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The Celtic Tenors Announce 2025 Canadian Holiday Tour Blending Celtic Charm and Christmas Classics

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Join the Celtic Tenors for an unforgettable performance of vocal brilliance and festive cheer. Their enchanting blend of Celtic charm, timeless favourites, and modern hits is paired with a heartwarming selection of Christmas classics. This special holiday concert promises a mesmerizing celebration of Celtic culture and the joyous spirit of Christmas, leaving audiences uplifted and inspired.

The Celtic Tenors will give you a night to remember. Whether performing in neighbourhood cathedrals or world-renowned concert halls from New York to Amsterdam to Shanghai, every performance sparkles with professionalism, warmth, and good humour.

With more than a million CDs sold worldwide, they’ve built a reputation for excellence and authenticity while never losing the fun that makes them beloved by fans everywhere. Their concerts feel less like formal recitals and more like high-wire acts of charm—equal parts vocal muscle, backstage banter, and the kind of intimacy that usually belongs in a living room singalong.

Their Canadian tour begins November 27 at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey, BC, and end December 17 at Orillia Opera House.

Each performance blends the best of Celtic tradition with exhilarating classics, powerful a cappella moments, and popular contemporary songs. The Celtic Tenors’ charm and charisma ensure that audiences leave with hearts soaring and spirits renewed. Think of it as a jukebox of cultures, where centuries-old ballads sit comfortably next to sly reinventions of pop standards, all carried on a wave of harmonies that can swell to cinematic grandeur or collapse into a wink and a grin.

Founding member Matthew Gilsenan, from Kells, County Meath, Ireland, has long been admired for his powerful, emotive voice and captivating stage presence. His ability to connect with audiences makes every performance deeply personal. “For me, every concert is about making a connection—sharing a song and a story, and leaving the world a little brighter,” says Matthew.

Daryl Simpson BEM, from Omagh, Northern Ireland, adds both artistry and versatility. A trained operatic tenor, Daryl has performed with leading orchestras and remains dedicated to community through his work with the Omagh Community Youth Choir. Awarded the British Empire Medal for peace and community relations, he brings heart as well as voice to the trio. “Music has the power to heal, unite, and inspire—on stage and far beyond,” says Daryl.

George Hutton, from Derry, Northern Ireland, is the newest member of the group, bringing fresh energy and a rich musical background that includes touring with Anúna, performing with Hozier, and collaborating with Phil Coulter. With his humour, humility, and genuine love for singing, George adds new dimension to the Celtic Tenors’ already unforgettable sound. “If there’s one thing I can’t do without on tour, it’s a good cup of tea!” he shares with a smile.

Together, Matthew, Daryl, and George deliver more than a performance—they create an evening to savour. The Celtic Tenors embody a rare balance of skill and personality, offering three unique solo voices that, when called upon, blend into one soaring Tenor Sound. What makes them different isn’t just the technical brilliance—it’s the sense that they’re letting you in on the joke, the story, the heartache, and the triumph all at once.

With their polished international reputation, The Celtic Tenors remain rooted in joy and authenticity. Their performances highlight why they continue to be one of Ireland’s most successful crossover acts: world-class artistry paired with a down-to-earth love for sharing music.

Celebrate the season with The Celtic Tenors as they bring their acclaimed sound to Canada this holiday. From Celtic ballads and festive favourites to contemporary hits, their 2025 tour promises nights of music, laughter, and unforgettable memories.

