An interview and performance from Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Jason Isbell.
National Music Centre launches special exhibition dedicated to k.d. lang on July 11
The National Music Centre is pleased to launch a new temporary exhibition honouring iconic Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang.
The exhibition, called Big, Big Love: k.d. lang on Stage, will be in the National Bank Private Banking 1859 Special Exhibitions Gallery on Level 5 of Studio Bell, and trace the versatile performer’s evolution as one of Canada’s most-loved artists.
“Working on this exhibition with NMC made me look back a bit on my life as a performance artist challenging norms, and how my evolving style became just as important as the performance itself,” said k.d. lang. “I hope the public enjoys the exhibition as much as I’ve enjoyed performing in those pieces and playing those instruments over my career. I can’t think of a place more suited than Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, to preserve those memories and share them with my fans.”
Through a range of visual displays, visitors will experience lang’s eclectic repertoire, from cow punk to Nashville country classics to Broadway standards and cabaret-influenced tunes—and the thrift store finds and unique designer pieces to match, among them clothing designed for her hit songs, “Miss Chatelaine” and “Constant Craving.”
“NMC worked closely with lang to develop the exhibition and showcase over 20 artifacts, including an array of textiles that capture shifts in her sense of style and individuality as a performer,” said Adam Fox, NMC’s director of programs. “We are thrilled to celebrate the career and creativity of a true Alberta original.”
The exhibition also includes instruments owned and used by lang, and touches on her breakthrough album Ingénue (1992)— which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2017 with an extensive Canadian tour—along with back stories about her performance at the Calgary Olympics (1988), and insights shared by lang herself during a recent NMC exclusive interview about the impact of place and home on her career.
Big, Big Love: k.d. lang on Stage is accessible with paid admission to Studio Bell, and will run from July 11, 2017 to June 1, 2018. Studio Bell will be open seven days a week for the month of July 2017 and is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Regular admission to Studio Bell is $18 for adults, $14 for students/seniors, $11 for children (3-12 years of age), and free for children under 3 years of age.
Van Morrison announces his 37th studio album “Roll With The Punches” and 2017 Tour
Van Morrison has announced the release of his 37th studio album entitled Roll With The Punches.
Working with Chris Farlowe, Georgie Fame and Jeff Beck, Van the Man is mixing new tunes with classics from the likes of Mose Allison, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Bo Diddley and Lightnin’ Hopkins.
“From a very early age, I connected with the blues,” Van reflects. “The thing about the blues is you don’t dissect it – you just do it. I’ve never over-analysed what I do; I just do it. Music has to be about just doing it and that’s the way the blues works – it’s an attitude. I was lucky to have met people who were the real thing – people like John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Witherspoon, Bo Diddley, Little Walter & Mose Allison. I got to hang out with them and absorb what they did. They were people with no ego whatsoever and they helped me learn a lot.
“The songs on Roll With The Punches – whether I’ve written them or not – they’re performance oriented,” he continues. “Each song is like a story and I’m performing that story. That’s been forgotten over years because people over-analyse things. I was a performer before I started writing songs and I’ve always felt like that’s what I do.”
Roll With The Punches Track Listing:
‘Roll With the Punches’ (Van Morrison & Don Black)
‘Transformation’ (Van Morrison)
‘I Can Tell’ (Bo Diddley & Samuel Bernard Smith)
‘Stormy Monday/Lonely Avenue’ (T-Bone Walker/Doc Pomus)
‘Goin’ To Chicago’ (Count Basie & Jimmy Rushing)
‘Fame’ (Van Morrison)
‘Too Much Trouble’ (Van Morrison)
‘Bring It On Home To Me’ (Sam Cooke)
‘Ordinary People’ (Van Morrison)
How Far From God (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
‘Teardrops From My Eyes’ (Rudy Toombs)
‘Automobile Blues’ (Lightnin’ Hopkins)
‘Benediction’ (Mose Allison)
‘Mean Old World’ (Little Walter)
‘Ride On Josephine’ (Bo Diddley)
Van Morrison 2017 Tour Dates:
09/10 – Hershey, PA @ Outlaw Music Festival
09/14 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater
10/13 – Rancho Mirage, CA @ The Show At Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa
10/14 – Rancho Mirage, CA @ The Show At Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa
10/20 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
10/21 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
11/06 – Edinburgh, UK @ Edinburgh Playhouse
11/07 – Glasgow, UK @ Glasgow Royal Court
11/12 – London, UK @ London Eventim Apollo
11/13 – Birmingham, UK @ Birmingham Symphony Hall
