Odd Marshall is that strange guy in the backwoods. His songs speak of world travels, but it kind of feels like he’s come out of nowhere.

Don Kerr has produced his debut album with Mike O’Brien on lead guitar and Jason Haberman playing bass. If they’re not known as Canada’s ‘Wrecking Crew’ they should be.

Odd Marshall’s debut album, Sand & Glue is a collection of songs both dark and bright. From start to finish the album takes listeners around the world with a strong back beat and infectious hooks. Finalist, and 2023 Henry Armstrong Award Recipient.

With sell-out shows in Ireland and Canada, and performing for Oscar-winner Glen Hansard, 0Stella‘s [oh-Stella] alt-rock Irish fusion is captivating audiences everywhere. This is rock and roll with traditional Irish fiddle and bodhrán (sometimes wrapped in thick distortion) and catchy pop melodies that shimmer with rebellion. 0Stella sings in both English and Irish and regularly engages the crowd to sing along in both languages – whether performing solo or with her 5-piece band. 0Stella’s unique sound deftly combines Canadian rock with Irish storytelling and folk music and draws comparisons to Paramore, Garbage, Lana Del Rey and The Frames. The zero-waste advocate (thus the zero in her name) accumulated a staggering 8,500 kms of cycling in support of her two albums, Freefall (2022) and Skyward (2023), while advocating for environmental conservation. The cycling album tour took 0Stella across Canada and Europe. A full vinyl record, Pendulum State, is due out in 2024 on Dead Doll Records. 0Stella began her solo tour on Earth Day, April 20, 2022, with her bike, a tent, solar panel and carbon fibre guitar, and embarked on an awe-inspiring cycling tour from Victoria, BC, to Halifax, NS. The tour resonated deeply with fellow Canadians, Expect extraordinary performances with her signature alt-rock sound infused with Irish storytelling and folk influences.

Jerry Leger is a singer-songwriter, born and raised in the East End of Toronto. Known for his evocative lyrics and soulful vocals, Leger’s music weaves together elements of folk, rock ‘n’ roll and americana. He was introduced to music at a young age by his grandfather, who played him Hank Williams’ honky-tonk and heartache classics. This early exposure sparked a lifelong passion for music and songwriting, drawing inspiration
from artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young and Tom Waits. Since recording his first album at 19, Leger has been a prolific presence over the last twenty years, consistently releasing albums under his own name and through various side projects. For more than a decade, Leger was signed to Cowboy Junkies’ label, Latent Recordings. All of his releases on the label were produced by the Junkies’ Michael Timmins, with the exception of 2023’s Donlands, which was produced by Grammy-winning veteran engineer and producer Mark Howard. Upon release, Donlands received high praise in publications such as Uncut Magazine and Rolling Stone Germany. In 2020, Leger expanded his artistic endeavors by publishing a book of poetry titled Just The Night Birds. Most recently, Leger has signed with DevilDuck Records, based in Hamburg, Germany, for his fourteenth studio album, Waves of Desire. Besides countless headlining dates across Canada, the United States, Europe and the UK, Jerry has opened for many artists including Steve Earle, Dawes, The Sadies, and renowned Canadian songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Sexsmith has praised Leger as “the real deal”, highlighting his authentic voice in the Canadian music scene.

Mock Deer (Ricky Damiani) is a Psych-Folk/Art-Rock artist based in London, England.

Mock Deer has become an integral part of London’s indie scene, known for his collaborative spirit and support of fellow artists. Having toured extensively across Europe and sharing stages with acclaimed artists like Willy Mason and Joan Shelley. He has earned widespread praise and endorsements from renowned outlets like Rough Trade and fellow musicians such as British jazz composer Shabaka Hutchings. His recently released EP Pilgrims solidifies Mock Deer as one of art-rock/psych-folk’s most compelling and introspective songwriters.

