accompanist Spencer Myer. When she performed at Roy Thomson Hall in March 2009, John Terauds (of the Toronto Star) called the show “the kind of love-in usually reserved for the world’s great divas” and he declared that she had “a natural musicality that caresses pleasing shapes out of musical phrases, a warm presence.” The soprano takes the stage this Friday evening – it’s your chance to hear this magnificent voice again or for the first time.
Lizz Wright (Sunday): The sultry-voiced Lizz Wright performs at Glenn Gould Studio this weekend. In a recent New York Daily News article, Wright is differentiated from the “melisma-mad” (think Christina Aguilera’s take on Aretha Franklin this weekend). In the article, Wright is quoted: “I let the song guide me… I move through the space that I’m given, rather than trying to make an impression on the material. I’m curious to learn from the music.” We can’t wait to learn from you this Sunday!
Soundboard is the official community of musicians, music fans, and friends of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, Canada. It’s your behind-the-scenes source for related music news, recommendations, and rewards.
