Séan McCann bought his first guitar in 1989 which he affectionately calls “Old Brown”. Old Brown has been around. He was there for the first song Séan ever wrote. He was there as Séan founded Great Big Sea, the acclaimed and multi-million album selling band that would change his life. He was there to hold Séan up many a night as he struggled with alcoholism, and he has been there to help guide Séan out of the darkness with music as his medicine.
Concert Series
Upcoming 2024 Shows
New this year, we are offering Season Subscriptions.
Catch all the shows listed here for $90. (save $20)
Simply send an etransfer to tickets@emmanueluc.ca with your full name in the memo line (eg “Roberta Smith”) and we’ll add you to the list. Please use “concerts2023” as the security answer.
**As a bonus, this subscription will cover shows yet to be announced as the year progresses.**
Most shows offer student pricing which is $5 lower than the listed price.
$20 / $25 Door
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Jim Bryson is going to be awesome. Greg will be too.
Jim Bryson is a National Folk Award nominated Canadian Singer-Songwriter and Record Maker. He has released a number of recordings in all kinds of popular formats and in places all over the map. His most recent release is 2022’s “Country Wifi”: a hushed pile of beautiful whispers and gently considered lyrical ruminations. Jim also has an ongoing project, a series of $30 singles called “Survival Tactics”, meant as an offset to the pennies per glass Spotify/Streaming world we now live in.
$20 Advance / $25 Door
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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.
$28.25 + fees Advance / $35 Door
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A modern indie folk trio from Newfoundland, The Once have collected a trio of Canadian Folk Music Awards, numerous ECMA awards, and was named Artist of the Year by the Newfoundland & Labrador Arts Council. They have earned not one, but two JUNO nominations for Roots Album of the Year and continue to take their music around the world.
With the release of 2024’s Out Here, The Once have delivered a thoughtful and playful assembly of songs mingling their musical roots from Newfoundland along with folk, bluegrass, country, Americana, and modern indie rock. Members Geraldine Hollett, Andrew Dale, and Phil Churchill have created a sound representative of their home province of Newfoundland while pushing the boundaries on the great Canadian songbook with their soothing vocal harmony and acoustically rich core.
Lyrically, The Once’s newest collection of songs encompass an arresting sense of loss with the belief that the good can be found in all people, and a desire to bring it out here for everyone to enjoy. A ray of hope in a confusing time. A port in a storm. A provocation with a grin.
This material is soaked with the poetic charm and sunny sadness of the trio’s collective disposition. Written across Newfoundland and recorded in the band’s GingerBeard House studio the band took their time creating this record. “Sometimes music takes a while to flow”, Geraldine Hollett explains. “If you don’t panic and instead surround yourself with people who love you that you can trust, magic can happen.”
$25 Advance / $30 Door
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Josh Piché is a Toronto based singer-songwriter, guitarist & producer. Born & raised in Winnipeg, he learned playing, singing, songwriting & performing from some of the city’s best musicians, eventually moving east to Toronto for a taste of the big city.
Piché’s early career saw him cutting his teeth as a sideman, playing with bands all over Toronto. He eventually landed the position as guitarist & musical director for award winning blues/soul band Irene Torres & The Sugar Devils. With Torres he wrote two studio albums, toured internationally, & showcased at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. They soon found themselves opening for Gino Vanelli, New Orleans pianist Jon Cleary, performing with Downchild Blues Band & playing some of Canada’s biggest blues festivals. Their second album featured collaborations with organ legend Ike Stubblefield & electric bassist/TV actor Cornell Williams.
Josh also performed & recorded with Juno nominated troubadour Julian Taylor, appearing on his album Desert Star, including his UK hit single “Just A Little Bit”.
In 2020, Piché found himself on the Canadian Country Music Awards performing with Canadian country superstar Brett Kissel. Josh can also be seen playing with blues singer songwriter Sandra Bouza, Country music frontwoman Angela Saini, Country/rocker Ty Wilson, and rising country star McKenzie Leigh Meyer
$40 Advance / $50 Door
$30 Students (14+) / Children (0-13 Free)
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After exiting the internationally renowned Newfoundland folk group and publicly admitting a secret past where he used alcohol to mask the pain of sexual abuse by a priest; Séan stopped lying to himself. With his boys and his wife Andrea as his motivation, Séan found the courage to face his truth and overcome his demons. Today he continues his journey as a singer, songwriter, husband, father, and now a sought after keynote speaker and mental health advocate, always with Old Brown by his side.
$37.50 + taxes and fees / $50 door
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The rich complexity of life is the emotional focus of the much-anticipated new album from one of Canada’s most accomplished and harmonious trios – The Good Lovelies.
The songs on “We Will Never Be the Same”, crafted by the Juno Award-winning ensemble of Kerri Ough, Sue Passmore and Caroline Marie Brooks, are as compelling as the engaging vocal harmonies for which the group has been known for the last 17 years as they mine the complex feelings experienced by women who have come to ponder some of the big questions of life.
