Fallsview Casino Resort welcomes Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the three-time GRAMMY Award-winning country band to the Avalon Theatre April 18 as part of their All the Good Times: The Farewell Tour. Tickets for Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, ALL THE GOOD TIMES: The Farewell Tour are onsale now through ticketmaster.ca.
“Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has an incredible legacy with 60 years of legendary performances. We are thrilled to welcome them as they celebrate their iconic hit music spanning generations,” says Cathy Price, Vice President of Marketing & Resort Operations.
With a career spanning nearly six decades, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band stands as one of the most influential groups in American roots music. Blending country, folk, rock and bluegrass, they’ve delivered timeless classics like “Mr. Bojangles”, “Fishin’ in the Dark” and “An American Dream”. Renowned for their groundbreaking 1972 album Will the Circle Be Unbroken, which united generations of country legends, the band continues to captivate audiences with their signature harmonies, musicianship and storytelling. And speaking of music, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a newly released 5-song EP, Night After Night. The new single title track—a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers-esque rocker—is perfectly suited to kick off their release of all-new music since 2009’s Speed of Life and follow-up their critically-acclaimed 2022 release, Dirt Does Dylan.
Show date & performance
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
ALL THE GOOD TIMES: The Farewell Tour – 60 Years of Dirt
Rising country star Andrea Vasquez has released the official music video for her sass-fueled single, “Everything I Wish I Did.” Directed by Oceanna, the video was filmed at The Centennial in Nashville and captures the high-energy “what if” spirit of the track, transforming a local bar into a rowdy, liberated jam session with friends. The song—co-written by Vasquez, Bailey Morgan, and Dallas Jack—serves as a standout anthem from her latest six-track project, ‘El Camino’. Produced by Jason Bobo, the track flips the traditional breakup narrative on its head, trading wallowing for the bold, fiery energy reminiscent of genre staples like “Before He Cheats.”
The video follows a significant milestone in Vasquez’s breakout year: the ‘El Camino’ EP release showcase at Soho House Nashville. As one of Grammy.com’s “10 Latina Country Artists To Know Now,” Vasquez continues to blend her cultural heritage with fearless country grit. Beyond the studio, she has become a vocal advocate for Latin voices in the genre through her podcast, Latina in Nashville, and her work with The Country Latin Association. This latest visual release reinforces the storytelling prowess that has already earned her features in Rolling Stone and Billboard, proving that ‘El Camino’ is a factual turning point in her journey as a premier voice in modern country music.
The Squirrel Nut Zippers have announced an exclusive “In The Afterlife” weekend at the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their platinum-selling album ‘Hot’. Taking place March 20–21, 2026, the event features two full performances of the landmark record in its entirety, including hits like “Hell” and “Put a Lid On It.” The weekend is designed as a fully immersive experience, transforming the hotel—famous for inspiring Stephen King’s The Shining—into a haven of vintage jazz and haunted glamour. Beyond the main stage sets, the band will host a “Late Night New Orleans Throw Down” for hotel guests and a Saturday “New Orleans Jazz Brunch” featuring the Back O’ Town Allstars.
Recorded originally at Daniel Lanois’ Kingsway Studio, ‘Hot’ became a cultural phenomenon that helped ignite the late-’90s swing revival. This anniversary residency looks to honor that legacy with rare amenities, including screenings of restored Fleischer Studios cartoons and a pop-up shop featuring limited-edition ‘Hot’ vinyl and merchandise. Bandleader Jimbo Mathus noted that the venue’s ghostly reputation perfectly complements the “spirits of old New Orleans” that have always inhabited the band’s music. The event serves as a factual centerpiece of their 2026 tour, which also includes “In The Afterlife” dates in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Key West, ensuring that the band’s signature blend of Delta blues and gypsy jazz continues to reach a new generation of fans.
To ensure the best experience, fans are encouraged to book official ticket and room packages directly through the Stanley Hotel. These packages provide exclusive access to the late-night afterparty and a special meet-and-greet with the band. As ‘Hot’ continues to see a resurgence—fueled by the inclusion of “Hell” in recent television hits like Wednesday—this weekend stands as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the Zippers in one of America’s most iconic and atmospheric settings.