Acclaimed Canadian songwriter Dana Sipos’ cosmic folk songs are constellations – glowing in the vast landscape, mapping the liminal spaces between memory and myth. Her songs don’t just tell stories—they roll out over familiar landscapes, shimmering and shifting into something yet undiscovered. Known for crafting music that is both fragile and orchestral, Dana Sipos invites the listener beneath the surface through a nuanced lens that isn’t afraid to be out of focus at times. Sipos’ talent for earthen imagery, rich spiralling vocals, and textured instrumentation sets the stage for a deeply moving performance. Exploring themes of impermanence and transformation, Sipos’ album is another collection of captivatingly nuanced songs that holds the complexity of the human experience up to the light. Golden Molten will be released in January 2026.

Kaleb Hikele’s ‘Storytelling’ Tour is the debut of a new solo album, performed live on stage from front to back, in Waterloo for the opening night of the tour at Emmanuel United Church. With very special guest Mattie Leon!

Kaleb Hikele is a Canadian singer-songwriter and prolific recording artist. In the fall of 2025, Kaleb is touring his new album, Storytelling, by premiering it on stage, from front to back, with a live debut before the album is even released. It will be performed as if you’re listening to the vinyl record; Side A in full, flip the record – Side B in full, no dialogue – just the songs and their stories.Kaleb’s brand new 7″ vinyl record, Fire Fighter’s Son, will be on the merch table during the upcoming tour along with other LP’s from his diverse catalogue. The Storytelling LP will be available for pre-order.

Mattie Leon is a singer/songwriter hailing from Hamilton, Ontario. A craftsman on guitar and piano, he refuses to leave the past behind. Mattie’s sensibilities are informed by the songwriting of the sixties and seventies. His voice, whether soaring or soulful, is his own. The result is a fresh take on a classic form; familiar but unmistakably new. For his latest single, Dreaming on your feet, Mattie joined forces with The Trews’ John-Angus Macdonald. Together they wrote a folk anthem about dancing with that person you love. Big harmonies. Jangly guitars. a bombastic horn section. It sounds like the world’s best barn party.

UPSIDE OF MAYBE is an award winning, family friendly,roots based folk/rock group from Stratford, ON. They have toured throughout Canada and are known for their tight vocal harmony, infectious story telling, crafty songwriting and engaging live shows.  

From small pubs and intimate house concerts, to rowdy festivals and concert halls – when Upside of Maybe takes the stage it’s all about creating a memory and capturing a moment. 

“Our relationship with our fans is always at the heart of what we do,”  explains lead singer Michael Bannerman “When we hit that stage it’s about connecting with the audience though the music. Not just performing. Not just entertaining… but really connecting.”

The band’s style has evolved greatly throughout its career, and its music which began as exclusively acoustic, quickly grew to encompass a mixture of a wide array of styles including pop, rock, folk and roots. They are most often billed as an “alt rock” band. 

Over their more than 10 year span together, Upside of Maybe has released a number of EP’s and full length projects. Their music has appeared in movies, television and even as the “official” walk up song on the Pro-Bass fishing circuit (that’s a whole other story).

The band’s most recent release “SINNERS & SAINTS” was released JANUARY 2025 and the band is currently touring in support of this project. Be sure to check them out when they hit a stage nearby. You won’t regret it!! 

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the modern world,” he observes. “I love electronics as much as anybody else does, but I wanted to show some respect to nature. It can teach us everything we need. Poetry Of Birds is a reminder to look at the beauty of the simple things around us.”

Claire Porter, a Newfoundland dynamo, is a singer/songwriter who spent years honing her songcraft in Montreal, Claire has taken her music to intimate venues across Atlantic Canada, sharing her songs about love, tiramisu and detritivores with audiences at festivals, conferences and folk clubs. Described as having the prowess and punch of Judy Garland mixed with the lyrical grit of Tom Waits, Claire is an on-stage tour de force, infusing her dry wit and meticulous musicianship into every note.

