James “Super Chikan” Johnson headlines The Yale’s TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival
Mar 31, 2010 Music
American blues musician and guitar maker James “Super Chikan” Johnson headlines The Yale’s TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival roster on Sunday, July 4. Johnson was born in Darling, Mississippi in 1951 where he spent his childhood working on the family farm, earning the nickname “Chikan Boy.” In 1997 Johnson released his debut album BLUES COME HOME TO ROOST, influenced by the styles of Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Chuck Berry. This was followed by WHAT YOU SEE (2000), SHOOT THAT THANG (2001), CHIKAN SUPE (2005), SUM MO CHIKAN (2008), and CHIKADELIC (2009). This latest CD produced by harmonica wizard Jostein Forsberg, features Johnson with Spoonful of Blues, Norway’s leading blues band. CHIKADELIC boasts 13 tracks of original Delta blues recorded at Notodden’s famed Juke Joint Studio using the original mixing console from the STAX Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Johnson has appeared throughout festivals in Canada, Mexico, UK, Denmark, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, and Africa and has performed for the President of the United States. He was recently nominated for four Blues Music Awards by the Blues Foundation including B.B. KING ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR, SONG OF THE YEAR, TRADITIONAL BLUES ALBUM, and TRADITIONAL BLUES MALE ARTIST. In 2004, Johnson received the Mississippi Governor?s Award for Excellence in the Arts. Tickets to Super Chikan & The Fighting Cocks are $17 in advance or $20 at the door. Advance ticket sales are available by contacting The Yale at 604.681.9253 or online at www.theyale.ca. Tickets are also available through Tickets Tonight by phone at 604.684.2787 or at the Tickets Tonight booth located inside the Tourist InfoCentre at 200 Burrard Street. Doors open at 7:30pm. Show begins at 9pm. Yale VIP passes not accepted for this performance.
www.superchikan.bandzoogle.com
THE BEACH BOYS PRACTICE FOR PENTICTON
Mar 29, 2010 Music
THE BEACH BOYS
PRACTICE FOR PENTICTON:
LIVE TOMORROW NIGHT!
Penticton, BC: If you’re not sold that North America’s favourite band will be bringing their A-game to Penticton on May 13th, check out a preview of The Beach Boys performing live on the Dancing with the Stars results show premiere tomorrow night – Tuesday, March 30th – at 8:00pm.
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, The Beach Boys, will kick off the first elimination round of a decade of dance on DWTS with a medley of their best hits: “California Girls,” “Kokomo,” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.” Honourary band member, John Stamos, (most commonly known as Uncle Jesse on “Full House”) will sit in with the band on guitar and drums. Stamos previously performed with the band in 1992, singing lead vocals for the song “Forever” for the album “Summer in Paradise.” It has not been confirmed if he will play in Penticton.
The iconic band will be accompanied on the stage by professional ‘Dancing with the Stars” dancers Louis Van Amstel, Anna Trebunskya, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Cheryl Burke, Damian Whitewood, and Ashly Costa. The Beach Boys are lead by original band member Mike Love and long time performer Bruce Johnston, along with Christian Love, Scott Totten, Randell Kirsch, John Cowsill (of the Cowsills), and Tim Bonhomme.
Don’t forget to get your tickets now for the inventors of rock and roll, The Beach Boys, playing live at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Thursday, May 13th. The Beach Bums Bundle combines 4 tickets for just $148 at the Box Office or $155 online or by phone; prices for the Beach Bums Bundle INCLUDES taxes and convenience fees.
