An exciting new series of performances every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from June 20th to August 24th will be happening at The Gladstone Theatre.
This is your chance to see the best local artists in performance! The Gladstone stage (which is acoustically beautiful) will feature musical performers, improv, variety acts and exciting theatre. Each show starts at 7:30 and will be $15.
A fabulous night out, and a fabulous way to support local artists!
Tickets: $15 (at the door)
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: The Gladstone (910 Gladstone Avenue)
Website: www.inflightsafety.ca
Twitter: @inflight_safety
Facebook Event
Alright I have a confession to make, I know what you are thinking first ever post and he is confessing to something already, “Get a load of this guy!” I can hear the loud sigh’s right now but bear with me. I confess that whenever I hear the words, east coast and music, I immediately think of fiddles and jigs, so … basically I think of Ashley MacIsaac. I can’t honestly tell you why I think of Ashley MacIsaac when someone talks to me about east coast music, I guess it’s just a natural reaction being a Central Canada kind of guy, lord help me!
It really is a weird situation for me, considering all the great bands and music that have come from the east coast like Sloan, Eric’s Trip, Joel Plaskett and Two Hours Traffic. Perhaps its because after a while a lot of east coast bands seem to fly the coup for more bustling urban centers like Montreal and Toronto (Wintersleep I am looking your way!), but one band that has not only cemented their place in the Canadian music scene, but have remained loyal to the coast is Halifax’s In-flight Safety.
The band formed in 2003 in the sacred halls of Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. It seemed good things were in the cards right away, after their 2004 release Vacation Land EP landed not only in the hands of Canadian songstress (and label owner) Emm Gryner, but also in the hands of none other than David Bowie himself, who took the time to write the band a quick note praising the release. From there the band has really built quite an impressive catalogue of material with subsequent releases The Coast is Clear (2006) and We Are an Empire, My Dear (2009). These albums have earned the band a few Juno nominations, a Muchmusic award nomination and a few East Coast Music Awards, I wonder if any of them were presented by Ashley Mac Isaac? In any event, 2013 finds the band on the cusp of finishing the follow-up to Empire, with their brand new single “Destroy” shooting up to #1 on the CBC Radio 3 charts and holding steady for a second straight week. With the band both completing the new record and preparing for some live dates including a stop here in Ottawa on June 14th at Zaphods, I touched base with front man John Mullane for a chat.
CHECK OUT THE NEW SINGLE DESTROY
(OT = Ottawa Tonite, JM = John Mullane of In-flight Safety)
OT: How is recording coming along on the new album? When can we expect the new record?
JM: I am finishing the lyrics to last 3-4 songs. It’s the last thing I do. If future me could just send me an email with the lyrics we’d be all done. I am hesitant to set a release date until the album is all mixed and mastered. Soon? Is that a good answer?
OT: Soon will have to suffice for now, but Congratulations on ‘Destroy’ hitting number one. The song sounds fantastic! What’s the back-story on this song? How did it come about?
JM: Destroy is the oldest of the new batch of songs. For me, it bridges past and present. It does it quite literally. The song starts with one foot in the past hovering on the mid-tempo and lush then it instantly jumps to double time. It signifies a big change for us. Allowing ourselves to explore faster tempos but keep that In-Flight sound intact. Lyrically I had this idea about hunters walking around killing their food and crying at the same time. I really felt connected to that metaphor.
OT: Your last album We Are an Empire, My Dear was recorded in an old school house, how did you guys record this record? Any interesting locations or did you take a more conventional approach?
JM: This record was recorded very differently from Empire. Glen and I are working alone on the recording. That really streamlined the process. We only have to impress each other with what we come up with. The buck stops with us.
We’re also trying to do it for virtually zero dollars. So I would liken it to the way friends make a DIY film for next to no money. You fit in recording sessions where you can. You call in favours. You borrow amps, mics. You ask questions about stuff you don’t understand. You fail. You try again. You do things over and over until it sounds the like the idea you have in your head. I wouldn’t recommend the process we are using but I am super happy with the results. It feels similar to where I started with In-Flight Safety, recording Vacation Land in the “off” hours.
OT: It’s been almost 4 years since your last record; does that time away put any pressure on you guys at all in terms of songwriting, recording or any of the like? Do you feel now you kind of have to reassert yourself a little bit?
JM: Yes. I think that’s why we felt the need to release Destroy. Our fans can’t twiddle their thumbs forever. Destroy really sets the stage for the rest of the tracks that are coming. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to reassert myself as an act that is here to stay. We have a lot of strong ideas musically and we really want to canonize them on this record. We want to make good on the past and continue to press forward. There is a lot of self-imposed pressure. I can’t even tell you the number of songs I’ve ditched because they didn’t feel like they were facing forward.
