Thursday, October 22
THE GREAT CANADIAN SONGBOOK @ Savoy Theatre 8pm
MURRAY MCLAUCHLAN, BARNEY BENTALL, CATHERINE MACLELLAN and NATHAN ROGERS – four of Canada’s most acclaimed songwriters on one stage sharing songs and stories in a special intimate acoustic concert. Multi-Juno Award winners Murray McLauchlan and Barney Bentall have written some of Canada’s most familiar classics, Catherine MacLellan and Nathan Rogers are the respective heirs of iconic Canadian troubadours Gene MacLellan and Stan Rogers, now making waves of their own on the international stage.
BRAINS / 3 PIECE SUIT @ Maxwell’s 10:30pm
For the past seven years, Montreal’s psychobilly horror-punk outfit, THE BRAINS, have been terrorizing unsuspecting audiences worldwide with their dastardly and mordid mix of 50’s rock n’ roll, country and old school punk rock. Fronted by undead latin lotherio slash axeman Rene d la Muerte, The Brains round out their unholy posse with beer-chugging, standup bass-slappin Johnny Montreal and the gravedigging, drum-pounding rhythm stylings of Franck O’ Brains. 3 PIECE SUIT is what happens when you try to press Dick Dale records using tar pond sludge. Chalk full of dancy rhythms and metric tons of groove, these guys are 2/3 of Carmen and the Shakey Deals, 1/4 of The Pranks, and 3/3 of the best surf/psychobilly/garage band the East Coast has to offer.
THE EASY BLEEDERS / THOUGHT MACHINE @ Governor’s 10pm
Less than a year since banding together, THE EASY BLEEDERS are a five piece rock machine whose musical roots range from the heaviest of metal to the straw hattiest of folk music. The band recently released their debut CD, consisting of 11 tracks, including the 1st single “Ain’t No Friend of Mine.” The single has been receiving local radio play, and is presently at #4 on the nationally syndicated East Coast Countdown. THOUGHT MACHINE is presently in studio, putting the finishing touches of their debut CD, “Maiden Voyage.” ?
Friday, October 23
CHEERS @ Governor’s 6-9pm
Pub tunes and classic favorites from local trio CHEERS.
LOAD OF MUSIC @ Royal Cape Breton Yacht Club 6-10pm
Matt Minglewood will be hosting this year’s first Load of Music. Joining Matt on guitar will be Dave McKeough. The Load of Music provides an outlet for musicians to showcase their talents and also features entertainment from established artists.
SONGWRITERS CIRCLE @ Governor’s 10pm
It’s a clash of rock’n’roll frontmen. CARLETON STONE (Carleton Stone Drives The Big Wheel), JAY SMITH (Rock Ranger/Matt Mays), MIKE DALTON (Transatlantic Zodiac Band) and ROB HARRIS (The Roots and Rhythm Remain) share their songs and stories in an intimate songwriter’s circle setting. ?
Saturday, October 24
CARL MACKENZIE & PAT CHAFE @ Governor’s 2-5pm
Saturday afternoon, Governor’s Pub hosts an afternoon ceilidh with Carl MacKenzie (fiddle) and Pat Chafe (piano).
MICHELE STEPHENS @ Governor’s 9pm
Baddeck jazz/blues singer/songwriter-pianist Michele Stephens celebrates the release of her CD “Bucket Of Honey, joined by a band consisting of Danick Clavel on bass, Joe Waye on electric guitar and Johnny Hawkins on drums.
SWEET ZOMBIE JESUS / THE LIQUID VAPOURS / MESS FOLK @ The Upstairs 10pm
Combining influences from such bands as Skinlab, Entombed, and In Flames, SWEET ZOMBIE JESUS created the heaviest sound Cumbria has heard. Based in Whitehaven they have converted crowds into their own zombie crew: from Barrow to Carlisle, over to Newcastle and up to Dumfries. Via the touring, SZJ were voted 9th in the Best Unsigned Bands Category in the 2004 Kerrang Readers Poll. Having struck a partnership with Whitenoize Entertainment they secured the main support slot for Gutworm in November 05 through Scotland. In March of 2006 SZJ again toured Scotland, further cementing their reputation above the border. That’s what they’d like us to believe, anyway. If you make it out to the Upstairs on Saturday night, you just might find these guys playing it a little closer to home.
Although THE LIQUID VAPOURS hasn’t been around as a band long enough to justify writing an insightful biography, a brief sampling of the tape recordings will sway any preconceived notions that this band must suck. No fancy effects, longwinded storytelling, or any other pretentious indie brouhaha — just balls out dirty rock ‘n’ roll.
On MySpace it says MESS FOLK is from Yukon, although their names seem familiar. Influenced by electric eels, the urinals, toxin iii, napalm death, johnny thunders, coca cola products, the keggs, and the writing of max stirner, Mess Folk began in 2008, as a sort of mishap, featuring Philip Tarr (ritual, bass recording, guitar recording, drum recording, all vocals, arrangements and boredom), Devon M (drums) and Donnie C (guitar). ?
Sunday, October 25
MARC BOUDREAU @ Celtic Music Interpretive Centre 3-7pm
Fiddler MARC BOUDREAU, from Cheticamp, has been thrilling audiences with his fiddle-playing and step-dancing since the age of nine. He was the first recipient of the Tic Butler Music Award and was also on the 1998 East Coast Music Award televised show. He has performed at numerous festivals including the World Acadian Congress in Lafayette, Louisiana. He has completed two recordings accompanied by Ashley MacIsaac on piano and J.P. Cormier on guitar.
OLENKA AND THE AUTUMN LOVERS / TIMBER TIMBRE / STEVE FIFIELD & THE BRANCH 12 SINGERS @ St. Patrick’s Church 7-11pm
OLENKA AND THE AUTUMN LOVERS return to Sydney after a monumentally impressive performance last May at St. Patrick’s Church. TIMBER TIMBRE comes to Sydney fresh off the release of his latest self-titled record “Timber Timbre” (Arts and Crafts). Having just recording his inaugural record, STEVE FIFIELD will be performing for the first time with his band The Branch 12 Singers. Fans would be much aggrieved to miss such a rare performance.
ALL SHOOK UP @ Savoy Theatre 8pm
Take a journey down memory lane and be prepared for an evening of high energy rock and roll with the All Shook Up Band Featuring the guitar and vocal talents of Vince Dixon. This is your chance to take a step back to a simpler time when family values and wholesome fun filled our lives, while the new sounds of rock and roll filled the airwaves. Come hear all of the classics from Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Everly Brothers and many more of the greats preformed by this group of seasoned entertainers.