Tickets are on sale now and have been selling fast; tickets can be purchased at the SOEC Box Office, by phone at 1-877-SOEC-TIX (763-2849), the Wine Country Visitor Centre, or online at www.ValleyFirstTix.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
LILITH
The Celebration of Women in Music
SARAH MCLACHLAN
SUGARLAND
SHERYL CROW
ERYKAH BADU
COLBIE CAILLAT
GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS
MARINA & THE DIAMONDS
KATE MILLER – HEIDKE
FRAZEY FORD
ALI MILNER
WINNING OURSTAGE ARTIST
THURSDAY, JULY 1ST, 2010
PITT MEADOWS AIRPORT – PITT MEADOWS, BC
*Venue details forthcoming*
*Rain or Shine*
Gates Open: 2:30PM
TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY, APRIL 3RD @ 10AM
Charge by Phone 1-866-514-5050
Tickets also available at www.selectyourtickets.com
Tickets (incl. GST) $81.50, $151.50 & $252.00
(Plus FMF & Service charges)
**GENERAL ADMISSION FLOOR / RESERVED FLOOR / ALL AGES**
Teen sensation Selena Gomez and Mexican singer/songwriter Jenni Rivera are the latest artists added to The 2010 Lilith Tour line-up. Additionally, Lilith organizers have revealed details (artists, dates, venues) for six more cities of the Live Nation produced summer festival, including the Sunday, June 27 tour launch at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium. Tickets for the newly revealed dates—which also include Edmonton, Vancouver, San Diego, Los Angeles and Denver—go on-sale Saturday, April 3 via LilithFair.com and LiveNation.com.
As details about Lilith ’10 continue to be unveiled, multi-platinum and Grammy-Award winning singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan is scheduled to release The Laws of Illusion, her first studio album of new material in seven years, on June 15 (Arista Records), just weeks before the Lilith tour launch. A special pre-order campaign for the six dates recently added will take place on Monday, March 29 and Tuesday, March 30 at SarahMclachlan.com. Fans who pre-order the new album will be offered the added benefit of exclusive access to purchase Lilith tickets before they are made available anywhere else. They’ll also receive an instant download of Sarah’s new song, “One Dream.”
The following is the list of tour dates that have been announced thus far. For details on tickets, artists and more, please visit LilithFair.com.
Date City Venue
Sun, Jun 27 Calgary, AB McMahon Stadium (on-sale 4/3)
Mon, Jun 28 Edmonton, AB Northlands Spectrum (on-sale 4/3)
Thur, Jul 1 Vancouver, BC Pitt Meadows Airport (on-sale 4/3)
Fri, Jul 2 Portland, OR The Amphitheatre at Clark County (on-sale 3/27)
Sat, Jul 3 Seattle, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre (on-sale 3/27)
Wed, Jul 7 San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre (on-sale 4/3)
Sat, Jul 10 Los Angeles, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (on-sale 4/3)
Tue, Jul 13 Denver, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre (on-sale 4/3)
Sat, Jul 17 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (on-sale 3/27)
Tues, July 20 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center (on-sale 3/27)
Sat, Jul 24 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre (on-sale 3/27)
Tues, July 27 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center (on-sale 4/3)
Sun, Aug 8 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheatre (on-sale 3/27)
Tues, Aug 10 W. Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre (on-sale 3/27)
Full list of artists announced so far (visit lilithfair.com to view artist pages):
A Fine Frenzy, Anjulie, Ann Atomic, Anya Marina, Ash Koley, The Bangles, Beth Orton, Brandi Carlile, Butterfly Boucher, Cat Power, Ceci Bastida, Chairlift, Chantal Kreviazuk, Colbie Caillat, Corinne Bailey Rae, Court Yard Hounds, Donna Delory, Elizaveta, Emmylou Harris, Erin McCarley, Erykah Badu, Frazey Ford, The Go-Go’s, Gossip, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Heart, Ima, Indigo Girls, Ingrid Michaelson, Janelle Monae, Jenni Rivera, Jennifer Knapp, Jesca Hoop, Jill Hennessy, Jill Scott, Julia Othmer, Kate Miller-Heidke, Kate Nash Katzenjammer, Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha, La Roux, Lights, Lissie, Loretta Lynn, Lucy Schwartz, Marina & The Diamonds, Martina McBride, Mary J. Blige, Meaghan Smith, Melissa McClelland, Metric, Miranda Lambert, Miranda Lee Richards, Missy Higgins, Nikki Jean, Nneka, Norah Jones, Priscilla Renea, The Rescues, Rosie Thomas, Sara Bareilles, Sarah McLachlan, Selena Gomez, Serena Ryder, Sheryl Crow, Sia, Sugarland, Susan Justice, Suzanne Vega, Tara MacLean, Tegan and Sara, Toby Lightman, Vedera, Vita Chambers, The Submarines, The Weepies, Ximena Sarinana, Zee Avi
Full list of cities revealed so far:
Atlanta, Austin**, Birmingham, Boston, Calgary, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Edmonton, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City**, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Minneapolis**, Montreal, Nashville**, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver, DC** and West Palm Beach
** Non-Live Nation produced cities
Reba performs to sold out show in Penticton.