OT: Some of your previous records have earned you Juno nominations and East Coast music awards, with every consecutive record you guys make, is there an attempt to try and aim for that again or do you guys just let the songs grow organically? I’m thinking of here of bands like Kings of Leon and even Foo Fighters who seem to release the same song over and over again because they know what’s worked for them in the past.
JM: I think that it’s a myth that songs grow organically. I think it takes making marks, demoing new ideas, reflecting on what you’ve done and then pushing through to a space that feels ‘new’.
As artists all we can do is search for inspiring sounds, aesthetics, chords, and lyrics. If we find those the rest truly has no bearing. It’s wonderful to get nominated but I can assure I wouldn’t still be doing this to be recognized by nominations and what not. The motivation to write comes from within and sometimes it feels like a curse more than a blessing. Insert evil laughter here.
OT: I noticed that you guys are now a 2-piece. Some bands really falter or struggle with the loss of members or line-up changes while others really thrive. How has the adjustment been for you guys?
JM: It’s been really freeing for Glen and me. Ten years in I guess you have to look at the band you’re in and really truly decide if everyone is adding equal amounts of blood, sweat and tears. We had a few years of democracy that came very naturally but at some point something became obvious. Personally, I could no longer invest my time and money into a project so four friends could say we were in band. It’s the way forward for us. In a weird way it feels like we are back in that youthful headspace we were in when we put out Vacation Land. It’s a new beginning but it’s familiar at the same time. It’s been quite a journey to here but we are truly happy.
OT: You guys have remained in a smaller market like Halifax all this time when other bands tend to relocate to bigger markets like Montreal or Toronto. Ottawa bands often are faced with the same dilemma. What made you guys stay? Do you have any advice for bands in a smaller market like Ottawa?
JM: Halifax is home. We are maritimers and we’ve always felt that way. I love to travel and bring back ideas and aesthetics from the big centers. I thrive in the big cities. I really do. I love NYC or Toronto. But at the end of the day I feel the pull to be home closest to family and to create here.
Advice: Quit music. Become an electrician or plumber.
OT: Well played, finally, you’re back at Zaphods in Ottawa June 14th, got any good Ottawa gig stories to share? Maybe accidentally meet the Prime Minister or something?
We had Peter Mackay backstage once. But that was on a Canadian Navy ship in Northern Ireland. But that’s a long story for another day.
Make sure you catch In-flight Safety on June 14th at Zaphods. I promise you won’t regret it… no seriously this show is going to be awesome. Trust the new guy! Follow them on twitter @inflight_safety
In-Flight Safety w/ Couchwrecked
Friday, June 14, 2013. (Doors 8pm)
Zaphod Beeblebrox
27 York Street, Ottawa, Canada.
Age 19+/ General Admission
ADVANCE TICKETS: $10.00, for a limited time at
http://www.ticketweb.ca/snl/VenueListings.action?venueId=10807
or by phone 1.888.222.6608
I love music, I love beer…import beer, I love the Senators, my cats and my Gibson guitar. Follow me on twitter @krisantward…See you at the show!
Alternating between different Canadian cities and Ottawa, the annual Magnetic North Theatre Festival is back in the capital this year. The premiere national festival of new English Canadian theatre, Magnetic North celebrates its eleventh anniversary this year with a mixture of familial stories and battles won and lost.
Running from June 7-15, the festival is being staged at various locations across downtown, including the National Arts Centre, the University of Ottawa’s Academic Hall, the Arts Court Theatre, Club SAW and a house in the Glebe.
The festival also features Magnetic Encounters (programmed events that allows audiences, performers and presenters to get together to discuss theatre), an Industry Series (for delegates only, where presenters and artists can exchange ideas and discuss touring/collaboration opportunities), as well as Compass Points (workshops, panel discussions and social events for post-secondary and emerging artists).
This year’s Magnetic North is as diverse as the settings, and features the following shows:
A Brimful of Asha
Created by Asha and Ravi Jain
Why Not Theatre (Toronto)
Ravi is planning a trip to India and so is his mother Asha. But the trip Asha is planning for Ravi is quite different from the one Ravi’s planning for himself. He arrives in India to discover…his parents. With an agenda.
The God that Comes
Created by Christian Barry and Hawksley Workman
2b theatre (Nova Scotia)
A retelling of Euripides’ The Bacchae, this show features Juno award winner Hawksley Workman in a “one-man-band cabaret/rock & roll hybrid” performance. Phew. There’s wine? You bet your Bachanalia there is.
