Music Corner

WE THREE KINGS
Thursday June 4^th
Westdale Theatre

If you're a fan of the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, then this is a show for you. It is your chance to see three of the world's best impersonators each performing from a different period in the life of Elvis Presley. Starring OLIVER STEINHOFF from Germany, America's HUGO COLIN and LEO DAYS, and Canada's own, ROY LEBLANC!
Direct from GERMANY but no stranger to the Canadian stage is Europe's top tribute artist, OLIVER STEINHOFF, an international award-winning performer whose voice, charisma, and stage presence is hauntingly reminiscent of the King! Oliver is a European Grand Champion, two-time Elvis Contest UK winner, and Grand Champion of the Collingwood, Tweed, and Penticton Elvis Festivals whose uncanny rendition of Elvis in the Vegas years will have the audience on their feet!
In a recreation of '60s era Elvis is CANADA's own international award-winning entertainer ROY LEBLANC: three-time champion and long-time host of the Collingwood Elvis Festival; star of the touring sell-out hit musical production, Blue Suede Shoes for six consecutive years; first Canadian to be named “World’s Finest Elvis” at the Elvis Extravaganza in Las Vegas, Nevada; and co-star of the North American and Australian touring production, Sun Records All-Stars as well as his own hit show, One Man, Three Legends. In We Three Kings, Roy performs Elvis's gospel music and recreates special moments from Elvis's '68 Comeback Special!
Hailing from the UNITED STATES is Collingwood Elvis Festival Grand Champion, LEO DAYS who, for the past 12 years has performed as the King of Rock and Roll for the longest running show on the Las Vegas strip, Legends in Concert. Leo has also traveled the country with the Elvis Lives Tour, and in 2015, headlined Burnin' Love in Waikiki which was rated #1 on TripAdvisor throughout the course of its run on the island. World renowned, “Cirque Du Soleil” handpicked Leo from an array of tribute artists to depict The King in their production, Viva Elvis. Leo brings his mastery of the mannerisms, the look, and the voice of Elvis Presley to We Three Kings in his embodiment of Elvis in the Early Years including the movies!
"We Three Kings" alternatively features HUGO COLIN from the UNITED STATES! Hugo has achieved international acclaim as a young replica of 50s era Elvis! With the look, the moves, the authentic costuming, the energy, and the vocal prowess of the King in the 50s and movie years, Hugo's performance is a must-see!
With their hit-filled setlist, authentic costumes, fine-tuned vocals and on-stage charisma, Oliver, Roy, and Leo deliver an outstanding Elvis concert you won't want to miss!
If you only see one Elvis tribute show, this is the one!

LIVE AT THE APPOLLO
June to August
Corner of Appollo & Wentworth in Burlington

Once again, the Price Family in Burlington are hosting free live concerts at the corner of Appollo and Wentworth Street in North Burlington (Headon Forest area). The Prices, parents of Ty from the Killin Time Band, Ramblin Band and many other bands, have run these shows for free. The bands play for tips and the concerts are family friendly (no bathrooms however). It can get busy but this is a great fun time that the neighbours don’t just accept, but endorse and join in. First up in June are June 19th Tom Barlow and July 3rd The Ramblin Band. The shows take place from 7pm sharp to 8:30pm.

BROTT MUSIC FESTIVAL
June to August

The Brott Music Festival brings us a collection of classical concerts from the immersive experiences at Church of the Ascension to the Great Hall at Firstontario Concert Hall. The National Academy Orchestra (NAO) performs in a variety of settings, in a variety of differing shows that showcase classical music. Some of the highlights this year include: The Piano Man (featuring Jim Witter), Hollywood Blockbusters, Beethoven and Stravinsky, and 2 opera performances. Quanto Amore is a best of the opera classic. Akin to a “k-tel” version of opera, and I mean that in a good way. A great introduction to opera. Last year the single opera performance sold out fast, so this year La Boheme will have 2 performances in July. You can buy tickets for individual shows, or you can buy show packages or for the entire season. For more information, check out brottmusic.com

SOUND OF MUSIC: REBORN
Sat. June 20^th and Sun. June 21^st
Spencer Smith Park, Burlington

Unfortunately, the Sound of Music Festival is no more. Due to a number of factors, the festival had to fold. However, from the ashes arises The Lakeshore Music & Arts Festival. The new MRG Live-operated event will feature three music stages and a downtown street festival, taking place on June 20 and 21. The inaugural event will take place in the old home of the storied Sound of Music Festival, which was forced to cancel after 40 years due to financial hardships. There will be a fuller lineup announced but the headliners are: June 20th Walk off the Earth and Kattie Tupper and June 21st The Trews and The Dirty Nil.