Mar 19, 2010 Music
Reba performs to sold out show in Penticton.
Kevin Kienlein/Gonzo Magazine
The South Okanagan Events Center hosted another great concert Wednesday with one of country music’s biggest stars and a true icon. Reba McEntire entertained a polite, appreciative audience of 5000 fans. Opening acts Melissa Peterman and Crystal Shawanda warmed up the crowd for a performer whose voice never faltered through the 2 hour show.
I was very impressed with Reba’s showmanship and the competency of her nine piece band; Doug Sisemore – band leader, keys & background vocals; Catherine Marx – piano & background vocals; Jeff King – lead guitar; Jim Kimball – guitar; Bruce Bouton – steel & dobro; Spady Brannan – bass guitar; Tommy Harden – drums; Jim Kaminsky – fiddle, and Jennifer Wrinkle – on fiddle, certainly some of the finest musicians in America.
Reba’s set list covered many hits and fan favorites from her 33 year career. With 31 albums, 55 million album sales, 34 No. 1 hits, two Grammys, seven Country Music Association Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards, nine People’s Choice Awards and 15 American Music Awards, a popular TV show and successful Broadway show this hard working Oklahoma cowgirl has accomplished more in her life than most folks could do in two lifetimes.
With a smile as genuine as her Oklahoma roots, Reba demonstrated why she is adored and appreciated. This lady has poise and a humble attitude that showed in every move and comment she made. While using the stage to full advantage, Reba gave us a peek into her life with video clips and photos to weave her songs into an interesting tapestry. There were no smoke bombs or fancy light shows, only genuine honest talent and great music.
At one point Reba sang a song dedicated to her dad; ‘The Greatest Man I Never Knew’, the intensity in her voice was echoed by the quietness of the crowd. At the end of the song you could tell how difficult is was for her to sing this remembering her father.
When Reba announced she was going to sing the theme song from her TV show. Melissa Peterman showed up ‘to help out’ singing the song. Melissa added local interest, commenting she had been to Slack Alice’s for an audition while grasping a bottle of ‘Bud’. They played their parts, which added some well arranged, self inflicted humor to the show. Melissa & Reba had the crowd involved and laughing for a good while. Melissa’s comment; she had never seen the ‘Queen of Country’ and the ‘King of Beers’ together added to the atmosphere of their ‘duet’. This added a touch of living room atmosphere, down home hospitality, which everyone seemed to appreciate.
The two-hour concert flew by quickly. I am sure fans appreciated Reba’s top notch performance. Once the final song was over, there was a quick costume change and Reba did her encore; ‘Fancy’.
I would highly recommend checking Reba out if she comes to a town near you. She is a first class, consummate professional and awesome singer.
SARAH MCLACHLAN TO RELEASE FIRST STUDIO ALBUM OF BRAND NEW MATERIAL IN 7 YEARS
Mar 18, 2010 Music
SARAH MCLACHLAN TO RELEASE FIRST STUDIO ALBUM OF BRAND NEW MATERIAL IN 7 YEARS ENTITLED THE LAWS OF ILLUSION ON JUNE 15, 2010
EXCLUSIVE FIRST ACCESS TO LILITH FAIR TICKETS BUNDLED WITH A PRE-ORDER OF SARAH’S NEW ALBUM ON SARAHMCLACHLAN.COM
(Vancouver – March 18, 2010) Multi-platinum and Grammy-Award winning singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan is scheduled to release her first studio album of new material in 7 years THE LAWS OF ILLUSION on June 15th on Nettwerk Records. The album is currently being recorded in Montreal and Vancouver with Sarah’s longtime collaborator/producer Pierre Marchand. Sarah’s new album THE LAWS OF ILLUSION will be released just weeks in advance of the kick off to Lilith Fair 2010, the historic all women touring festival, founded by McLachlan, which became one of the highest grossing touring festivals in the world.
