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Bop = Pure Fun x A Bit Of Drama As Kitchener/Waterloo’s JOSHUA SADE JAMES Aims to Get “Closer” in New Single

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Bop = Pure Fun x A Bit Of Drama As Kitchener/Waterloo’s JOSHUA SADE JAMES Aims to Get “Closer” in New Single

If the equation for a bop = pure fun x a bit of drama, Canadian artist Joshua Sade James and his new single “Closer” — available now — proves he’s a wizard with the formula.

“I feel like, if Twilight had a pop theme song for Bella’s mood swings between Jacob and Edward… This would be it,” the multi-talented artist explains. “I want people to start jamming out, then catch themselves saying, ‘oh, WAIT. I thought this was a happy song.’

“I wrote this song at the beginning of mine and my partner’s relationship and, over a year later, it rings more true than ever,” James shares of his personal and evolving inspiration behind the track. “Since COVID-19 restrictions shut down the borders, we haven’t seen each other in over nine months, so ‘(pushing) people out of my way to get a little bit closer’ doesn’t sound too far off.

“I bet it’s the same for anyone who’s separated right now.

“I hope that polarizing feeling reaches people, especially those who relate a little too well to this kind of situation, being separated from your loved one… I connect on another level with you right now, if you do. It has not been easy, but I can say: stay strong, stay sane, and stay home. You are worthy, you are loved, and you are perfectly you. We’ll get through this.”

One way Joshua Sade James is getting through is by pouring himself even further into his craft; with streams topping 375,000+ across platforms, he released his previous single and video, “All Fall Down,” in 2020, and has since been applying the finishing touches to his forthcoming EP, JSJ, (Joshua Sade James).

It was also from this itch to escape stagnation that he leapt at the opportunity to create a knockout video for “Closer,” this time with a small-but-mighty crew of creative powerhouses.

“I got lucky with this project,” he offers. “My friends had all been cooped up and quarantined in their homes for almost six months by that point, so I thought ‘okay, let’s do something. Let’s do a minimal music video.’

“First up, I asked my fellow Sheridan alum, choreographer and dancer Alexandra Gratton, to be a part of the project. I knew I’d be challenged — but just enough that I would have fun, and not look terrible while doing it. I remember saying, ‘whatever you choreograph, I gotta be able to do it in platform shoes on grass, so just don’t break me…’

“Once again, I got lucky; Alexandra just so happened to be dating Alex Gayoso — an incredibly talented videographer, cinematographer, and photographer extraordinaire who’s done a lot of work with Neon Dreams, and just did Carl Wolf’s fully animated video. Suddenly, not only was Alexandra wanting to choreograph, but now Alex became interested in the project as well!”

From there, the three masterminds executed on James’ concept underscoring juxtapositions between ‘light’ vs ‘dark,’ bright colours vs black and white, and love vs rage.

“In particular, I wanted to show our emotions that take over our thoughts when faced with conflict,” James explains. “Especially during this lockdown and being long-distance.

“When planning the video, I remember saying I wanted it to be like the ‘Gay Matrix,’” he continues. “I want it to seem like I’m battling my inner thoughts and temptations, jumping back and forth between this colourful, monogamous gay icon, and this gothic vampire slut.”

That these inventive visions for videos accompany James’ songwriting artistry is of little surprise; a Sheridan College alum for Musical Theatre Performance — and winning the Sheridan: Pop Award for Outstanding Performance — James also co-choreographed, co-directed and starred in the College’s PREP Production original, Revue Diva Dynasty.

Hailing from the tri-city Kitchener/Waterloo area — with country artist Jamie Warren for a dad — he’s been featured coast to coast, including Newfoundland to play ‘Pepper’ in Mamma Mia!, The Calgary Stampede’s Talent Search, Ontario’s Western Fair’s Rise2Fame, PEI’s Charlottetown Festival, and more.

In addition to his extensive performing and recording work, Joshua Sade James is an active advocate for mental health rights and proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Musician and Author GREG GODOVITZ Releases ‘Up Close And Uncomfortable’ Book

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Musician and Author GREG GODOVITZ Releases ‘Up Close And Uncomfortable’ Book

Legendary Canadian musician and author Greg Godovitz continues to be an open book with the release of his new book, Up Close And Uncomfortable — available now.