Winners and Losers
Created by Marcus Youssef and James Long
Theatre Replacement/Neworld Theatre, in Association with Crow’s Theatre (Vancouver/Toronto)
Two friends discuss how we, and society, define ourselves as winners or losers in this play that incorporates improvisation to debate what we think of in our heads, but, as Canadians, would never say out loud.
For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again
Created by Michel Tremblay
Western Canada Theatre (Kamloops)
Written as a tribute to Tremblay’s mother, this play features Margo Kane, Lorne Cardinal and any sentence with those three names in it is a must see. Translated from the French by Linda Gaboriau.
The War of 1812
VideoCabaret (Toronto)
Part of the 20+play cycle The History of the Village of the Small Huts, this timely installment features eight actors portraying more than 55 historical characters. Written and directed by Michael Hollingsworth.
Peter and Valerie
Created and Performed by Peter Reder and Valerie Buhagiar
Peter and Valerie Production (Toronto/UK)
Staged in a downtown house, audience members are also the “guests” of Peter and Valerie, who are honouring the memory of Valerie’s childhood friend Frank. If that’s not intimate enough for you, tea will also be served.
NOTE: Very limited seating, most scheduled performances have already sold out.
SubDevision
The SubDevision Collective (Independent theatre companies from across Ontario)
Inspired by Vancouver’s Hive events, SubDevision features 10 short shows in different parts of Arts Court, each performed 8 times over the course of the evening. This year’s companies include Deluxe Hot Sauce, May Can Theatre, STO Union, Counterpoint Players, Skeleton Key, Ottawa Stilt Union, Gruppo Rubato and more.
The God that Comes
Further Information:
For full details of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival performance schedule, venues and tickets, click here.
For details of Magnetic Encounters, including talkbacks, special performances and parties, click here.
For details on Compass Points, click here
*****
Brendan McNally is an Ottawa based writer. His latest project is a guerrilla style, mini web travel series about walking along the coast of Wales.
The Songwriters Association of Canada presents
BLUEBIRD NORTH
Where Writers Sing and Tell
Live in the nation’s capital!
Friday, March 1st 2013
Westboro Masonic Hall
430 Churchill Avenue N
7:00 pmTickets available at Ottawa Folklore Centre and at the door
($15 advance and/or SAC members, $20 at the door)
Featuring
Roxanne Potvin
James Keelaghan
John Carroll
Lyndell Montgomery
Bluebird North is an intimate, interactive musical showcase that brings together some of Canada’s most inspiring songwriters to share their songs and stories. On March 1st,Bluebird North is presenting a diverse group of Canadian songwriting and spoken word talent in the nation’s capital. Ottawa is proud to present an amazing group of artists including: Juno award nominated Roxanne Potvin, masterful story teller and Juno award winner James Keelaghan, Ottawa-based folk/roots artist John Carroll, and multi-instrumentalist Lyndell Montgomery. Be sure not to miss the Ottawa performance in this intimate setting.
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
For fans of Roxanne Potvin, the Juno award nominated Montreal based singer-songwriter, two years might seem like an unbearably long time between albums, but just one spin through the songs on “Play” will be more than enough to convince them that it’s been worth the wait.
Back in 2009, after wailing around the blues for her past three albums – a journey that saw her work with luminaries such as Colin Linden, John Hiatt and Bruce Cockburn and tour with Sue Foley and Deborah Coleman – Roxanne decided it was time to pull back and reassess what she’d been doing. She explains, “I’d left Toronto, moved back to Montreal to be closer to my family and began to accept the fact that I had no clue what I was going to do.” At first, she felt boxed in by her own expectations, but once she managed to shake free of them and started to enjoy playing music for the simple joy of it again, magical things began to happen. “When I started out, I was heavily influenced by blues, soul and R and B and that was reflected on my first two albums. The third album started showing shifts in direction as I explored further. I love listening to that kind of music, but if I was still only writing blues based songs, I wouldn’t be honest with myself because that’s not exclusively where I’m at anymore. Writing for this album gave me confidence to do something different.” http://roxannepotvin.com
Called Canada’s finest singer-songwriter by one of the most respected music journalists of the last 50 years, James Keelaghan is an artist who has proven to be a man for all seasons. As the calendar pages have turned, for almost a quarter of a century now, this poet laureate of the folk and roots music world has gone about his work with a combination of passion, curiosity intent and intensity. His masterful story telling has, over the course of nine recordings, been part of the bedrock of his success, earning Keelaghan nominations and awards – including a Juno (Canada’s Grammy) - and acclaim from Australia to Scandinavia. Possessed of an insatiable appetite for finding the next unique story line, Keelaghan forges his pieces with brilliant craftsmanship and monogrammed artistic vision, making him one of the most distinctive and readily identifiable voices on both the Canadian and international singer-songwriter scenes. His journey has attracted fans of literate and layered songwriting to join him on his artistic expeditions, some of which weave their way through marvelously etched historical stories with underlying universal themes, others of which mine the depths of the soul and the emotional trails of human relations. http://www.keelaghan.com/
Keeloweb/Main.html
John Carroll is an Ottawa-based singer, songwriter, performer and recording artist who has explored music as his mode of expression for over 25 years. John and his band, The Epic Proportions, released their new album, ‘EVERYBODY SMOKES IN HELL,’ this year in January to a sold out show at The Black Sheep Inn. This album has received attention from campus radios across the country, charting in the Top TEN on EarShot’s Folk/Roots charts. Canada’s Folk, Roots and World Music magazine PENGUIN EGGS stated:
“If Hades had a telephone line to Earth, a call from down there would sound like John Carroll’s voice on Everybody Smokes In Hell.”