A special pre-order campaign for Sarah’s new album THE LAWS OF ILLUSION is available now exclusively at sarahmclachlan.com. Fans that pre-order her new album will be offered the added benefit of exclusive access to purchase Lilith Fair tickets before they are made available anywhere else, and additionally will receive an instant download of Sarah’s new song, “One Dream.” A resident of Vancouver, Sarah recently performed at the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics and wrote and recorded “One Dream,” which was used as part of NBC’s marketing campaign for the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Click Here to Watch the video for “One Dream.”
Between 1997-1999, Lilith Fair enjoyed over 2 million fans in attendance and over $10 million dollars raised for national and local women’s charities. Lilith Fair 2010 features performances by Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Kelly Clarkson, Erykah Badu, Sugarland, Heart, Norah Jones, Ke$ha, Corinne Bailey Rae, Loretta Lynn, Emmylou Harris, Tegan and Sara, and many more! Visit www.lilithfair.com for tour details and more information.
About Sarah McLachlan:
Since signing with Nettwerk over two decades ago, every one of Sarah McLachlan’s studio and live albums and videos have been certified gold, platinum, multi-platinum, or diamond by the CRIA, starting with Touch (1988) and Solace (1991), both platinum sellers. Her 1993 breakthrough, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (3x platinum) was followed by the digitally enhanced multimedia version of The Freedom Sessions (1996, gold). Sarah’s landmark fourth album, the Diamond certified Surfacing (1997), contained two Grammy Award-winning tracks, as “Building a Mystery” won for Best Female Pop Vocal, and “Last Dance” was voted Best Pop Instrumental. 1999’s quadruple-platinum Mirrorball, and its platinum long-form video counterpart, were both culled from that year’s Lilith Fair tour, and spun off Sarah’s third Grammy-winning performance, as “I Will Remember You” won for Best Female Pop Vocal. The 5 times platinum Afterglow followed in 2003, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album, while its opening track, “Fallen” was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal. Sarah’s most recent release Closer: The Best Of Sarah McLachlan (2008) contained 14 classic tracks from McLachlan’s award-winning catalog, as well as two newly recorded/previously unreleased songs, “U Want Me 2” and “Don’t Give Up On Us.”
SarahMcLachlan.com
LilithFair.com
HOT OFF THE PRESS GONZO EXCLUSIVE! ANDREW ALLEN
Mar 18, 2010 Music
A Gonzo Exclusive:
After a breakneck year in 2009: recording his ‘self titled’ EP at Mushroom Studios with producer Jeff Dawson; performing at the Junos last spring, and executing a cross-country tour, Canadian singer, Andrew Allen announced to Gonzo Magazine today that he has just received to land-mark confirmations: that he’s slated to perform at the closing ceremonies of the paralympics this Sunday night; and that the new Kal Tire tv and radio national advertising campaign will feature his new song, ‘Roll With Me’. Check Andrew out at www.andrewallenlive.com
Gonzo Magazine’s pick for stardom!
NINJASPY TOUR!!
Mar 16, 2010 Music
Band prepares to record follow-up to Pi Nature, announce one-off with Powerman 5000 and Manitoba Metal Fest appearance
(VANCOUVER, BC) – It was a whirlwind ride through 2009 for Vancouver’s NINJASPY. After signing to Japanese label Zestone Records, the band enjoyed a Canada-wide tour (Victoria to St. John’s), a personal invitation from Kevin Lyman to perform at Warped Tour in Vancouver, an appearance at Taste of Chaos in Calgary, numerous spins on MTV Canada, and more recently on Absolute Underground TV. NINJASPY’s MySpace plays have also just approached the 250,000 mark and they couldn’t be happier. The band has finally had a well-deserved rest and are ready to head back into The Farm/Nimbus Studios to record the follow-up to their highly successful debut Pi Nature which is now available in record stores nationwide via Scratch Distribution.
The new album will once again be produced by Garth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gallows) and Ben Kaplan (Atreyu, Hedley, Haste The Day).
The band has also caught the eye of local promoters The Invisible Orange who have invited the band to open for POWERMAN 5000 on June 6th, 2010 at The Rickshaw Theatre, which is also the band’s favorite new venue since they performed there on New Years Eve to a sold out crowd. NINJASPY will also be filming the video for the track “Circle Pity” from the album Pi Nature to be completed after this upcoming tour. Add to this an anticipated appearance at the 2010 MANITOBA METAL FEST in March alongside NEURAXIS, BRUTAL TRUTH and more.