11/15 – Liverpool, UK @ Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
11/20 – Cardiff, UK @ Cardiff St. David’s Hall
11/21 – Bristol, UK @ Bristol Colston Hall
11/24 – Torquay, UK @ Torquay Princess Theatre
11/25 – Plymouth, UK @ Plymouth Pavilions
12/04 – Belfast, UK @ Belfast Europa Hotel
12/05 – Belfast, UK @ Belfast Europa Hotel
Photo Gallery: Gorillaz at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre
All photos taken by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her a minismemories@hotmail.com
Prince’s Paisley Park Announces Battle of the Bands Event
Prince’s Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota has announced dates for a special four-day Battle of the Bands event, titled MUSICOLOGY – Summer 2017, to be held August 31st through September 3rd at Paisley Park. This unique live performance event will highlight “Real Music by Real Musicians” – an ethos Prince consistently championed through his life, creative works and incendiary live performances. Nine finalists will be selected from an open pool of video submissions and invited to Paisley Park to perform for a live audience in the legendary Soundstage, the site of countless iconic Prince performances, including the Sign O’ The Times and Rave Un2 the Year 2000 concert films. Music groups interested in participating are invited to enter a video submission today via Paisley Park’s Facebook page; please visit facebook.com/officialpaisleypark for full details and submission criteria. The deadline for submissions is July 30, 2017.
Three artists will perform and one winner will be selected each night between August 31 – September 2, with three overall winners advancing to the final band battle on Sunday, September 3. Between these three finalists, one artist will be crowned the champion and will receive a unique Artist Development award package, consisting of studio recording time at Paisley Park, a mentorship session with members of Prince’s supergroup New Power Generation, and additional career development opportunities soon to be announced.
As a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer, band-leader and creative maverick, Prince is an eternal inspiration to musicians everywhere. His creative sanctuary, Paisley Park, is an especially appropriate place to continue fostering music development initiatives – celebrating new artists, new songs and the art and craft of live performance. The MUSICOLOGY event will provide an exclusive opportunity for musicians to connect with new fans, showcase their talents and – through friendly competition – elevate their abilities.
In spirit, the MUSICOLOGY event will be rooted in the band battles that were commonplace in North Minneapolis in the 1970s. Jam sessions among high school friends in basements and community centers, most notably The Way on Plymouth Avenue in North Minneapolis, evolved into competitive band battles at outdoor parks like North Commons (North Minneapolis) and Phelps Field Park (South Minneapolis). The history is deep, and the competitive spirit at that time helped push forward an incredible mix of musicians, including Prince, André Cymone, Sonny Thompson, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Jellybean Johnson, to name just a few. It was a hugely formative time musically and culturally in Minneapolis, with band battles indelibly shaping the fabric of what was to become the “Minneapolis Sound.”
Sonny Thompson, who would later join Prince in his super-group New Power Generation, notes of that time, “Back in the day, we would often practice at The Way preparing for the Battle of the Band events. I remember other bands would always try to sneak into our space to see what we were doing, but we were always the funkiest! The Family was the name of our band.” Similarly, Jellybean Johnson, who played in Flyte Tyme which later evolved into The Time, adds, “When I grew up in the North Side the competition was fierce! It helped my musical growth immensely! The Family, Grand Central, Flyte Tyme, Cohesion, Mind & Matter, it was a great time in my life! We need that feeling again in our musical community!” And as an inspired call-to-action to musicians and artists everywhere, Prince’s close friend and early band mate in Grand Central, André Cymone, adds, “Music has taken me and my best friend and first bandmate Prince from virtual obscurity to world-wide fame, and it all started with the inspiration of competition. The Minneapolis Sound was born from the Battle of the Bands contests – we took the step and jumped into the game, who’s next?”
The MUSICOLOGY event at Paisley Park will carry on in this spirit – providing an exciting opportunity for new acts and a welcomed live performance experience for fans. In addition to the evening music performances, beginning on August 31st new exhibition elements will be introduced into the Paisley Park Museum tour that will reflect Prince’s early life and the formative experiences he had in his first band, Grand Central, which included members André Cymone, Chazz Smith, Morris Day, Terry Jackson, Linda Anderson and William “Hollywood” Doughty.