As a member of Fludd, Godovitz held eight Top 10 hits — including SOCAN Hall of Fame inductees with over 100,000+ airplays a-piece,“Cousin Mary,” “Brother and Me,” and “Turned 21.” As a member of Goddo, he released 11 albums while touring extensively; one such concert was front and centre for its 35th anniversary as a big-screen movie, The Return of the Pretty Bad Boys, in 2014. He’s been a member of The Backdoor Blues Band, The Pyggs, Sherman and Peabody, The Mushroom Castle, The Carpet Frogs, The Anger Brothers, and The Pretty Ones — “I started playing bass guitar in that band in 1964,” he says of the latter, “but I wasn’t very good — until I started practicing.”

He’s got a new group, The Greg Godovitz Coalition; he released a solo album, aMuseMe, in 2019 with Paul Dean (Loverboy) on production; he’s written well over 200 songs, but says “some of them stink,”; he had a weekly radio show, Rock Talk, where guests like Ray Manzarek (The Doors) would hang up on him because he was goofing on them; he’s met two Beatles, three Rolling Stones, two Kinks, and one Virgin Billionaire; he’s set his sights on preserving history, be it through resuscitating the notable iconic venue, the elMocambo, or creating the Toronto Sound Museum.

All this to say, in his 57+ years in the industry, Greg Godovitz has seen it all. And luckily for audiences, he’s thrilled to set his tall tally of tales free.

The first peek behind the curtain came in 2011 thanks to Godovitz’s autobiography, Travels With My Amp. An instant hit, the release went on to become a national best-seller with three printings.

While additional short stories appeared in the National Post and Toronto Sun, they did little to satiate his audience’s appetite for more.

“After the success of Travels With My Amp, people wrote in asking for more, so I started the process again,” he shares. “After one hundred pages of more insanity, I realized I was just repeating myself.

“This is why there’s no sequel to Travels; I decided on something different.”

While he notes Up Close And Uncomfortable is equally as funny, “it isn’t quite as disgusting as the first book…”

It’s stories “like sitting next to a shape-shifting Alien on a late-night flight,” he muses, adding that he was the recipient of an outer space implant in his brain as a result. “Like submitting one of my much-requested recipes that only got the reader drunk if they followed my instructions. Like how I could get in the Last Will of Aunt Toni when I found out she had an original Van Gogh stashed in Geneva…

“You know,” he continues, “normal, everyday stuff.

“Like meeting Ringo, or spending a night in jail for hiding a computer mouse, or starting my own radio show… Everyone who has read it says it’s very funny and, considering the current state of our world, that’s not a bad thing.”

Among his earliest collection of critics, producer, engineer and author Eddie Kramer confirms the sentiment, saying “after I read Greg’s second attempt at trying to beat Shakespeare at his own game, I realized his personal observations about the real world of rock n’ roll are bloody brilliant! I urge anyone out there who wants to ‘belly laugh’ at the absurdities of life on — and off — the road with one of Canada’s true originals (to) read this damn book, and be prepared for extra underwear and a box of tissues!”

“Look, if you’ve been in the business as long as Greg has, and you don’t have any stories to tell, you blew it,” author and publicist Richard Flohil says of Up Close And Comfortable. “But Greg has stories — funny, sad, hilarious, thought-provoking, and sometimes ridiculously stupid stories.”

New York-based songwriter and author Richard X Heyman considers that “it’s one thing to have experienced a colourful and creative life, but it’s another to have the skill to write down these varied stories with wit, insight, and hilarity” like Godovitz; Canadian author and humorist agrees, adding that the book has “everything — humour, facts, pathos, and a graphic depiction of the music scene as it was.

“Couldn’t put it down.”

Nor should one want to. Up Close And Uncomfortable is available now.

Toronto R&B Artist JORDANA OF EARTH Drops Sultry New Single, “Tell Me”

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Toronto R&B Artist JORDANA OF EARTH Drops Sultry New Single, “Tell Me”

At 85,000+ streams on Spotify alone, rising R&B singer Jordana of Earth has just added to her library, releasing her latest single: an extremely catchy and moody love song entitled “Tell Me” — available now.