John’s first two full length solo albums, “The True Confessions of an Infamous Liar,” (2003) and “Lost Radio” (2008) were well received and sold to audiences all over Canada, the U.S and parts of Europe. John’s albums fit “comfortably into a variety of genres and time-periods, all the while synthesizing the eclectic elements” of “his music into a coherent, contemporary and colorful sound” (indieAndie.ca).Whether its performing for national broadcast on Canada Live with his band (CBC Radio One & Two, 2008), playing solo for the packed house of his weekly at The Chateau Lafayette, or traveling to the many music houses across Canada, John’s music treats his audiences to the vibrational equivalent of coming home. http://www.johncarrollmusic.com
Lyndell Montgomery, aka: Captain Dirt is a multi-instrumentalist touring machine. She has toured, composed, arranged, recorded, booked, publicized and tour managed with countless artists around the globe. Her musical experiences have taken her from India to Australia, Europe, USA, Canada, and beyond.
Lyndell is currently the producer of Beau’s Oktoberfest, an annual three day music/culture/beer festival located in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. She is also co-author of the widely acclaimed book Boys Like Her; Transfictions. Aside from composition, live performance, management and production gigs, Lyndell works with Ottawa Blues Festival as a music educator for the Blues In The Schools program and is a music teacher with the Alberta’s based Rocker Girl Camp.
Friday, March 1st 2013
Westboro Masonic Hall
430 Churchill Avenue N, 7:00 pm
Tickets available at Ottawa Folklore Centre and at the door
($15 advance and/or SAC members, $20 at the door)
Bluebird North: Where Writers Sing and Tell is produced by Amanda Rheaume for the Songwriters Association of Canada.
For more information on the S.A.C.’s mandate, activities and membership programs please visit www.songwriters.ca
Bluebird North is endorsed by the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.
GRAMMY AWARD WINNING BROADWAY SMASH HIT
IS COMING TO OTTAWA & OPENING TUESDAY MARCH 13th AT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE!
The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Ottawa. WEST SIDE STORY will open at the National Arts Centre on Tuesday March 13th. Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).
The new Broadway cast album of WEST SIDE STORY won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album on January 31, 2010. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.”
The new Broadway production began previews at the Palace Theatre on Broadway Monday, February 23, 2009, opened to critical acclaim breaking box office records at the Palace Theatre on Thursday, March 19, 2009, and recouped its $14 million investment after running only 30 weeks. The Broadway production played its final performance January 2, 2011. The musical played 27 previews and 748 regular performances, making it the longest-running production of the groundbreaking musical in Broadway history. The original production, which had held the record, played 732 performances on Broadway.
WEST SIDE STORY features scenic designs by James Youmans (Gypsy), costumes by Tony Award nominee David C. Woolard (The Farnsworth Invention, The Who’s Tommy), lighting by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Gypsy, Jersey Boys), sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair) and hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention).
WEST SIDE STORY is written by three theatrical luminaries: two-time Tony Award winner Arthur Laurents (book) and multiple Tony and Grammy Award winners Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) in his Broadway debut.
WEST SIDE STORY is produced by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller with Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman / Jill Furman Willis, Robyn Goodman / Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller and Broadway Across America.
Performances times of WEST SIDE STORY at The National Arts Centre are as follows: Tuesday March 13th through Friday March 16th at 8pm, Saturday March 17th and 2 & 8 pm and Sunday March 18th at 2 & 7:30 pm.
Ticket prices for WEST SIDE STORY range depending on performance date and time, seat location and date of purchase. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday January 30th at 10 am at The National Arts Centre Box Office, via phone at 1.888.991.2787 or on line at www.ticketmaster.ca.