The James Hunter Six shares the blues blaster “Ain’t That A Trip,” a rare duet with legendary Irish singer Van Morrison. This is one of the most joyous songs on the band’s forthcoming album Off The Fence, their first release with Easy Eye Sound which is out January 16.
British singer, songwriter and GRAMMY-nominated James Hunter was first introduced to Van Morrison in the early ’90s, and appeared on two of his albums – 1994’s live set, A Night In San Francisco and ’95’s Days Like This. The following year Morrison returned the favor, guesting on Hunter’s Believe What I Say. Three decades on, Hunter explains what it means to have him return for another collaboration: “I’ve always reckoned Van’s voice, right from the paint-stripping howls of the Them days to the Smokey Robinson-esque ‘Crazy Love.’ It’s a real kick having him sing on something I wrote. Is that a trip or what?”
He adds, “This song is the result of a suggestion that I write something in the style of Jimmy Reed. It’s rather more verbose than Jimmy’s style but his heartfelt simplicity isn’t easy to emulate.”
A legendary fixture in the scene for over three decades, James Hunter has been dubbed “The United Kingdom’s Greatest Soul Singer” by MOJO. His eleventh studio album delivers another dose of timeless rhythm & soul, marking 40 years since his recording debut. Featuring twelve self-penned gems, each song is delivered with Hunter’s customary blend of smooth vocal control coupled with heart-worn grit and wit. Last month, the band shared “A Sure Thing,” the album’s infectious debut single shimmering with Northern Soul vibes and Hunter’s renowned lyrical word play.
The James Hunter Six – who, alongside James, also include Myles Weeks (double bass), Rudy Albin Petschauer (drums), Andrew Kingslow (keyboards, percussion), Michael Buckley (baritone saxophone) and Drew Vanderwinckel (tenor saxophone) – are masters of their craft and have developed a near-telepathic relationship with their leader. Off The Fence is full of examples of their innate understanding of the music and the needs of each song.
Hunter’s own musical journey started 66 miles from London in Colchester, Essex, where he was born in 1962. His life-changing moment came at the age of nine when his grandmother handed him her Dansette record player and a collection of old 78s. Included in that pile of shellac was a copy of Jackie Wilson’s 1958 hook-filled hit, “Reet Petite” – a tune that musically helped transform R&B into soul. It proved equally as transformational as far as young James was concerned, providing him with a gateway to a whole new musical world that seemed a million miles away from 70s Winter of Discontent Essex.
James Hunter will be touring in the UK and Europe in early 2026. See a full list of dates below and find more information here: jameshuntermusic.com/tour.html
Off The Fence Tracklist
Two Birds With One Stone
Let Me Out Of This Love
Gun Shy
Believe It When I See It
Here And Now
Off The Fence
Ain’t That A Trip (feat. Van Morrison)
One For Ripley
Trouble Comes Calling
Particular
A Sure Thing
Only A Fool
The James Hunter Six 2026 European Tour
January 16 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
January 17 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
January 19 – London, UK @ 229
January 20 – Colchester, UK @ Colchester Arts Centre
January 26 – Glasgow, UK @ Òran Mór
January 28 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
January 29 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
January 30 – Cambridge, UK @ Storey’s Field Centre
Canadian psych-rock veteran C.ROSS (Chad Ross) has officially released his newest solo album, ‘Future Site of C.ROSS’, through Echodelick Records. Known as a pillar of the Canadian underground for his work with Quest for Fire, Comet Control, and The Deadly Snakes, Ross utilizes this seven-song collection to dive deeper into a “mellowfuzz” blend of psych-folk and cosmic rock. Recorded and mixed by Joshua Wells (Destroyer, Black Mountain) at The Mango Pit in Chicago, the project serves as a sophisticated evolution of his 2022 debut ‘Skull Creator’. The record features a collaborative spirit, with Wells contributing drums and keys, Aaron Goldstein providing evocative pedal steel, and Eiyn Sof adding ethereal backing vocals. Written largely in “hermit mode” while Ross was living in the woods of Ontario, the album balances fuzzed-out guitar riffs with delicate acoustic arrangements.