Keeping true to her already-established sound, the 1990s-inspired track takes elements of the Electropop genre — reminiscent of Daft Punk, The Weeknd and late-era Janet Jackson — with the added surprise of an extremely emotional guitar solo to really up the ante.

“’Tell Me’ was written from the standpoint of someone (me) who is used to the hustle — with little time for romance — but is about getting caught up with someone who they just can’t take their mind off of,” said Jordana in regards to the creation of the four minute, 20 second-spanning tune.

“It’s about a shift in focus from the things that usually occupy someone’s thoughts, and finding that all they think about now, is this new romance,” she continued. “In a way that sort of takes them by surprise, and makes them wonder if this is a good or bad thing.”

Jordana later revealed that she soon plans to release a music video for the infectious and sultry ballad. According to the musician, the video will feature heavy red lighting and include shots of herself and a man driving around what she calls the “more-or-less abandoned, almost post-apocalyptic” streets of Toronto.

The rising star said: “The exchanges, or lack thereof, between [the man and I], suggest that I’m singing to someone else entirely; distracted by this other person and paying little attention to what’s going on around me.”

“I created this narrative and aesthetic to mirror the real place of where the song came from,” Jordana concluded. In two words alone, she described the “aesthetic” of the upcoming music video both “cinematic” and “raw.”

Though she’s been writing, recording and performing for years, Jordana didn’t actually begin releasing her music until 2020. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, she released a whopping seven singles — and that doesn’t even include “Tell Me.”

Along with her breakthrough, debut single “Leave the Light On” — which was produced by DVSN’s Jeff Crake — the aspiring R&B star released “Motions,” “I Got” and “Glitch” among several other tracks.

Your Best Choice For Converting PDF to Word Online: PDFBear’s Effective PDF to Word Tool

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Handling and managing your PDF files is more than a necessity these days. Essential processes like PDF to DOCX are needed to deal with a plethora of documents. Certain PDF documents like contracts, brochures, and other files would be easier to edit when converted into Word. In turn, you can rely on PDFBear for a streamlined approach to this process.

 

PDFBear is your best solution when it comes to PDF to DOCX conversion. It uses sophisticated technology that simplifies this online PDF to Word conversion. You’ll surely have the ability to convert any PDF file into Word with the help of PDFBear. Here’s how it provides its PDF to Word conversion:

Best Choice For PDF to Word Online

PDFBear is undoubtedly your best choice of platform to convert your PDF files into Word. This online PDF to Word converter uses sophisticated technology to help meet your PDF to Word needs. Its sophisticated technology comes from its partnership with Solid Documents. With Solid Documents’ technology, you can assure yourself that you’ll be getting an accurately converted DOCX file every time!

 

If you want an online platform that will provide a streamlined PDF to Word conversion, then PDFBear is your best choice. It’s no secret that the process PDFBear uses is one that you can go through without a single hitch or problem! All you’ll need is to import and upload the PDF file for conversion, and PDFBear should be the one to handle it and convert it into DOCX for you!

How To Convert PDF to Word With PDFBear

PDF to Word is one conversion process that shouldn’t worry you, especially when you rely on PDFBear with it. PDFBear will provide a streamlined online conversion process for all of its users. It’s incredibly streamlined that all you’ll be needing for this online conversion is four easy steps. Without a doubt, you’ll be able to convert PDF to Word easily in no time!

 

The process should instantly begin once you’ve selected the PDF that you want to turn into Word or DOCX. You can either upload through selecting the files or take an easier route by dragging and dropping them into the PDF converter. Once you’ve finished uploading the PDF that you want to convert, PDFBear will immediately extract the text from the PDF file.

 

Without a doubt, the third step of this online PDF conversion from PDFBear is the easiest. You simply won’t need to do anything as all you need is to wait and let PDFBear do all the work. Within a few minutes, it’ll be able to provide a new DOCX file from the PDF file that you’ve uploaded!

PDF to Word Free & In  A Few Clicks

PDFBear made sure that they can provide an online conversion that is incredibly easy. How easy is it? Well, converting PDF to Word online with PDFBear will only involve a few clicks! With a few clicks, you’ll be able to efficiently and effectively convert your PDF files into Word without any problems.