This new album is both a return to a more elemental, acoustic-based musical platform reaching back to the early days of the Good Lovelies, as well as an immersive emotional experience crafted by three seasoned songwriters who bring their own real-life stories in all their dynamism and messy complexity to the fore.
“We Will Never Be the Same” is the group’s fifth full-length studio album adding to a widely acclaimed catalogue of recordings that also includes two beloved Christmas releases. It adds to their already popular concert repertoire as they return to tread the boards in venues throughout North America, the U.K., Europe, Australia, and beyond.
It is a testament not only to their artistry, but also their humanity, and is an album that will continue to endear this beloved group to fans of all ages.
Opening Act
I, the Mountain is a four piece indie-folk band based in Kitchener, ON. Known for their joyous harmonies, interactive live performances, and passion for building community through music, the band has built a fanbase of loyal “Mountaineers” across Canada.
Formed by talented vocalists Matt Lamers (guitar) and Matt Rappolt (percussion) at Peterborough’s Trent University, the band has steadily climbed the ranks of the Canadian indie-folk scene, adding Allison Dyjach (keys) and Rory McLachlin (guitar) to complete the lineup.
The group is making waves in Canadian music circles and has performed with internationally renowned acts such as The Strumbellas, Elliott Brood, Born Ruffians, and Busty & the Bass. In 2022, I, the Mountain broke through in the festival scene, winning over crowds at Hillside Festival, Riverfest Elora, Sound of Music Festival, Peterborough Folk Fest, Muskoka Music Festival, and more.
I, the Mountain’s debut album, Little Wild, was released at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and explores themes of togetherness, loss, and the need for escape. The album and its subsequent singles solidified their status as true up-and-comers with “The Boat” and “Coal Mine” getting play on CBC radio and amassing almost 300,000 Spotify streams combined. Now, I, the Mountain is taking the next bold step in their journey by bringing their gorgeous four-part harmonies to stages all across Canada.
$20/$25
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Highlighted by an artistic acumen and an amazing ability to evoke emotion, Stokes’ music is demonstrative of a songwriting craftsperson at work, with music, words, and vocal performances that connect to the hearts and spirits of all who hear them.
Her previous work has been recognized by the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards earning her an ‘Outstanding Songwriter’ nomination (2019) and award (2017.)
Rose’s newest release ‘When The Sun Goes Away’ was produced by Jim Bryson. With this album, Stokes merges folk formats and orchestration with elements of country, indie rock, and ambient electronic embellishments, creating a supportive foundation for her crystal-clear vocals and unique conversational phrasing. Its 11 tracks tell stories of relationships and self-reckoning and capture nuanced moments in relatable ways that will both break your heart and put it back together again.
$20
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Daniel Lew is a Chinese-Canadian folk-pop artist with a mission to uplift the world. 10 years ago, he suddenly went deaf in his left ear and developed tinnitus. This trauma caused him to devote his life to music. Everyday he sings soulfully as if it’s the last time. His songs have been called a self-help book due to their introspective nature. He has self-produced 3 albums, and has been featured by CBC Radio One, Jade Music Festival, and Daily Hive Vancouver.
Recently, Daniel received praise from both Jacob Collier and Ed Sheeran while he was busking. Ed invited him backstage to his show where he had the opportunity to play a song and share insights about their music journeys.
Daniel is recording a new album “Destiny” that is on pace to be released May 2024. He is supporting the release of the album with a Canadian tour.
$20
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The Heart Collectors is a four piece ‘epic folk’ band.
From acoustic harmony lead ballads to Bowie-esque sonic soundscapes, Australian four piece ‘Epic Folk’ group The Heart Collectors capture the essence of inspiration, honesty of love, and the nature of the cosmos in their music.
From humble beginnings in Australia’s New South Wales, the last 7 years have seen the band regularly sought out by some of the biggest international music conferences and festivals in the world, including South by South-West, Folk Alliance International, NAMM, Canadian Music Week, and Global Music Match. They have wowed audiences, representing Australia with their tight vocal harmonies, intricately beautiful musicianship, and larger than life stage presence and performance.
$25 Advance / $30 Door
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Michael Jerome Browne is a Montreal-based blues and folk singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter whose genuine interpretations of traditional and original material have been critically acclaimed far and wide. His mastery of American roots idioms and warm, unaffected singing have endeared him to audiences across North America and in Europe. He is a Maple Blues and Canadian Folk Music Award winner, and a six-time Juno Award nominee, including “Gettin’ Together” from 2023, which is a stripped-down acoustic collection of well-known and obscure blues evergreens, played live off the floor with numerous friends, including Mary Flower, Eric Bibb, John Sebastian, Harrison Kennedy, Teilhard Frost, and Happy Traum.