Tour Dates – Tickets Available On The Celtic Tenors’ Website:

November 27, 2025 – Bell Performing Arts Centre, Surrey, BC
November 29, 2025 – Port Theatre, Nanaimo, BC
December 1, 2025 – Mary Winspear Centre, Sidney, BC
December 2, 2025 – BC Community Theatre, Kelowna, BC
December 4, 2025 – Knox United Church, Calgary, AB
December 5, 2025 – Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
December 7, 2025 – Théâtre Beanfield, Montreal, QC
December 9, 2025 – Shenkman Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON
December 10, 2025 – Empire Theatre, Belleville, ON
December 11, 2025 – Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts, Brantford, ON
December 12, 2025 – Meaford Hall Arts and Cultural Centre, Meaford, ON
December 14, 2025 – JAG Soundhouse, St. John’s, NF
December 16, 2025 – Regent Theatre UOIT, Oshawa, ON
December 17, 2025 – Orillia Opera House, Orillia, ON

BettySoo Returns with New Single “What Do You Want From Me Now?” from Album ‘If You Never Go Away’

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“There was no big epiphany, and honestly, the recording just flowed easily from years of playing it live,” explains beloved Austin-based singer/songwriter BettySoo about her new single “What Do You Want From Me Now?,” a gorgeous anthem that carries a bounty of angst and an even larger haul of melody, bringing a lush groove, layered harmonies, and the unmistakable warmth of her band’s chemistry. Originally written by acclaimed songwriter Ralston Bowles, it is a crowd favorite that she has played live for years and is out now. It is the first track to be released from her album, If You Never Go Away, out now.

“‘What Do You Want From Me Now?’ kicks off with a swagger, but underneath that rhythm is someone asking, ‘Will you accept me for who I am?’ That tension- of confidence and insecurity- felt like the right way in,” she says, adding that she got a thumbs up from Bowles himself. “I just loved it and thought it would be fun to play at shows with my band. Part of my joy in playing covers is spreading word about music written by people I like, especially if the writers don’t tour much. And part of it is just playing a song that feels good.”

Marking a much-anticipated return to the studio, “What Do You Want From Me Now?” is a taster for more music to come from the revered artist (her last studio offering, When We’re Gone was released in 2014). A buzzworthy standout in the Americana and Folk worlds (MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow is among her many fans), BettySoo has garnered fawning praise from the likes of Austin Chronicle, Austin American Statesman, Cowboys & Indians, and No Depression. Affectionately coined as “The Queen of the Bummer Jams,” her ability to marry melancholia with hyper-immediate melodies is a well-documented gift. Austin’s KUTX calls her music, “beautiful, heart-wrenching songwriting that is also edgy and unwavering,” while Acoustic Guitar praises, “BettySoo may well have the most gorgeous voice in Texas …if not in all contemporary folk – its purity and strength can be downright devastating.”

Occupying the space in between studio albums with live shows (she is a frequent touring companion for icons James McMurtry and Chris Smither), BettySoo’s in-between-song screeds are stuff of legend. Balancing her “bummer jams” with hilarious and often self-deprecating humor, her live performances and songs often trace the arc from love to heartbreak – yet she remains one of the most magnetic and entertaining performers onstage. “I’ve always been drawn to broken and sad things because they make me feel less alone in my own brokenness,” she laughs, “But I’m not intentionally balancing sadness with humor – it’s just part of being human.”

With more music to come this Summer, BettySoo is ready to step back into the spotlight, but with no expectations. “A lot of people told me that the danger of releasing an album after a long gap is that no one remembers who you are,” she admits. Her upbringing found her living in a traditional Asian-American multigenerational home (“We often had as many as twelve people living under one roof at a time!”), so attention-grabbing wasn’t an inborn trait. “As the third of four daughters – the lesser of the middle children, I didn’t grow up expecting anyone to remember who I was or even to take notice of me. I was neither born nor raised with a rockstar mindset,” she says, self-effacingly. With all the powerful moments encoded in her upcoming album If You Never Go Away, BettySoo is in for a rude awakening.

Patty Griffin Shares “Born In A Cage” from ‘Crown Of Roses’ Album

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Patty Griffin has shared “Born In A Cage,” the second song from her new full-length opus, Crown Of Roses. The album is Griffin’s 11th studio collection and first in over six years. Crown Of Roses out now, via her own PGM Recordings label via Thirty Tigers.