“A compelling and versatile songwriter, his cinematic arrangements are drenched in vintage sounds.” Roots Music Canada

Paul Cafcae is a roots rock artist, whose bright, entertaining performances create memorable experiences for his audiences similar to the old school rock and roll concerts. Cafcae’s songs are heard on the radio all over the world. “I Ain’t Shook” from his album “Where I Am” has peaked at #11 in the UK’s Hot Disk Country Top 40. His single “Downtown” was named Best Canadian Song by Clouzine magazine. Paul has been nominated as Recording Artist of The Year by Folk Music Ontario, served as a juror for the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and is constantly on tour and recording new music. His 2025 album “Scarlet and Sparks” has earned media praise for his unique, authentic delivery and organic blend of social and introspective commentary.

For over twenty-five years, Tiller’s Folly have been uniting the past with the present as modern-day storytellers of lore, singing the West’s pioneer history to life. From the outset, Tiller’s Folly aspired to create acoustic music that is thoughtful, progressive, yet timeless in nature. Music that is representative of their Pacific Coastal home. They set out to preserve a measure of the West’s colonial heritage in stories & songs. 

Drawing influence from Scottish, Irish and Maritime Music traditions, Tiller’s Folly have continued to expand and refine their potent blend of Pacific Canadiana, and ‘beyond.’
“As one of the tightest, and unflinchingly focused, folk bands in the nation, Tiller’s Folly continues to produce music that is both distinctly Canadian and firmly rooted in the Celtic tradition. Stirring Up Ghosts confirms that Tiller’s Folly is a national treasure”
— Peter North / Edmonton Journal

with Opening support from Sourwood Bluegrass!!

Listening to David James Allen, it often feels as if he’s channeling every cool record you’ve ever owned. Built upon a rootsy funkiness that’s part JJ Cale and The Band, accentuated with shades of Daptone and Bill Withers, his songs spin off into emotional realms populated by the likes of Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt and Harry Nilsson. As with all great art, the magic is conjured through alchemy, and more importantly, through a connection to a level of consciousness few of us have the capacity to access. 
 David James Allen has been releasing music for more than a decade, but over the past five years—after moving eastward from Toronto to the wilds of Prince Edward County—he has been startlingly prolific. Beginning with 2017’s When The Demons Come and carrying on through 2020’s Radiations and the following year’s The Architect, Allen has been steadily amassing a remarkable body of work that stands alongside those of any of his Canadian contemporaries. 
 Now comes By The Summertime, an album that keeps Allen’s winning streak solidly intact. Allen cites Canadian poets Al Purdy and Nelson Ball for inspiring many of his new lyrics, but he could surely write his own book based on the backstories to each song on By The Summertime. Finding the sweet spot between simplicity and boundary pushing is a goal many artists seek with varying degrees of success. For David James Allen though, it just seems to be where he naturally resides.

Ken Whiteley is a Canadian folk legend. He has won many awards including Canadian Folk Music Award, Genie Award (for Best Original Song in a feature film) and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Maple Blues Awards, Mariposa Folk Festival and Folk Music Ontario. Ken changed the course of children’s music working with Raffi and dozens of others. He’s shared stages and recordings with Pete Seeger, John Hammond Jr., Tom Paxton, Stan Rogers, Blind John Davis and countless others and written over 400 songs.  He is a powerful singer, a stellar multi-instrumentalist and deeply versed in gospel, blues and a broad range of traditional folk styles. With over 50 years of performing and touring across North America and 35 albums, he continues to grow and evolve as an artist. He has released 4 albums since 2020 including CFMA award nominees “Long Time Travelling” and “So Glad I’m Here”. The aptly titled “Keep Going” is scheduled for release in the fall of 2025. 