Tickets to MUSICOLOGY – Summer 2017 are now available while supply lasts at the Paisley Park website, OfficialPaisleyPark.com. Single day passes are available for $100. Each daily ticket will include a Special Paisley Park Museum Tour and access to the evening concert between 7-10pm, followed by a dance party in the Soundstage concluding at 11pm. For the latest updates, please visit Paisley Park’s official pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and sign-up for the official newsletter at OfficialPaisleyPark.com.
Musical Instrument Lending Library program expands to Kitchener Public Library
Residents of the Kitchener-Waterloo region will now be able to borrow musical instruments free of charge courtesy of the Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program – the first of its kind in the area. This highly successful program gives anyone with a valid Kitchener Public Library card the opportunity to borrow a variety of musical instruments.
“Home to Sun Life’s Canadian head office, the Kitchener-Waterloo community is near and dear to our hearts and we are thrilled to provide more Canadians with access to music through this innovative program, one that aligns with our mission of building healthy and sustainable communities for life,” said Paul Joliat, Assistant Vice-President, Philanthropy and Sponsorships, Sun Life Financial. “Music is very powerful and affects the way we think, feel and act, which is why the joy of making music is something every Canadian deserves to experience.”
Sun Life will be donating 150 instruments and accessories to the library, including, guitars, ukuleles, violins, drums and portable keyboards and has created a series of seven short videos to assist individuals with the use, care and enjoyment of the instruments. Whether you’re a beginner picking up an instrument for the first time or a seasoned musician, the program is designed for anyone looking to explore the world of music. Sun Life will also be making a philanthropic donation to the Kitchener Public Library to help fund the program operating costs.
The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program is a natural extension of Sun Life’s support of music education, one that aligns perfectly with the company’s award-winning Making the Arts More Accessible™ program. Sun Life believes arts and culture should be celebrated within our communities and made available to everyone, regardless of their means.
“Like reading literacy, music literacy can have a profound and lasting effect on our well-being and success in life,” said Mary Chevreau, CEO, Kitchener Public Library. “We pride ourselves on providing both welcoming spaces and state-of-the-art tools to help people of all backgrounds bring their vision, and their voice, to life. That’s why we’re excited to be partnering with Sun Life Financial to develop a Musical Instrument Lending Library. Music bridges all social, cultural, and economic boundaries and is an ideal way to express ideas and bring people closer together. We are grateful for Sun Life Financial’s investment in the Library and to arts and culture in our community; by working together, we can make great things happen.”
The Library will also be holding a Musical Instrument Donation Drive running from July 10 to August 10. Residents of the Kitchener-Waterloo region may drop off their donations at the following locations:
- Kitchener Public Library, 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener
- Long and McQuade, 36 King Street North, Waterloo
Please visit www.kpl.org/instruments for more information.
The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program was first launched at the Toronto Public Library in April 2016, and was later expanded to the Vancouver, Montréal and Calgary Public Libraries. The program is already an overwhelming success in the first four cities, and all libraries are currently experiencing wait times to borrow an instrument.
Jay-Z Announces 4:44 North American Tour
If you’re one of the million or so people who downloaded JAY-Z’s 4:44, you’ll be happy to know he has announced a new tour. The tour kicks off October 27 in Anaheim, CA, and includes dates in Colorado, Texas, New York, Washington D.C., Toronto, and more. The North American run will follow previously announced festival appearances at Made in America, the Meadows, and Austin City Limits. Check out the full itinerary here and below.
Jay Z North American Tour:
10-27 Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
10-28 Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
11-01 Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center at Fresno State
11-03 Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena
11-05 Denver, CO – Pepsi Center Arena
11-07 Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
11-08 Houston, TX – Toyota Center
11-09 New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
11-11 Orlando, FL – Amway Center
11-12 Miami, FL – American Airlines Arena
11-14 Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
11-15 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
11-16 Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
11-18 Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
11-19 Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena
11-21 Montreal, Quebec – Bell Centre
11-22 Toronto, Ontario – Air Canada Centre
11-25 Boston, MA – TD Garden
11-26 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
11-29 Washington, DC – Verizon Center
12-02 Uniondale, NY – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12-05 Chicago, IL – United Center
12-06 Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
12-09 Edmonton, Alberta – Rogers Place
12-11 Vancouver, British Columbia – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
12-13 Seattle, WA – KeyArena
12-14 Portland, OR – Moda Center
12-16 Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena
12-17 Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
12-19 San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
12-21 Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
The State of Influencer Marketing in Canada
eMarrketer analyst Paul Briggs joins “Behind the Numbers” to describe the state of influencer marketing in Canada. How are marketers allocating budgets for influencer campaigns, and how are they measuring their success?