IT’S YOUR FESTIVAL
5 Day Festival - Sat. June 27^th Wed. July 1^st
Gage Park
It is back again! On Canada Day weekend of course. And this year, it is a FIVE day festival. Every year Gage park is home to It’s Your Festival, run by the Hamilton Folk Arts Heritage Council. The festival is a celebration of all the cultures and people that make up our city and make up Canada. It is a celebration of both diversity and togetherness, and of course what brings us together is food and music. I love to get food from the various cultural organizations: souvlaki from Greece, Jerk Chicken from The Caribbean, Sausage from Germany and maybe have a beer or two. You can attend the Canada Day baby contest, a parade of cultures and have a piece of birthday cake on Canada’s Birthday. Additionally, the midway, craft zone and vendors are always popular at most festivals. Besides the headliners that include: Steven Page, Excolevi, The Shakers, Crystal Shawanda and Honeymoon Suite, there is the popular New Music Stage, formerly known as Stage 4. Bands performing on that stage are local bands that play local venues and sometimes they go on to bigger things, like Monster Truck did. These bands include: Laura Keating & The Folk Runners, Stella, Wildbloom, The Reed Effect, Jammer’s Waffle House and Droids Osaka. These are just some of the over 20 bands that play this stage. Gary Greenland from Canuck Tunes will be doing sound and keeping the bands playing. I know I’ll be there on Canada Day because It’s my festival…not just yours.

FESTIVAL OF FRIENDS
Thursday June 25^th
Westdale Theatre
Later this summer marks the 50^th anniversary of the iconic Hamilton music festival: The Festival of Friends. Thousands of people will pack into Gage Park to watch numerous local, Canadian, and international acts perform ... and admission is free. Before the festival even begins, you’ll have a chance to tap into the 50^th anniversary celebrations. On June 25^th, there will be a 50^th anniversary showcase taking place at The Westdale, hosted by none other than the legendary Alan Cross, who hosted the History of New Music. This event will be in the form of conversational stories, clips and songs about the festival. Past performers will regale us with stories and play us some songs, featuring musicians that have played including: Tom Wilson, Jim Witter, Marc Jordan, Harrison Kennedy and more. I would get your tickets early as this will undoubtedly sell out

BLUES WITH A FEELING
Sun. June 14^th - 2pm to 7pm
Corktown

“Blues with a Feeling” is back for the 21st time.
Presented by The Friends of Richard Newell, in association with 4680 Q Niagara Online Radio, the Hammer Monthly and the Hamilton Musicians’ Guild, the annual concert pays tribute to Hamilton’s foremost exponent of the blues, the late Richard Newell a.k.a. King Biscuit Boy.
This year’s program hearkens back to our fondly remembered “Blues Cruise” on Hamilton Harbour. We don’t have a boat this year but we do have TRICKBAG serving as host and house band to a number of very special guests. TRICKBAG has been playing their own brand of rockin’ blues for over three decades and members include former King Biscuit Boy and Crowbar band mates.
Indeed, a number of guests have also shared the stage with Richard Newell in days gone by. EARL JOHNSON’S tenure with the King Biscuit Boy Band dates back to the 1970’s after which he became a founding member of the popular group Moxy.
Likewise, TIM GIBBONS often served as lead guitarist for his East Mountain neighbour, King Biscuit Boy. He’s very well versed in what Richard used to call that “TH&B sound”.
COREY LUECK of the Smokewagon Blues Band represents the generation who were inspired by Richard and carry on his tradition of harp playing.
Also, of that generation we are proud to have two musical veterans, PAUL WOOTTON and STEVE FOSTER, who are Maple Blues Award winners with their blues band, The Low Down Dirty Mojos.
JOSH MILLER is one of the scene’s hottest guitarists. We look forward to some exciting musical fireworks from Josh.
Two other local favourites, DAN THOMAS and NEIL NICKAFOR, will also be invoking the musical spirit of Richard Newell aka King Biscuit Boy and carrying on his uniquely Hamilton blues tradition.
All in all, “A bargain at twice the price” as Richard used to say.
On account of the capacity of the Corktown being less than our previous venue it might be wise to get tickets early.
Proceeds from this year’s concert will be donated to the Hamilton Musicians’ Guild’s Bob Pedler Fund, a benevolent fund which provides financial assistance to musicians who are unable to perform due to health issues.