The lead single “Plant Your Eyes” encapsulates the record’s grounded yet otherworldly aesthetic, pairing “Crazy Horse fuzzed-out riffage” with lyrics exploring the constant vibration of the unknown. Other standout tracks like “Faster Than the Light” lean into a more traditional band energy, bridging the gap between Ross’s heavy psychedelic past and his more recent, introspective solo work. Critics have praised the album’s structure and the seamless interplay between Ross and Wells, noting that while it incorporates the pastoral, misty atmospheres of his previous projects, it also introduces a more cinematic and cinematic drone-heavy finish on tracks like “Unnatural Light.” ‘Future Site of C.ROSS’ stands as a factual and atmospheric document of an artist successfully navigating the space between gritty garage-rock and cosmic folk.
Dublin trad-rock firebrands Ispíní na hÉireann have released their final single, a blistering rendition of the Cork classic “Johnny Jump Up,” ahead of their highly anticipated sophomore album ‘Poxtail Soup’. Originally written by Tadhg Jordan in 1934 and famously performed by Christy Moore, the track serves as a darkly comic warning about the chaotic effects of a potent batch of cider. The band—led by frontman Tomás Mulligan along with Paahto Cummins, Pádraig Óg Mac Aodhagáin, Aongus MacAmhlaigh, and Declan Gillen—originally performed the song at their very first gig. This latest version, released via Faction Records, replaces the acoustic simplicity of traditional covers with a raucous, high-energy arrangement that has become a staple of their “musicianship and mayhem” style.
‘Poxtail Soup’, which arrived in November 2025, follows the critical success of their 2022 debut ‘The Hard Working Men’ and the 2023 EP ‘Worse Things Than Dying’. The ten-track album features guest appearances from traditional music royalty, including Sharon Shannon on the tracks “Eileen Ní Riordain’s” and “The Kings Of Kerry.” Produced with a focus on capturing their live intensity, the record balances foot-stomping anthems with sharp social commentary and moments of raw intimacy, such as the duet “A Health to the Company.” Following a massive album launch tour that wound through iconic Irish venues like DeBarra’s and Bank Lane, the band continues to redefine the contemporary trad scene. This record stands as a factual testament to their evolution from a “silly name” to a premier force in Irish alternative-traditional music.
Australian producer, vocalist, and multi-hyphenate artist GG Magree has released her highly anticipated debut album ‘Spit Love’. Following the acclaim of singles like “Wet Dreams” and “Run,” the 12-track project serves as a raw, multi-sensory exploration of self-acceptance and the reclamation of power after years of toxic relationships and emotional abuse. Co-produced by Magree alongside her longtime musical collaborator Duncan Murray, the record seamlessly blends high-octane electronic production with punk-rock ferocity. The album arrives as a companion piece to a 12-minute short horror film of the same name, which Magree wrote, co-directed, and starred in. The film—a gruesome tale of a cannibalistic exotic dancer—mirrors the album’s themes of defiance and the refusal to be silenced by societal expectations.
‘Spit Love’ is a sonic documentation of Magree’s personal metamorphosis, trading hollow vulnerability for an aggressive, liberated sound she describes as “art that bleeds.” Tracks like the title track “Spit Love” and “Bleed” showcase her dynamic vocal range, shifting between delicate, haunting passages and forceful screams. The album also features a high-energy collaboration with Silly Goose on “2 Hot 2 Handle,” further cementing Magree’s place at the intersection of the EDM and rock scenes. Having previously toured with legends like Steve Aoki and Zeds Dead, Magree uses this debut to shatter shame around female rage and sexual freedom. The instrumentation relies on thick distortion and layered arrangements, creating an immersive listening experience that fulfills her mission to hold space for the marginalized and the “too loud.”