**NINJASPY “FAREWELL TO THE WEST” WESTERN CANADA TOUR, SPRING 2010**
MARCH 12 – MAPLE RIDGE, BC – TOUR KICK-OFF AA
MARCH 13 – VANCOUVER, BC – TOUR KICK-OFF 19+
MARCH 17 – KAMLOOPS, BC
MARCH 18 – PRINCE GEORGE, BC
MARCH 19 – CALGARY, AB
MARCH 20 – EDMONTON, AB
MARCH 21 – LLOYDMINSTER, AB
MARCH 25 – SASKATOON, SK
MARCH 26 – WINNIPEG, MB – MANITOBA METAL FEST w/ NEURAXIS
MARCH 27 – REGINA, SK
MARCH 28 – THE PAS, MB
MARCH 30 – MEDICINE HAT, AB
MARCH 31 – MEDICINE HAT, AB
APRIL 2 – CALGARY, AB
APRIL 3 – KELOWNA, BC
APRIL 4 – PENTICTON, BC
APRIL 8 – NANAIMO, BC
APRIL 9 – VICTORIA, BC – w/ DAYGLO ABORTIONS
APRIL 10 – NANAIMO, BC
APRIL 11 – CAMPBELL RIVER, BC
*DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
http://www.ninjaspy.net
http://www.myspace.com/thetraidinblood
http://www.facebook.com/ninjaspy
http://www.twitter.com/ninjaspy
http://www.youtube.com/ninjaspytv
Band prepares to record follow-up to Pi Nature, announce one-off with Powerman 5000 and Manitoba Metal Fest appearance
(VANCOUVER, BC) – It was a whirlwind ride through 2009 for Vancouver’s NINJASPY. After signing to Japanese label Zestone Records, the band enjoyed a Canada-wide tour (Victoria to St. John’s), a personal invitation from Kevin Lyman to perform at Warped Tour in Vancouver, an appearance at Taste of Chaos in Calgary, numerous spins on MTV Canada, and more recently on Absolute Underground TV. NINJASPY’s MySpace plays have also just approached the 250,000 mark and they couldn’t be happier. The band has finally had a well-deserved rest and are ready to head back into The Farm/Nimbus Studios to record the follow-up to their highly successful debut Pi Nature which is now available in record stores nationwide via Scratch Distribution.
The new album will once again be produced by Garth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gallows) and Ben Kaplan (Atreyu, Hedley, Haste The Day).
The band has also caught the eye of local promoters The Invisible Orange who have invited the band to open for POWERMAN 5000 on June 6th, 2010 at The Rickshaw Theatre, which is also the band’s favorite new venue since they performed there on New Years Eve to a sold out crowd. NINJASPY will also be filming the video for the track “Circle Pity” from the album Pi Nature to be completed after this upcoming tour. Add to this an anticipated appearance at the 2010 MANITOBA METAL FEST in March alongside NEURAXIS, BRUTAL TRUTH and more.
**NINJASPY “FAREWELL TO THE WEST” WESTERN CANADA TOUR, SPRING 2010**
MARCH 12 – MAPLE RIDGE, BC – TOUR KICK-OFF AA
MARCH 13 – VANCOUVER, BC – TOUR KICK-OFF 19+
MARCH 17 – KAMLOOPS, BC
MARCH 18 – PRINCE GEORGE, BC
MARCH 19 – CALGARY, AB
MARCH 20 – EDMONTON, AB
MARCH 21 – LLOYDMINSTER, AB
MARCH 25 – SASKATOON, SK
MARCH 26 – WINNIPEG, MB – MANITOBA METAL FEST w/ NEURAXIS
MARCH 27 – REGINA, SK
MARCH 28 – THE PAS, MB
MARCH 30 – MEDICINE HAT, AB
MARCH 31 – MEDICINE HAT, AB
APRIL 2 – CALGARY, AB
APRIL 3 – KELOWNA, BC
APRIL 4 – PENTICTON, BC
APRIL 8 – NANAIMO, BC
APRIL 9 – VICTORIA, BC – w/ DAYGLO ABORTIONS
APRIL 10 – NANAIMO, BC
APRIL 11 – CAMPBELL RIVER, BC
*DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
http://www.ninjaspy.net
http://www.myspace.com/thetraidinblood
http://www.facebook.com/ninjaspy
http://www.twitter.com/ninjaspy
http://www.youtube.com/ninjaspytv
Mar 15, 2010 Culture
LOCAL FAMILY WINERY DONATES FUNDS FOR HAITI DISASTER
For Immediate Release
(Mar 15, 2010 Oliver, BC) – Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery announced today that they have donated $2400.00 to the Canadian Red Cross to help with the ongoing Haiti Disaster relief.
