JUST ANNOUNCED
Yesterday we announced a performance at Glenn Gould Studio by Chilly Gonzales to take place on September 14. This is the very same day that his latest album Ivory Tower, drops as does the feature-length film of the same name (featuring Tiga and Peaches). It all makes you wish the “most wonderful time of year” Staples commercials were on and September was around the corner right? If you don’t know who Chilly Gonzales is, allow this performance to be your education. Prerequisite information required: Gonzales made waves in Paris last spring after earning the world record for the longest solo concert (no less than 27 hours, three minutes, and 44 seconds long). Also – check out Chess Cat vs The World over on the Chilly Gonzales website: possibly the most democratic board game you’ll ever play on a Canadian musician’s website.
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Back To The Future,Chilly Gonzales,Crowded House,Just For Laughs,Levon Helm,ZZ Top
PERFORMANCES
Levon Helm & John Hiatt (Tuesday): For many, music is an integral part of one’s Canadian-ness, as will be demonstrated this Thursday across the country at a variety of Canada Day concerts. We’re (naturally) very proud of our Neil Youngs, Joni Mitchells, Bruce Cockburns, Rushes, Broken Social Scenes and Arcade Fires but we also hold a special place in our hearts for our friends granted the status of “honorary Canadian” through their musical prowess.
Like modern songstress Neko Case, Levon Helm is one of Canada’s proudest imports. Levon Helm begins his Canadian music career as part of the legendary Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks (which would later be renamed Levon and the Hawks after Hawkins left the group). That, alone, would be enough to gain Helm a place in the hearts of musically inclined Canucks but there’s more! Levon and the Hawks would go on to be the backing band for Bob Dylan in order to facilitate the complicated (and controversial) process of ‘going electric’ (you may recall this from our Massey By the Decade post for 1964-1973.) Levon did leave the Hawks temporarily but returned shortly thereafter before the newly rechristened group, The Band, hit it big with albums like Music from Big Pink and then later, of course, as stars of (the album, film, and generally awesome event) The Last Waltz.
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George Lopez,Glee,John Hiatt,Levon Helm,Peter Frampton
JUST ANNOUNCED
Last week Luminato announced the 2010 Music Program for the ten-day festival in June. Together with Luminato, we’ll be bringing you the third installation of the Canadian Songbook – this time celebrating the music of Bruce Cockburn with a new and exciting twist: Mr. Cockburn himself will be on stage. A medley of other fine musicians (including Hawksley Workman and Colin Linden) will join Cockburn to celebrate the occasion. Tickets to Luminato events go on sale in April. You can check out what the Toronto Star wrote on the latest Luminato announcements here.
We’ve also just added a second performance by Royal Wood on Saturday, April 10. Can’t make it to the first concert on April 1, now here’s a second chance to check out the man who CBC Radio 3 calls “an artist whose time is at hand to be heard”. Enjoy some Royal Wood flavoured audio video over here.
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Bruce Cockburn,Conan O'Brien,East Coast Music Awards,Free Noon Hour Concerts,John Hiatt,Levon Helm,Mariinsky Orchestra,Randy Lennox,Royal Wood
In the lower level of Massey Hall you’ll find ‘Centuries,’ a fully-stocked bar you can visit pre-show and at intermission of most performances. The room is filled with artefacts illustrating the admirable history of Massey Hall, perhaps most notably the “Decade Panels” that line the entrance corridor to ‘Centuries.’ Starting with 1894-1904, a panel is present for each decade since Massey Hall opened. The panels feature news articles, photographs, programmes and other paraphernalia that aim to give a slice of life at Massey Hall from that period in history. In this column, we look at each decade and highlight some of the items included in these panels. Of course, for a more in-depth look, next time you’re at Massey for a show, head on over to ‘Centuries’ and check them out. This week, we take a look at 1964 – 1973, the eighth in a series of eleven tributes to Massey Hall’s glorious history.
Massey Hall 1964 – 1973
This decade panel perfectly represents the true turning point both in popular music in general and at Massey Hall specifically.
Folk music is clearly in the forefront of the Toronto scene. Many performances during this time were from now-legendary folk stars such as Stompin’ Tom Connors, Ian and Sylvia, Anne Murray, Cat Stevens, and James Taylor (who we just saw perform on the Oscars). Joni Mitchell “captivate[d] a packed Massey Hall” and Neil Young performed his epic 1971 concert which recently became available as audio and video recordings. CONTINUE READING >
Bob Dylan,Levon Helm,Massey Hall,Neil Young
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
PERFORMANCES THIS WEEK
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (Wednesday): Last weekend, on Valentine’s Day, Robert Everett-Green wrote an article in the Globe and Mail entitled “Love at first downbeat” about one Yannick Nézet-Séguin of Montreal, the now celebrity conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic. Nézet-Séguin recently made headlines for his debut at the Met conducting Carmen. Here’s your chance to see him, his new orchestra, and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet at home in Canada on the stage of Roy Thomson Hall. The Toronto Star says it “is likely to be one of the most exciting symphony concerts of the season,” and with good reason. CONTINUE READING >
C. R. Avery,John Hiatt,Levon Helm,Massey Hall,Rotterdam Philarmonic Orchestra