“Born In A Cage” is an atmospheric, western-tinged ballad that contemplates a vanishing world with a beguiling sigh, blending warm fiddle and the warbling of the santur. The song captures what Griffin’s mother was experiencing as her time wound down and the natural beauty outside her window changed.

“At the end, my mom was noticing that the songbirds weren’t showing back up in the spring, and rabbits and all kinds of animals were disappearing,” says Griffin. “Even the coyotes moved into Maine because they lost their habitat. There were all these changes to the delicate balance, and it must’ve been really hard to see.”

Crown Of Roses was heralded earlier in the month with the release of its first song, “Back At The Start.” With its purposeful position as song one on side one, “Back At The Start” sets the rich tone for the album, embodying a rhythmic and soulful shadowy shuffle written during the pandemic, junked, and then reclaimed. The murky yet pulsating track sees Griffin probing the idea of letting go of the stories we tell ourselves.

Crown Of Roses sees Patty Griffin once again forming a poetic tapestry woven from the threads of love, loss, grief, disillusionment, resilience, and hope, shifting fluidly between intimate confessions, philosophical musings, and symbolic storytelling – all grounded in intensely human feelings and emotion. Burrowing into the stories she had long been telling herself, the award-winning songwriter ruminates on a vast array of themes and deeply personal topics, spanning the trajectory of women in the 20th and 21st centuries and communion with nature to the sound of her voice after cancer treatment made its mark to the relationship with her late mother, whose wedding day photo graces the album’s cover, set into artwork by Mishka Westell that captures many of her greatest loves, including the Maine woods of her – and Patty’s – childhood.

Produced by longtime collaborator Craig Ross and featuring musical contributions from her trusted band members David Pulkingham (guitar) and Michael Longoria (drums), the album drifts from spare folk to gauzy Americana to sly gospel blues over the course of eight moody new songs that evoke the scrubby west of Griffin’s adopted Texas and the calming verdancy of her home state of Maine. From the atmospheric “Born In A Cage” and the spectral “Long Time” (which includes a backing vocal cameo from Robert Plant) to the sparse, emotional authenticity of “Way Up To The Sky,” Crown of Roses is among Patty Griffin’s most profound works to date, continuing her exceptional talent for translating thorny concepts and finely wrought character studies into songs that speak as much to her own experience as they do to the lives of those who have loved her music now for more than three decades.

“If I try to hit things on the nose, they don’t feel authentic to me,” Griffin says. “If I can emotionally dance around things, it feels like I can be more honest singing it.”

Griffin will celebrate Crown of Roses by joining forces with legendary 2x GRAMMY Award-winner Rickie Lee Jones for a very special tour. Dates begin October 10 at Philadelphia, MS’s Ellis Theater and then continue through a November 1 finale at Dallas, TX’s historic Longhorn Ballroom.

Charles Kelley Releases New Solo Album Songs for a New Moon, Blending Yacht Rock, Country, and 80s Pop Flair

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Embracing the next chapter of renewed possibility and fresh perspective, both musically and personally, multi-Platinum singer-songwriter and Grammy-winning artist Charles Kelley celebrates “stepping into a bold new creative chapter” (Entertainment Focus) today with the release of his second solo album SONGS FOR A NEW MOON.

Produced mainly by Sam Ellis and Lindsay Rimes and with Kelley co-penning all the original songs, the new collection “blends genres from yacht rock to country throughout its 16-song track list” (Good Morning America), fully embracing a freeing sense of sonic abandon, bursting with unbridled optimism and irresistible 80’s pop flair.

It’s throbbing synth-and-smoke banger lead single “Can’t Lose You” is quickly climbing the Adult Contemporary radio charts, already pushing into the Top 10, and fans can catch a performance of it today on The Kelly Clarkson Show (check local listings).