“We made the decision in January that we would contribute 10% of our sales from January 15-February 15, 2010 as a donation towards the rebuilding of Haiti” stated John Ferreira, Co-Owner of Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery. “We want to thank all of our customers and guests for selecting our wines during that time as it is because of our customers’ support that we are able to present the Canadian Red Cross with this cheque today.”
This initiative was designed to have everyone get involved and feel a part of the fundraising that was being done by the winery. Individuals and businesses assisted in the fundraising by making the choice to purchase wines from Quinta Ferreira when out buying wine. All wine sales, whether they were from private liquor stores, VQA stores throughout BC, restaurants or winery direct were all tallied over the one month period to come to this grand total.
“Of the $2400 that we are providing to the Canadian Red Cross $2000 had been contributed on February 12 so that we could ensure that those funds were matched by the Canadian Government, thus making this fundraiser total to be $4400” comments Maria Ferreira, Co-Owner Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery. “We look forward to our next initiative as we continue to be a winery that gives back to those in need.”
Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery is located in the heart of Oliver, British Columbia. Our 20 acres of vineyard and winery are located on the Black Sage Bench with a breathtaking view of the landscape and a fabulous vision overlooking the community. More information about Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery can be obtained at www.QuintaFerreira.com
Mar 15, 2010 Music
THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT PRESENTS:XAVIER RUDD
&
IZINTABA
WITH GUEST
JUSTIN NOZUKAFRIDAY, JUNE 4TH, 2010
MALKIN BOWL – VANCOUVER, BC
Doors: 6:00PM – Show: 7:00PM
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 5TH @ 10AM
Tickets available at Ticketmaster, or Charge by Phone 604-280-4444
Tickets (incl. GST) $35.00
(Plus FMF & Service charges)
TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE AT Wireless Box Office™*
Rogers customers text ‘TIX’ to 4849 Rogers pays your service charges for tickets purchased on your Rogers Wireless phone.
**GENERAL ADMISSION / ALL AGES**
XAVIER RUDD TO RELEASE KOONYUM SUN ON APRIL 20TH
Best-selling Canadian-Australian singer-songwriter Xavier Rudd is set to release his latest studio album, Koonyum Sun, on April 20, 2010 through SaltX Records distributed by Fontana North.
Koonyum Sun marks a fresh musical and spiritual awakening for Rudd, perhaps most notably as it’s his first album with his new incredibly funky rhythm section featuring bassist Tio Moloantoa and percussionist Andile Nqubezelo of the late afro-reggae legend Lucky Dube’s band. Xavier, Tio and Andile formed a bond that extended beyond their musical respect for each other in the summer of 2008 at Austria’s Nuke festival. This relationship, like their musical tastes, reflects a passion for unifying culture, sound and understanding.
Under the collective banner of Xavier Rudd & Izintaba (Zulu word for mountain), Koonyum Sun sees Rudd moving away from the heavier edged sound pursued on Dark Shades of Blue, and embracing the happier, hip-swinging vibes that have characterized his earlier albums. A matchless mixture of reggae, funk, blues and folk with deep-rooted Australian Aboriginal and South African influences, Koonyum Sun truly showcases the magical connection of this new trio. Inspired by his new band and touched by the spirit of the sun, sand, and sea surrounding the famed 301 studio in Byron Bay where the album was recorded, the release of Koonyum Sun marks one of the most exciting times in the musical journey of Xavier Rudd.