 

It doesn’t hurt that this streamlined and simplified online conversion is one that you can avail yourself of for free. PDFBear doesn’t charge its users just to convert a single PDF into Word. Therefore, you won’t have to deal with any complicated and tedious processes along with an outrageous price with PDFBear!

 

As long as you have and stay connected to the Internet, you’ll be able to avail yourself of this free online PDF to Word conversion. PDFBear is a no-brainer choice if you want to convert any PDF file into Word through an online platform. Converting PDF to Word truly does not get easier than this!

Quality Assured

As we said, PDFBear’s conversion tool for PDF to Word is brought to you by technology coming from Solid-Framework. Solid-Framework’s technology when it comes to converting PDF to Word is truly superior among other online tools! It doesn’t just make sure that you’ll be able to convert PDF to Word easily, as you’ll also be able to convert in incredibly high quality!

 

This high-quality conversion is available on any Windows, Mac, or Linux machine. In turn, you can use any device or computer that you have to avail yourself of a high-quality and streamlined PDF to Word conversion. PDFBear should offer and provide the same PDF to Word conversion regardless of the platform or system you’re using!

Takeaway

It’s refreshing that there are online platforms today that offer and provide a streamlined online PDF to Word conversion. PDFBear offers their online conversion that anyone can avail of immediately. It also does not hurt that PDFBear provides their PDF conversion in a streamlined manner at such a user-friendly price! For a high-quality PDF to Word transformation, expect PDFBear to get the job done!

Toronto’s PRESCILLA UNA Soars To A “Better Place Than Heaven” In Her New Double-Single

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Toronto’s PRESCILLA UNA Soars To A “Better Place Than Heaven” In Her New Double-Single

Prescilla Una soars off to a “Better Place Than Heaven” in this, the new double-single from her sophomore album, Enlighten.

“Better Place Than Heaven” is an extremely emotional acoustic track, which is sporadically backed by a bone-chilling piano melody and a haunting vocal performance found within the chorus.

“’Better Place Than Heaven’ came to me in a dream,” Una says, in regards to the songwriting process. “I picked up my guitar immediately to find the chords, notes and proper strumming techniques, to catch the song before I lost it.”

The majority of the tune’s somber music video sees the Toronto-based artist laying on a tufted violet couch as she strums and sings her troubles away. The remixed music video (that’s right, there are two music videos), on the other hand? Accompanied by producer Sandro Peres’s upbeat, dance remix of the powerful song, Una can be seen in a sparkling silver dress as she dances around the same colourful environment as before — except this time, with a wide grin on her face as she sings along.

In regards to the vividly theatrical music videos, Una revealed they were recorded at a friend’s recording studio in Vaughan, ON. She was inspired to create the short after a trip to Brazil and said while it took only a day to shoot, it involved months of planning.

Though “Better Place Than Heaven” was released as her latest single, Una’s second album, Enlighten, actually dropped last December — six months after her debut record, Music Therapy (2014). The long-awaited pop album includes some of the up-and-coming star’s more-recent singles, like “Someone,” “Up” and “Home,” among a few others. Enlighten was released as three individual albums: the first includes all 11 of the original songs; the second consists of 10 unique remixes; and the final features every song, however, just the instrumental tracks.

On why she stepped away from the spotlight for so long, Una revealed that the financial strains of being a mother, work and other roadblocks in her life set her back more than she had initially hoped.

“I started writing more songs after the release of ‘Music Therapy,’” says the musician, who added that Enlighten was completed during the COVID-19 pandemic, “in hard, political times.

“There were also some songs I didn’t complete and that just didn’t fit the first album.”

My Next Read: “Fretted And Moaning” by Andy Summers

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My Next Read: “Fretted And Moaning” by Andy Summers

Musician, composer, photographer, guitarist and… author. Andy Summers has written short stories ever since he became a member of The Police, and they are as smart, witty and unexpected as his music and photography. For the first time they will be available in two special hardback editions, one of which will be signed and include a limited art print of an Andy Summers photograph.

Andy’s 45 stories in Fretted & Moaning reveal a cast of characters drawn from the world of music, chief among them guitarists. Every tale has at its heart music or a guitar and a person whose ambition, hopes, dreams, loves, hates, failures and successes are revealed in uncanny, funny, and never expected ways.