With Ken will be the wonderful singer, Ciceal Levy.  Her singing is deeply rooted in the Black church and she has sung and recorded with such diverse artists as Tom Cochrane, Andy Kim, Pete Seeger and many others.  Her musical roots with Ken go back over three decades, many recordings and performances at festivals across Canada.  Bucky Berger (drums, vocals) is a groove master whose musical affiliation goes back to the Original Sloth Band and many other ensembles since.  Gord Mowat is a string bass par excellence with a solid grounding in roots music and the chops of a great jazz musician.  Together they bring their vast experience to each performance as a way to allow all of us to come together and experience connection through the power of song.

Potluck 6:00
Show 7:00

Mick McAuley is an acclaimed Irish musician, composer, and songwriter known for pushing traditional Irish music’s boundaries. A multi-instrumentalist skilled on accordion, melodeon, concertina, whistles, and guitar, he toured extensively as a key member of the Irish-American ensemble SOLAS, recording nine albums. Mick’s solo work, including An Ocean’s Breadth and Highs and Bellows, has earned critical praise. Collaborations with artists like John Doyle and performances with Sting highlight his versatility. Raised in a musical family in Ireland, Mick blends tradition with contemporary influences, bringing Irish music to diverse audiences worldwide with passion and innovation.

NPR’s All Songs Considered describes Sturtz as “a reassuring breath of fresh air that pulls me back to simpler times.” The group is serene and folksy, with melodic vocals soaring over the lower string instrumentals. Sturtz just released their second studio album Hyacinth in September 2024, and they’re excited to tour on this album for the next year. When they’re not playing music, you’ll probably find them milling flour, gardening, roasting coffee, or honing their photography skills.

A bluegrass powerhouse featuring rich vocal harmonies, killer picking, and a fun-loving, down-to-earth stage presence, Ontario’s The Barrel Boys are a unique staple of Canadian roots music. Informed by the deep traditions of bluegrass, country, old-time, and Americana, The Boys have crafted their unmistakable sound into an exuberant and soulful experience. The Barrel Boys’ music has taken them to festival main stages and concert halls across Canada, and their last album Mainline earned them a nomination for Vocal Group of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

The Barrel Boys are a unique staple of Canadian roots music, a bluegrass powerhouse featuring rich vocal harmonies, killer picking, and a fun-loving, down-to-earth stage presence. Informed by the deep traditions of bluegrass, country, old-time, and Americana, The Boys have crafted their unmistakable sound into an exuberant and deeply soulful musical experience. Celebrate the holiday season with The Barrel Boys’ enchanting melodies and heartwarming harmonies that bring a delightful blend of folk, bluegrass, and Americana to your Christmas festivities. From timeless carols to original compositions, their music captures the season’s essence, infusing every note with warmth and memory. Join The Barrel Boys for a magical Christmas show that will fill your heart with joy and leave you with cherished memories of the most beautiful time of the year.

Throughout more than a decade of performing together, The Barrel Boys’ bluegrass Christmas concert has been an important part of their Christmas season. Even while unable to perform live during the Covid-19 Pandemic, the band pulled together to create 2020’s “The Barrel Boys’ Christmas Special” and the 2021 follow-up “The Barrel Boys’ Christmas Special Vol. II, A Christmas Barrel” (both on YouTube). These 30-minute old-fashioned TV-style specials showcased the Boys’ charming wit and creativity as well as bass player Tim O’Reilly’s audio-visual production talents. 

Now that The Barrel Boys are back to performing live during the holidays, the same mix of musical prowess and light-hearted stage presence is central to their festive shows, called “Carols from the Barrel.” 

This Christmas, The Barrel Boys invite music fans of all ages to celebrate the holidays with an unforgettable evening that has brought audiences back year after year.

The Barrel Boys are:

• Nathan Smith: fiddle, vocals
• Kyle Kirkpatrick: dobro, vocals
• Rob McLaren: banjo, vocals
• Ben Wright: guitar, vocals
• Tim O’Reilly: bass, vocals