SIMPLY SAUCER
With THE BROWN NOTES
Friday June 19^th
Clifford Brewing
Emerging from the industrial city of Hamilton, Ontario in the 1970s, Simply Saucer created a distinct, original sound that was decidedly out of step with the current musical climate. Simply Saucer's origins date back to 1972, when band frontman Edgar Breau hooked up with five other avant-garde, record collecting musicians and began rehearsing in a Hamilton warehouse. The original compositions were long, improvised jams played on empty bottles, audio generators, theremins, keyboards, sax, flute, electric guitars and drums. Besides Breau, bass player Kevin Christoff became the other perennial member of Simply Saucer. They soon entered brothers Bob and Daniel Lanois's basement studio to record six songs. Alas, the Canadian music industry at the time was mired in mainstream convention that produced steady sales but little artistic vision. None would sign the quartet or release their recordings. By 1976, a nascent punk music scene was beginning to develop in London and New York and Toronto soon followed. A reinvigorated version of Simply Saucer, featuring ex-Teenage Head guitarist Steve Park, emerged and began gigging. They released the "She's A Dog" single on Pig Records in 1977 to great reviews. England's New Music Express awarded it "Pick Hit Single of the Week".
By 1979, Toronto's club scene had begun to dissipate and the individual members of the band began exploring new paths. Breau sold all his electric gear and began a new solo career. Almost thirty years would pass before he would own an electric guitar or appear on stage with Simply Saucer. It was years later before the general public and music journalists first became aware of the groundbreaking Lanois recording session. The six studio songs, combined with an explosive live set (performed in 1975 atop Hamilton's then new downtown shopping mall, Jackson Square), were finally released in 1989 in a limited vinyl edition on Bruce Mowat's Mole Sound Recordings, entitled Cyborgs Revisited. An expanded version of this album was released on compact disc in 2003 by Hamilton's Sonic Unyon. Edgar continues to play shows now and then and this is your chance to catch this legendary outfit and their distinctive sound.

Opening for Simply Saucer are the Brown Notes. The same Brown Notes that I perform with and that sample beers in Beer with the Brown Notes. We’ve been letting out a couple of new songs every month and will be showcasing our all-original music that, like Simply Saucer’s music, can be considered “out of step” with current music. You’ll find our songs all have a different sound from the countryesque “Is You” to the bluesy “Ramblin Rose” to the spinal-tap-ish “Sniff The Glove”. And we will be performing our newest song for the first time live at Clifford on June 19^th … “Sacre Bleu”

DARRYL GOULD AND ANDREW CASH
Saturday June 20^th
AVRO

Andrew Cash was a member of the band Étranger, which broke up in 1986. Following that he had a solo career and released a number of albums including Boomtown. A short-lived band named Ursula followed, and after that he joined his brother Peter, who had just left the Skydiggers, to form The Cash Brothers. Additionally, he has written soundtracks for various television shows, written for NOW Magazine, and has been a member of the Legislature (joining his former bandmate Charlie Angus). So, if you’re not familiar with Andrew Cash, you at least know he comes with some serious musical chops. He doesn’t play out too often so this is your chance to see him in a nice intimate venue. He’ll be joined by another local troubadour, Darryl Gould.

SUZIE MCNEIL
"Line 49" Album Release
Tuesday June 26^th
Westdale Theatre

Juno-nominated Suzie McNeil is a powerhouse vocalist and performer who gained fame in 2005 as the last woman standing on CBS’s Rockstar: INXS. She starred in the Toronto debut of Queen’s We Will Rock You musical and has collaborated with artists like Alan Frew, Jeff Healey, Dave Navarro, Scott Weiland, Gavin Rossdale, Clay Aiken, and Foreigner. Suzie also toured as a backup singer for P!NK and recently made history performing backup vocals with Steven Tyler at Aerosmith’s Las Vegas residency.

Where Northern roots meet southern soul… Suzie McNeil’s new show “Line 49” reimagines Canadian classic songs through the rich, passionate lens of soul music. From coast to coast, these songs celebrate the heart and beauty of life north of the 49th parallel. With powerhouse vocals, rich arrangements and a spirit that’s 100% maple, this performance celebrates Canadian music, and reveals a whole new way to feel it

THE MUSIC CORNER