You can get it here.

Everything You Need To Know About Copyrighting A Script

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So, you think you are the next Stephen Spielberg.  Well, if you are concerned about someone else stealing your new movie script, obtaining a Copyright from the US Copyright Office before sharing your script is an absolute must.

Of course, it is entirely understandable that after a lot of hard work, you are looking forward to sending that script of yours to agents and producers and dreaming of making the big bucks!. However, you need to make sure that your script is well protected from IP theft before sending it all over the internet.

Through copyright registration, a record of ownership is created and the author is on record with the US Government that the script does indeed belong to the author. When you copyright a script or a screenplay, you are fundamentally developing a paper trail of evidence and proof of original creation. Once a registered copyright of your work is created, you will not only have a record of the ownership of the script but also a slew of other essential rights related to the enforcement of your IP.

What Exactly Is a Copyright?

The principal purpose of a copyright is to protect an author’s “original work of authorship”, which includes songs, lyrics, books, scripts and screenplays. Unlike, a trademark, which protects a brand identity (name, logo, slogan), copyrights attach the minute the work is fixed in a “tangible form” rather than from the time the trademark is used in conjunction with a sales event.  However, ideas in the abstract cannot be protected by a copyright – only the particular written work is subject to copyright. Thus, a copyright can never protect a script writer’s concept or general idea for a TV show or a movie.

Again, the moment a script is written, it obtains a preliminary “Copyright”, even if the script is never actually submitted to the Copyright Office. Generally, the author of the script has the copyrights unless he wrote it as function of his job requirement or if he signed a Work-For-Hire agreement while writing for someone else. The Copyright not only provides with owner with the sole right to the work but also the exclusive right to re-create, copy, distribute, make derivative works, and publicly perform/ display the work.

Advantages Of Copyright Registration

Despite the script already being copyrighted the moment it is finished being recorded, registering with the United States Copyright Officers provides the author with several important advantages.

When you register your work with the Copyright Office, it will form a public record of the copyright ownership, including the script’s creation date (providing you developed the script first!).

Critically, in order to sue a person for copyright infringement in Federal Court, you are required to have a Registered Copyright, rather than the traditional Copyright that is accrued from the moment the work is fixed in a tangible form.

If you have registered your Copyright before the infringement has occurred, you will be able to sue for extra damages, including attorney, if you prevail in the suit. Of course, Registering your copyright will make things a lot easier in court when it comes to proving that you’re the copyright owner.

The Five Steps To Copyrighting Your Script

1. Register With The Copyright Office Electronic System

eCO is the online system that’s part of the copyright office that allows an individual to register their copyright electronically. While the Copyright Applicant also have the option to register via mail, it is a longer, more cumbersome process which will invariably cost more money. Electronic registrations are cheaper and processed much quicker. In order to start the electronic registration process, you’re required to create a username and password if you want to log into the eCO system. Next, it is time to start inputting the administrative info of the applicant and his representative (which if he has other IP, may be his Trademark Lawyer).

2. Complete Your Application

When you apply through the eCO system, you will be asked to log in and complete your application online. If you chose to apply by mail, you are required to download and fill ‘Form PA,’ which is for performing arts works.  Here, you will need to input your name, citizenship, address, name of work etc. The idea is to provide the Copyright Office with a complete profile of the applicant.

3. Pay Your Fee

The government filing fee for the copyright registration will varies according to the number of “works” submitted and whether or not the work/s are already published. You can roughly expect the cost to file the Copyright registration to be in the range of $35 to $55 (for electronic filings). Paper applications cost $85. You can pay for online registrations using a debit card/credit card. You can also pay via ACH transfer through Pay.gov. For mail registrations, you can pay via money order or by check.

4. Present A Copy Of The Work You Did

Next, you need to provide the Copyright Office with the actual work that you’d like to obtain a Copyright on.  Here, you may send a copy or copies of your work to the copyright office either digitally or by slow-mail. How you do this will depend on your script being unpublished or published and the extent to which your “work” is the sort of thing that can be easily transmittable through the internet.  The majority of individuals who are looking to copyright a script for a movie will have a script that’s unpublished and which can be submitted electronically.

