Stouffville steps out for Wintersong festival 2022

By Will McGuirk

Is this the first? A music festival? Just over the border of Durham Region, in the, I do have to say, lovely town of Stouffville Wintersong takes place Mar 25 and 26. The festival features Charles Spearin of Broken Social Scene and Stephen Stanley, formerly of Lowest of the Low, as well as Bif Naked, and The Darcys, in almost a dozen venues throughout the downtown.

There are several Durham Region artists performing, among them 2020 OMA winners Hollow Sage and the Three Mile Islanders, and Tania Joy, plus Cassie Noble, Chalk Lake, EDITH, Hunter Sheridan, and Matt Gunn. Mattie Leon as well as Jitensha, both acts are friends of Slowcity.ca are also performing.

The festival is organised by the good folks at Epidemic Music Group, whom you may recall were behind the Guinness Book of Records Longest Concert by Multiple Artists attempt.

For more information and tickets go here ->

Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Art Bergmann, Daniel Lanois, Chad VanGaalen, Tony Joe White, Jitensha, and spotlight on Triptides

By Will McGuirk

“Since the advent of social media, and with cameras everywhere, everybody now knows about police killings, the plague and climate catastrophe, and who these purveyors of this nightmare are. Who needs sci-fi anymore when we're living in the best Philip K. Dick novel ever?” - Art Bergman

“Our goal was to be a force for good with these songs. We wanted to remind people not to let the world steal their joy, to remind them that even during a global pandemic, it’s our responsibility to protect our spirits and find ways to keep on dancing, keep on singing, keep on teaching, keep on loving.” - Daniel Lanois

“I’ve been meditating on the nature of resilience, endurance, and grace more deeply since becoming a mother. I was trying to bridge the divide and embrace shame and my inner divinity equally with this piece…” - Allison Russell

“Go out into nature instead of watching the video” - Chad VanGaalen

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic Catch-up edition w/ Kacy & Clayton, Jitensha, Ada Lea, Eden Warsaw, Alex Bent, Leslie Grace and The Drew Thomson Foundation

By Will McGuirk

Yah been away for a few weekends, been sitting in fields listening to live tunes under blistering heat, yah been offline and away but the inbox has still been open so tunes coming in - here’s a few that caught my ear when I came back burnt and energised. Always more to come so stay in touch, and yah Ada Lea has been featured a few times, happy to see her star on the rise.

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic - Show and Tell edition with Jitensha, Jadea Kelly, Pup, Haviah Mighty, Operators,

By Will McGuirk

The nice weather brings out the neighbours, gets folks on the street, chatting about winter issues and Spring plans. Those who have been woodshedding projects bring them out and its time now to see what the artists have been making. My child and his pals are among those airing out songs in public. They have a band, Mary & Adelaide. They have a show at the Diezel Room, DT Oshawa on Friday, April 12. They are on a bill with Montrealers, Jitensha, an indie folk duo, also airing out songs and taking them on the road. Jitensha will kick off this open mic and the brilliance of Jadea Kelly will dispel any winter hangovers with her Old Weird America cover of “Amazing Grace”. Pup, Haviah Mighty, and my one of my fave acts Operators also drop by,

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Shows

Jitensha - Friday April 12, The Diezel Room, Oshawa
Haviah Mighty - Friday, May 3 @ the Drake Underground, Toronto
Jadea Kelly - Thursday, May 9 @ The Burdock, Toronto
Pup - Sunday, July 7 @ RBC Echo Beach, Toronto

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