With richly textured digital grooves feature roaring saxophones, saccharine guitars and Kelley’s sky-high vocal stacks, SONGS FOR A NEW MOON pushes one of “music’s most reliable and versatile singers” (American Songwriter) to new levels. Like two sides of the moon, “Take Back Goodbye” infuses the urbane edge of new-wave pop with an effortless, laid-back vibe, while “Can’t Be Alone Tonight” explores the epic R&B feel pioneered by Boyz II Men, stirring haunting romantic memories with grand piano and digital beats. Elsewhere, the unabashed anthem “Run,” captures the rush of a couple making their escape from the world, as “Driving And Listening To Music,” a nostalgic, windows-down jam, reminisces on an escape into the sunset. The one-last-time anthem “Kiss This Thing Goodbye” sees Kelley and producer Nathan Chapman go for a sexy, ravenous romp, and the propulsive “Angel Eyes” gets lost in hypnotic desire – with ’80s icon (and Lady A producer) Dann Huff laying down the guitar solo – while the velveteen plush of “Lost and the Lonely” offers a vibey retreat from heartbreak. Inclusive of covers of The Killers’ “Here With Me” and reimagination of Cyndi Lauper’s immortal “Time After Time,” the collection ends on the sentimental piano ballad “Look What We Did.”

Torpedo Share Video for “SOME WOLVES” From Album ‘What the F*ed Do We All Do Now?

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Lausanne, Switzerland trio Torpedo share the official video for “SOME WOLVES” from their sophomore album, What the f***ed do we all do now?

The album release coincided with the band’s return to the US for West Coast dates throughout July. Torpedo is a noise rock, post-proto punk, industrial, and psychedelic trio which give itself over to creating a contrasting and unleashed music, seeking the perfect mixture that will metamorphose the leaden world into light and sulfurous gold. A slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the walls and a skid on gravel, riding a shredded bike at full speed. Can you feel your knees?

The story began in 2016 with a psychedelic and alternative post-punk duo. Carro Loubère (the howling lyre scratchers) and Jay Liseron (the bass screed and diabolic rhythmics worker and scraper) have fun weaving songs like webs around the stars and planets twinkling above the undulating sea. A beautiful trip with drum machines.

The first Hammer arrived in 2017, followed by a recording session on the European fringes of stormy Ireland, buffeted by winds and washed by ocean waves, one February of 2018. The first LP, Sphynx, was released in 2019. A post-punk and grunge album floating on harsh vocals and raw guitars, around which the bass dances, accompanied by tireless and heady drums. It was at this time, just before the album’s release, that the second kicker arrived: Drew Hammer! This was followed by the recording of a new album entitled Orpheo_ Nebula in 2020. The tracks were recorded live in their rehearsal space (not much choice at that time…), the band then worked extensively in the studio to create a form of devastated opera made of layers, collages, and experiments around six poems with sprawling references spanning the ages.

Released in 2022, Orpheo_ Nebula received a warm reception from the media, and the band completed two tours on the American West Coast. In addition, two singles were released in the meantime, HOPE | DREAM in 2023 and La Mer Ondulee in 2024 – a 4-minutes excerpt from a much longer, yet unreleased jam.

Soon, the band is about to release a gut wrenching third album: What the F***ed Do We All Do Now? | – Lights, projecting us beyond the show, into the rawness of real life, that of you and me in our kitchens, weeping over a human world that has become unbearable for all the Living. Toward the essential questioning we all have under our nose.

The Damn Truth Announce UK Tour with Parker Barrow, Share Defiant New Single “Addicted”

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Critically acclaimed Montreal four-piece rock band the Damn Truth are pleased to announce that Nashville-based Southern blues rockers Parker Barrow will be special guests on their forthcoming November UK tour. Tickets are available from TheGigcartel.com.

To coincide with the tour news, today the Damn Truth release their new single “Addicted” taken from their current self-titled album. “‘Addicted’ was born from that raw, painful place of not fitting in,” says the Damn Truth’s lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Lee-La Baum.