Daniel Bedrosian, the longest-tenured keyboardist in the history of Parliament-Funkadelic, has released his second book, Make My Funk the P-Funk: Parliament-Funkadelic’s Meteoric Rise in 1975 from Chocolate City to Mothership Connection. Published by Bloomsbury Academic, the monograph provides a deep dive into 1975—a pivotal year that saw the collective release three seminal albums: ‘Chocolate City’, ‘Let’s Take It to the Stage’, and the platinum-selling ‘Mothership Connection’. Bedrosian utilizes exclusive interviews with George Clinton and other key members to document the band’s transition from “underground darlings of the chitlin circuit” to global superstars. The book examines how Clinton’s Afrofuturism and the social climate of the mid-70s combined to crystallize the unique P-Funk sound that would later become a foundational pillar of hip-hop and modern popular music.
Beyond a mere discography, Bedrosian pulls back the curtain on the artistic processes and production styles that defined this epoch-making year. The narrative traces the group’s journey from the Washington D.C. tribute ‘Chocolate City’—which famously imagined Black people in the White House—to the cosmic movement of ‘Mothership Connection’, which launched them into space. The text also features contributions and accolades from industry heavyweights like Robert Glasper and Fred Wesley, who offer personal insights into the recording sessions and the group’s historical importance. As a historian and active member of the band’s “Third Generation,” Bedrosian provides a factual and immersive look at how 1975 served as the ultimate catalyst for the P-Funk paradigm shift.
New York-based singer-songwriter Lauren Minear has released her third studio album ‘Boxing Day’, a transformative 11-track collection that explores the raw aftermath of betrayal and the eventual path toward liberation. Born from a period of intense self-reflection after cutting ties with a creative agency that had been stealing from her, the record moves through layers of anger, shame, and acceptance. Produced by Dan Weeks and featuring early sessions shaped by guitarist Dan Barracuda, the album was recorded across a series of creative retreats in New York and London, including a week-long session near Woodstock. The resulting soundscapes are both intimate and cinematic, blending alternative, pop, rock, and folk to create Minear’s most expansive work since her 2024 effort ‘Chasing Daylight’.
At the heart of the album is the lead single “Bruise,” an acoustic-driven track that highlights the fragility of the human spirit. Minear utilizes a haunting falsetto during the chorus to underscore the vulnerability found in loving someone who causes profound pain. This emphasis on honesty is a hallmark of the record, which was distilled from nearly 100 songs into a cohesive narrative of survival. With a vocal delivery reminiscent of Natalie Merchant and lyricism that echoes the depth of Joni Mitchell, Minear establishes herself as a fearless voice in the contemporary indie scene. ‘Boxing Day’ is more than a confessional record; it is a factual document of an artist successfully reclaiming her power and finding light within the shadows of personal conflict.
Wichita-based collective 2ŁØT has released The Albert Harvey Mix, a four-track EP that reframes their signature “Electronic Jam Music” through the lens of acclaimed Dutch producer Albert Harvey. Reimagining standout tracks from their debut album Entropy, the project blurs the lines between soulful instrumentation and global dancefloor production. The closing track, “Arrow of Time,” exemplifies this transition, turning a meditation on cosmic impermanence into a propulsive, shared pulse. Harvey, known for his work with Avicii and David Guetta, was enlisted to dial in a club-ready sound that maintains the band’s identity as live instrumentalists. The result is a sophisticated balance of philosophical depth and rhythmic surrender.
The EP carries significant emotional weight, particularly with the inclusion of “Never Knew You,” originally penned by frontman Rudy Love Jr.’s late father, soul legend Rudy Love Sr. Rather than leaning into melancholy, Harvey’s remix transforms the track into a moody, club-ready cut that celebrates memory through movement. This release reinforces 2ŁØT’s mission as a band with a cause, using their platform to support addiction recovery and youth empowerment by encoding social commentary into a democratic, electronic space. Following recent collaborations with Aloe Blacc and Paul Oakenfold, this record marks a pivotal evolution in the band’s journey, proving that high-concept metaphysical ideas can be successfully translated into the universal language of rhythm.