If you are registering online, you can submit your unpublished script’s copy. You can visit the copyright office website to get more information regarding size limitations and file types that are acceptable (typicaly, expect to submit your script as a PDF or .doc file). If you’ve registered through mail or have a published script, then you are required to submit paper copies.

5. Wait For The Registration Process To Be Completed

Congratulations! You have made it to the end of the online-filing process and if you’ve done everything correctly, you may expect to receive a confirmation email confirming that your application has been received. However, mail applicants do not get any confirmation from the copyright office.

Hopefully, you will not run into any objections from the Copyright Office but in the event that they any questions regarding your application, you will be contacted with the issue. If not, then it is merely a matter of waiting a number of months for your copyright registration to fully mature and issue.

 

My Next Read: “Can’t Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop’s Blockbuster Year” by Michaelangelo Matos

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My Next Read: “Can’t Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop’s Blockbuster Year” by Michaelangelo Matos

Everybody knows the hits of 1984 – pop music’s greatest year. From “Thriller” to “Purple Rain,” “Hello” to “Against All Odds,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It” to “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” these iconic songs continue to dominate advertising, karaoke nights, and the soundtracks for film classics (Boogie Nights) and TV hits (Stranger Things). But the story of that thrilling, turbulent time, an era when Top 40 radio was both the leading edge of popular culture and a moral battleground, has never been told with the full detail it deserves – until now. Can’t Slow Down is the definitive portrait of the exploding world of mid-eighties pop and the time it defined, from Cold War anxiety to the home-computer revolution. Big acts like Michael Jackson (Thriller), Prince (Purple Rain), Madonna (Like a Virgin), Bruce Springsteen (Born in the U.S.A.), and George Michael (Wham!’s Make It Big) rubbed shoulders with the stars of the fermenting scenes of hip-hop, indie rock, and club music.

Rigorously researched, mapping the entire terrain of American pop, with crucial side trips to the UK and Jamaica, from the biz to the stars to the upstarts and beyond, Can’t Slow Down is a vivid journey to the very moment when pop was remaking itself, and the culture at large – one hit at a time.

Introducing Allied Music Centre, Home of historic Massey Hall

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Introducing Allied Music Centre, Home of historic Massey Hall

With enormous gratitude, Massey Hall today announces that Allied Properties (TSX:AP.UN), a Canadian provider of creative urban workspace, has made a landmark contribution to the Massey Hall Revitalization. This transformative support expands the project’s original scope and introduces Canada’s premiere multi-purpose performance facility, Allied Music Centre, home of historic Massey Hall.

“We’re truly grateful for the opportunity to partner with historic Massey Hall,” said Michael Emory, President & CEO of Allied. “This partnership will enable us to contribute meaningfully to our communities. It will also enable us to propel our vision over an extended period of time and to enrich the experience of the many creative organizations and people who use our urban workspace across the country.”

Massey Hall will always be called Massey Hall, but Allied’s significant investment to the Revitalization is the catalyst for the creation of Allied Music Centre. Featuring NEW state-of-the-art performance venues and dedicated spaces for Artist Development and Education & Outreach initiatives, all located in the 7-storey tower adjacent to the National Historic Site.

These previously unannounced additional spaces include:

The Theatre. An entirely new and intimate venue that will be a welcome addition to Toronto’s music ecosystem, serving as a launch pad for emerging artists and a home for community programming and engagement. With retractable seating akin to Massey Hall’s revitalized orchestra level, it easily transforms from traditional theatre for more intimate performances and presentations – seating 100, into a standing room club or education workshop setting.

The Studio. With the acoustic treatment and technical capability you would expect of a professional recording facility, The Studio has multi-function flexibility for educational programming and artistic development at the core of its design.

The Studio adapts to a range of these uses, whether as a “wired” classroom for education programs delivered in person or remotely, as space for emerging artists to create, or as a sequestered rehearsal space for acts performing at any of the venues.

Artists’ Lab. A suite of dedicated resources for creators providing all the modern tools needed to develop their craft. Featuring professionally appointed digital audio workstations, a unique instrument library, acoustically treated practice rooms, and more – a home for artists.