“It speaks to the dark spiral we sometimes fall into just to feel accepted-chasing trends, numbing who we are, losing ourselves piece by piece. But at its core, this song is a rebellion. A loud, unapologetic cry of freedom. A middle finger to conformity. ‘Addicted’ is about reclaiming your identity and owning it with zero shame. This is who I am. Take it or leave it.”

In 2021, the Damn Truth released their critically acclaimed breakout album Now or Nowhere. Produced by legendary Grammy Award winning Bob Rock (Motley Crue, Metallica, The Offspring, Bon Jovi). On March 14, 2025, the band released their new self-titled album, “The Damn Truth” (also produced by Bob Rock) which features the new single “Addicted.”

Hail The Sun Release “The Drooling Class” Music Video, Announce Massive Tour with Between The Buried and Me

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Hail The Sun have released a music video for their brand new single “The Drooling Class” . Produced/engineered by Pete Adams and GRAMMY Award winner Johnny Kosich of Beach Noise (Kendrick Lamar) and mixed/mastered by Zakk Cervini (Blink-182, Bring Me The Horizon, Coheed and Cambria), “The Drooling Class” ushers in a brand new era for the celebrated rock quintet and is accompanied by a music video that was directed by James Coffman and shot recently at the White Oak Music Hall in Houston, TX.

Hail The Sun frontman Donovan Melero had the following to share about “The Drooling Class”: “This song is the representation of our unwavering and undeterred drive – all from a place of love. I’m not coming from a place of unjustified confidence or arrogance. I just know there is no way that you want it the same. And that’s how it will always be.”

Additionally, Hail The Sun will be making North American appearances on its co-headline tour with Between The Buried and Me throughout September and October. Kicking off on Sunday, September 14 at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, PA, the tour will feature support from Delta Sleep and The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die in select markets through Thursday, October 30. A full listing of dates can be found below, and general on sale begins this Friday, June 27 at 10 a.m. local time.

Hail The Sun will be making the following appearances in 2025. Dates below with more to be announced soon.

JULY
08 – Manchester, UK – Rebellion ^
09 – London, UK – Oslo Hackney ^
10 – Plymouth, UK – The Junction ^
11 – Cheltenham, UK – 2000trees Festival
12 – Sheffield, UK – Corporation ^
13 – Glasgow, UK – The Garage ^

SEPTEMBER
14 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer *
15 – Boston, MA – Royale *
16 – Ottawa, ON – The Bronson *
18 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall *
19 – Montreal, QC – Beanfield Theatre *
20 – Portland, ME – Aura *
21 – Albany, NY – Empire Live *
22 – Brooklyn, NY – Warsaw *
23 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom *
25 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz *
26 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm *
27 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade *
29 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room *
30 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues *

OCTOBER
01 – New Orleans, LA – Joy Theater *
02 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live *
04 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater *
05 – San Antonio, TX – Kill Iconic Fest
07 – Phoenix, AZ – Nile Theater *
08 – Riverside, CA – Municipal Auditorium *
09 – Las Vegas, NV – 24 Oxford
10 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall *
12 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall *
13 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile *
14 – Vancouver, BC – The Pearl *
16 – Edmonton, AB – Union Hall *
17 – Calgary, AB – Macewan Hall *
19 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory *
20 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory *
21 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm *
22 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma *
24 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall *
25 – Wichita, KS – TempleLive *
26 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s *
27 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre *
28 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall *
29 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl *
30 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore *

^ – headline show
* – co-headline with Between The Buried and Me

GG Magree Unleashes Ferocious New Single “Bleed” Blending Industrial Rock and EDM

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Australian DJ/producer/vocalist GG Magree today dropped “Bleed,” an industrial rock banger with thumping bass and Magree’s seductive vocals today along with a provocative video highlighting her penchant for a little blood and gore.

“‘Bleed” is what happens when love goes feral,” says Magree. “When you stop knowing the difference between wanting to f*ck someone or kill them, because, to be honest, you don’t know which one would feel better.”