Over the last few years, Rudd has graced stages at festivals around the globe, including the Bonnaroo Music Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, The Great Escape, Bumbershoot, and Austin City Limits, to list a few. Indeed, where he has been physically has had an immense impact on where he has gone musically. He explains: “I’ve absorbed so much culture and energy from where I’ve traveled, and it becomes a part of me.”
Koonyum Sun is the culmination of where Rudd wants to be musically, and along with Izintaba, he’s ready to make his music mobile once again. “I’ve never been more excited to tour,” he says, and his fans are undeniably ecstatic about his assertion. Xavier Rudd returns to Canada this May after a string of sold-out festival stops in Europe and Australia.
VIP pre-sale packages are now on sale through MapleMusic.com The packages include a ticket to the show, an Xavier Rudd K-Way jacket exclusive to the pre-order and a copy of his upcoming album Koonyum Sun as either a digital download, CD or vinyl album.
Xavier Rudd Upcoming Canadian Tour Dates:
May 14 Capitole du Quebec Quebec City, QC
May 15 Metropolis Montreal, PQ
May 17 Bronson Centre Ottawa, ON
May 18 Bronson Centre Ottawa, ON
May 19 Centre in the Square Kitchener, ON
May 20 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Toronto, ON
May 21 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Toronto, ON
May 25 Burton Cummings Theatre Winnipeg, MB
May 26 Burton Cummings Theatre Winnipeg, MB
May 27 TCU Place Saskatoon, SK
May 29 Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Calgary, AB
May 30 Eric Harvie Theatre Banff, AB
May 31 Eric Harvie Theatre Banff, AB
June 2 Edmonton Event Centre Edmonton, AB
June 4 Malkin Bowl Vancouver, BC
For more on Xavier Rudd: www.xavierrudd.com | www.myspace.com/xavierrudd
The 18th Annual Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival is thrilled to announce K’NAAN
Mar 11, 2010 Music
The 18th Annual Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival is thrilled to announce K’NAAN as part of its 2010 line-up! The Somali-born rapper is one of Canada’s hottest talents with not one, not two, but three 2010 Juno Award nominations for his 2009 release, “Troubadour”: Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Rap Recording of the Year.
As a child in Somolia, K’NAAN was witness to unbridled destruction and ruthless terror at the hands of merciless warlords. It was a place where nobody, not children, the elderly, or even religious figures were safe from the atrocities of war, a place where eight year olds handled AK-47’s like toys. As recently as 2007, when Forbes Magazine unveiled their “Most Dangerous Destinations” of the year, Somalia topped the list. But Somalia is also “The Nation of Poets” where a poem can both inspire peace and end wars, a place where every weekend regardless of the hostile climate, one can find a play or concert at local theatres. Growing up, it was both of these Somalias that informed K’NAAN as a musician, MC and poet.
Creating his own musical path through reggae, funk, pop, soul and hip-hop, K’NAAN successfully blends samples and live instrumentation for a sound that’s rooted in both traditional African melodies and classic hip-hop. He earned his first Juno (Rap Recording of the Year) and a BBC Radio 3 Award for his 2006 debut album, “The Dusty Foot Philosopher”, and the album was also nominated for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize.
Recently, K’NAAN has been garnering a flurry of critical praise and accolades for his hit single “Wavin’ Flag”, and has undertaken some very noteworthy projects based on its success. It debuted at #82 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart peaking at #2, and was chosen by Coca-Cola as the official theme song of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, which takes place in South Africa this summer. After he performed the song at the “Canada for Haiti” telethon this past January, the song climbed to #1 on the iTunes chart in Canada.
“Wavin’ Flag” was elevated to a whole new level as the medium for Haitian earthquake relief when a mind-staggering who’s-who of Canada’s music elite came together to record the song in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics. This new version is set to become an international anthem for humanity, appealing for continued support to alleviate the devastation that has befallen Haiti. The newly revamped “Wavin’ Flag” is scheduled for release sometime in March. To view the Coca-Cola World Cup version of “Wavin’ Flag”, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNh7LjvUi5g , then envision yourself singing loud and proud amongst the crowd when K’NAAN delivers his main stage Roots and Blues performance. It’s certain to be one of the best of the Festival! For more information on the line-up and to purchase tickets, log onto www.rootsandblues.ca or call 250-833-4096.