The Lounge. A gathering place for artists, industry, and fans alike, the Lounge will offer a casual gathering place for the music community by day and will be abuzz at night as concert-goers and creatives mingle and take in the awe-inspiring view of the city.

This extraordinary investment is a testament to Allied’s on-going commitment to creativity and connectivity and a bold extension of their Make Room for the Arts program, an initiative providing much-needed affordable spaces to the artistic community.

“In Allied, we have found a partner who shares our values, believes in our mission, and from day one wanted to know what they could do to make the Massey Hall Revitalization even more impactful to the community,” said Jesse Kumagai, President & CEO, The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall. “As a result, their insightful and meaningful investment is not only bringing Massey Hall a significant step closer to reopening, but also serving as the catalyst for expanded scope, adding a new performance venue and dedicated spaces for artist development and music education. We are immeasurably grateful for this remarkable contribution to Canada’s music scene!”

When complete, Allied Music Centre will play a profound role in our cultural ecosystem, creating inspiring new opportunities for artists and music fans at every step along their journeys. From emerging artists making their debut to the world’s most celebrated stars, young students discovering a passion for music to lifelong fans soaking in the energy of live performance, Allied Music Centre will be a home for all music and all people.

As previously announced, the Massey Hall Revitalization will restore and renew both the interior and exterior of this National Historic Site, unveil over 100 restored original stained glass windows, introduce new music venues, feature archives and exhibits located throughout and, offer a new retractable seating option on the orchestra level of the Allan Slaight Auditorium for energy charged performances.

Also previously announced, the new seven-story tower – in addition to today’s announcement will feature; a new 500-capacity club with incredible sightlines to the city, additional patron amenities that will include accessible seating options throughout and, state-of-the-art production facilities with turnkey content capture, wired to every stage and studio in Allied Music Centre.

For more information, visit www.alliedmusiccentre.com.

New Report Outlines Devastating Impact of COVID-19 on Canadian Independent Music Industry

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New Report Outlines Devastating Impact of COVID-19 on Canadian Independent Music Industry

A new report details just how much the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Canadian independent musicians. Among the most shocking revelations: the evaporation of the live music scene has led to a decline in revenue of CAD 280 million in just six months and that the industry will likely not recover to pre-COVID levels until at least 2023.

The report, entitled The Impact of COVID-19 on Canadian Independent Music, was conducted by Nordicity on behalf of the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) and shines a light on the various impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canadian independent music sector.

The key challenges include:

  • Drop in revenue: Since the start of the pandemic in March, independent music in Canada has seen a drop in revenue of CAD 280 million. The revenue loss has been most acute for emerging artists and their representatives:
  • The live sector has been the hardest hit, with a 79% drop in income from 2019;
  • Independent sound recording and publishing companies will see a 41% decline in revenue from 2019
  • Almost 2,000 FTE (full-time equivalent) jobs lost in six months
  • Long recovery: In a best-case scenario, industry revenue will not recover to pre-COVID levels until 2023-2024, and only with further emergency financial supports;
  • Lack of audience development: With new musicians unable to promote their work in concerts, the commercial viability of their projects will suffer. As such, the longer this impact continues, the longer the impact will be on the industry ability to generate revenue in the future;
  • Need for greater diversity: While not a new issue, the pandemic (and events that occurred during it) have highlighted the need for the industry to improve access to different voices. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many Black, Indigenous and People of Colour have not seen the same funding support as the rest of their peers – both as artists and as music industry entrepreneurs.
  • Policy and regulatory uncertainty: Between the variable funding levels at the Canada Music Fund, the potential reforms to the Copyright Act, and the recently introduced Broadcasting Act legislation (Bill C-10), there is uncertainty surrounding how Canadian independent music companies will be supported as they recover from the pandemic.

As part of the Nordicity report, CIMA includes several recommendations for additional supports that can back the independent music industry as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the recommendations:

  • Extending and enhancing the Canada Music Fund’s Annual and Supplemental Funding.
  • Increasing flexibility in how funding is disbursed;
  • Enhancing financial and technical support for audience development;
  • Providing wage support for workers in the Canadian music sector;
  • Creating tailored financing for underrepresented groups; and
  • Enhancing support for online training for new and emerging music professionals
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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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