American Express® Cardmembers have access to some of the best seats in the house for all WEST SIDE STORY performances. Advance tickets are available through Front Of The Line® by American Express January 18-24, 2012.
WEST SIDE STORY is a part of Broadway Across Canada’s 11-12 subscription season.
About Broadway Across Canada:
Broadway Across Canada: Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across Canada, in association with Broadway Across America, presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities. Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world. Current and upcoming productions include the Broadway premiere of Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS, Tony Award-winners BOEING BOEING and SPAMALOT, 13 A NEW MUSICAL, WEST SIDE STORY opening on Broadway in 2009, and DORA THE EXPLORER on tour. For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossCanada.ca.
The Hanson brothers have been to Canada before, but not extensively and will be gracing Ottawa with a live show on February 8th*. In preparation for their tour through Canada, Zac, 1/3 of the band Hanson sat down for a quick phone interview with yours truly to touch base on the upcoming tour and more.
So this tour is going to be a launch of sorts, for the “Shout It Out” Album?
Zac: Yea, we’ve been to Canada before but not with as many stops. We’re excited to be coming to Ottawa, meeting new fans is a challenge we always enjoy and we hope to entertain.
You guys have a lot of songs, which song are you most looking forward to playing on this tour?
Zac: That’s a hard question actually! New music is always fun for me to play, but I also like older songs with a bit of history. This is really hard! I’m excited to play “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Somethin’ ” among others. Fan reaction also plays a huge part for sure. We are lucky to have fans that are really engaged at our shows and make the performance energetic.
At many of your concerts you do The Walk before the event, to raise awareness for the HIV/AIDS Pandemic and poverty in Africa. Since it’s winter will there be an indoor walk?
Zac: (laughs) Yea, not on this tour! It is really cold, and the walk is a barefoot walk and it would probably be bad to send people to the hospital with their toes falling off from a Hanson walk. I know I need my toes! But also, the walk is about giving people a way to act, to make an impact. In fact, people could host their own walks, it isn’t something limited to just us. We want people to know that these walks stand for something, and it’s action that will help facilitate change.
What do you want fans to take away from this tour?
Zac: You know, we hope to create a unique experience for them, we want it to be memorable. This isn’t going to be one of those shows where everybody stands around with their arms folded, and looks somber. We want fans to feel a connection to our songs, we want them to be engaged.
*For official tour dates and more info please visit Hanson.net
If you would like information on The Walk, please visit Take The Walk
Check back with us for the official Ottawa concert review!
**Special thanks to Zac for taking the time out, and Catrina Jaricot from Strut Entertainment for setting this up!
There will be bands. There will be beer. It will be a rockin’ time!
Carmen Mayer and her 8 year old daughter, Madi, lost their home and dog on January 3rd to a fire in the Hunt Club area.
A fundraiser was held at the Royal Oak on Hunt Club on January 14th!
** The following RAFFLE PRIZES were drawn this morning. CONGRATULATIONS and THANKS to all of you! **
Video camera – 352072
50/50 draw – 464789
CD’s – 352160
Rinaldo gift card – 352162
Christmas basket – 352171
Kids bundle – 351934
NAC Bomb and Beyond Tickets – 352187
NAC Vouchers – 352117
Wild Wing gift card – 352167
Raffle prizes will be available for pick up at the Royal Oak on Hunt Club until Wednesday January 18th.
Please bring your ticket for verification. Any questions, please contact juliedodd@hotmail.com.
We were able to raise over $2500.00.
Featuring
HIPPIE CAMPFIRE
plus
JIMMY GEORGE JR.
(Members of Jimmy George)
In memory of Mike Jenkins and in support of his daughters Lucy and Violet.
All proceeds will be donated to their trust fund.
Friday, February 24th, 9:30pm
Elmdale House Tavern (1084 Wellington St. W., Ottawa)
Tickets: $10 (suggested donation at door)
Hippie Campfire: http://hippiecampfire.com/fr_home.cfm
Jimmy George: http://jimmygeorge.bandcamp.com/
Ottawa Tonite would like to thank the artists and art lovers in this community for all of your interest, support and contributions online in 2011.
With such a diverse and exciting array of art and artists to feature, it has been a wonderfully busy and informative year!
So many events and so little time…YOUR interest in what Ottawa artists are doing and helping to extend their reach, is what Ottawa Tonite is ALL about!
Have a wonderful holiday season, as we look forward to sharing more with you in 2012!
Best wishes,
Cheryl and the Ottawa Tonite Team