Magree, who has performed on the stages of Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Ultra Music Festival and collaborated with artists like Zeds Dead, DJ Snake, and NGHTMRE, has built a rabid following in the world of EDM, but “Bleed” sees her extending her electronic roots into the rock and metal worlds through an industrial sound.

“The sound of rock, metal, and electronic music have always been in my veins, and I feel like for so long I was asked, ‘what box do you fit in?’ and I never understood, because why does there need to be a tight musical box? I just want to do me, and what you’re hearing is me. She’s hard, she’s sexual, she’s emotional, she’s broken, she’s wild, she’s strong – but most of all, she is me.”

Felicity Unveils New Single “I’ll Have What He’s Having” Ahead of Forthcoming EP ‘4PM In The Morning’

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Perth born, Nashville based artist Felicity returns with her new single “I’ll Have What He’s Having” – a deceptively vibrant love song wrapped in self-deprecating humor and existential truth. It begins like a classic tale of romantic infatuation, only to reveal its true subject: Felicity herself. With glittering synths, lush live instrumentation, and one of her most pop-leaning productions to date, the track evolves from longing through someone else’s lens into a deeper exploration of self-image, self-worth, and the exhausting pursuit of perfection.

“It’s about wanting to see yourself the way someone who loves you does,” Felicity shares. “Because whatever I’m seeing? It’s not the same – and I’d much rather have what he’s having.”

Alongside the single, Felicity shares news of her forthcoming sophomore EP 4PM In The Morning, out now. The title – pulled from a lyric in her earlier single “Half Sad”, which earned placements on Spotify’s NMF AU&NZ, Pop N’ Fresh and AU&NZ Equal, as well as Apple Music’s Jazz Soul Cafe, New In Alternative, and New In Pop – captures the emotional jet lag of early adulthood: those in-between hours when nothing makes sense and everything feels a little too loud.

Praised by tastemakers for her larger-than-life vocals, hyper-personal lyrics and emotional intensity, Felicity is fast emerging as a distinctive voice in alt-pop. Described as a love letter to inner chaos, 4PM In The Morning leans into contradiction – humor and heartbreak, self-loathing and self-discovery – wrapped in bold, cinematic production. If “I’ll Have What He’s Having” is any indication, 4PM In The Morning promises to be both wildly relatable and unmistakably Felicity.

Sylo Releases Bold New Single “Carve Me Out” Marking Sonic Shift After Breakthrough Year

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Alt-R&B pace-maker Sylo today releases “Carve Me Out,” the first new single since his Tiny Desk Concert at the end of last year. Flirting with edgier, more electronic-leaning production that heralds the end of his sensitive era, Sylo shows how ever-evolving he is with his newfound freedom. Even with his new experimentation with an upbeat, abrasive sound, his voice is as smooth as ever.

Sylo shared, “I spent the last four years with this person in the same city I was born in. I knew that for there to be real change in my life, I had to literally move to another country not just for her, but to move on from the old patterns, habits and behaviors that dictated so much of who I was. This song is that last piece to commemorate that.”

Spending the post-breakup months living untethered in Mexico City, Sylo has had the chance to experience a new reality for himself while putting his past to bed. He now emerges ready to push the sonic envelope for his own sake and see where this reckless abandon lands him.

Where we now see Sylo forward-looking and charting out his future, last year was anchored in linking his childhood to who he is in the present with the release of Dreamt that I Was. He then toured the project across North America and Asia, with a quick stop in London as well.

At the end of October, Sylo’s Tiny Desk Concert for NPR was released, bringing him into an orbit he never before thought he’d reach. Additionally, his track “Babyboo” with sonic-globetrotter Nonso Amadi was featured in an ad campaign for SoundCloud x Hyundai. The campaign highlighted how everyone is on a journey in life, and that journey shapes who you are and what you create; a perfect tie into the music Sylo creates.