Mary Flower’s immense finger picking guitar and lap-slide prowess is soulful and meter-perfect, a deft blend of the inventive, the dexterous and the mesmerizing. Her supple honey-and-whiskey voice provides the perfect melodic accompaniment to each song’s story. The Midwest native relocated from Denver to the vibrant Portland, Oregon music scene in in 2004, and continues to please crowds at folk festivals and concert stages domestically and abroad. Two-time finalist at the National Finger Picking Guitar Championship and Three-time nominee for a Blues Music Award, Flower embodies a luscious and lusty mix of rootsy, acoustic-blues guitar and vocal styles that span a number of idioms, from Piedmont to the Mississippi Delta, with stops in ragtime, swing, folk and hot jazz.
Home Routes 2024/2025
We have once again partnered with Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous in 2024/2025 to host a joint concert series with Brubacher House on the University of Waterloo campus. Show details will updated here as they become available.
The price for season tickets for the 2024-25 Home Routes season will be announced when the full tour is announced. Cash at the door or by etransfer to tickets@emmanueluc.ca
Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous was founded in 2007 with the direct purpose of building more infrastructure for Folk Musicians to play more concerts in more communities across Canada. This was achieved by partnering with local community members to create a network of hosts across the country who donate their time and homes, or find appropriate venues to host folk music events in intimate and unique settings.
Artist and performance date to be confirmed later this year. Stay tuned!
Artist and performance date to be confirmed later this year. Stay tuned!
Artist and performance date to be confirmed later this year. Stay tuned!
Artist and performance date to be confirmed later this year. Stay tuned!
Artist and performance date to be confirmed later this year. Stay tuned!
Some of what you missed in 2024
$20 Advance / $25 Door
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Get ready for an uplifting and inspiring evening of music at Amplify: Hope, a concert celebrating Black musicianship and Black History Month. Curated by veteran artist Jon Corbin, this event showcases an impressive lineup of Hip Hop and R&B artists from the Kitchener-Waterloo and Greater Toronto Areas, including Jaye Woods, J-One, Ayesha Ahad, Kiki Wilson and Selam Debs.
With a focus on hope-filled music, this concert is sure to leave you feeling empowered and uplifted. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Black artists and support the local music scene. Amplify: Hope is not just a concert – it’s a celebration of community, resilience, and the power of music to inspire positive change.
Katherine Fischer’s unique pop confessionals are the medicine for when our hearts get sick, served with an eccentric dose of sugar to help it all go down.
From coast to coast Katherine has played over 250 shows from festival performances at Winnipeg Folk Festival to living rooms with SOFAR Sounds. Her new album “Great Loves” blends Americana, indie pop, cinematic strings and harmonies that wrap around you to create a breathtaking folk album, that has garnered over 100,000 streams worldwide.
York Street Thought Process, the musical collaboration between Jaron Camp and Rachael Frankruyter, offers an intimate experience, crafting a spirited blend of indie-folk and improvisation. Having charmed audiences across Southern Ontario, from intimate venues to lively festivals, York Street Thought Process provides a playful and authentic folk experience. Having released their debut album “Roots” in the summer of 2022, the duo recently ventured to the east coast to record a new album set to release in 2024.
Champagne Weather is making its recorded debut in 2024 with the release of “ADSR”, a four-EP collection of songs. ADSR, short for “Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release,” describes the shape of a sound from its beginning (attack) to its end (release). Also a metaphor for life itself, ADSR reminds us that every sound we hear is a microcosm of our own lives. This concert will feature songs from the first EP, “A.” Fans of Laurie Anderson, Jane Siberry and Philip Glass will appreciate Champagne Weather’s genre-defying mix of songwriting and sound sculpture.
Champagne Weather is bold, immersive music from Canadian Folk Music Award-winners and JUNO nominees James Hill and Anne Janelle. Both have one foot in folk traditions and the other in improvised music. With a blend of songwriting and sound sculpture, Champagne Weather bridges these worlds with a sound that evokes Philip Glass and Steve Reich even as it harks back to Appalachian fiddle and Maritime folksong. Cello, ukulele, violin and vocal harmonies sparkle, grounded only by the rumble of low-fi synth. It’s ever-changing music that neither sleeps nor wakes, floating instead in a dreamy blue twilight of sound.
“You will come to listen, and walk away singing. GATHERING SPARKS is the graceful collision of Eve Goldberg and Jane Lewis—musical friends who blend tight harmonies, finely crafted songs, and a love of participatory singing to create an intimate and uplifting experience. Their inclusive approach embraces folk, pop, blues and gospel influences tastefully played on acoustic guitar, piano, accordion, and ukulele.
With their infectious mix of styles and compelling vocal blend, Gathering Sparks has been making some big waves. Their debut 6-song CD was nominated for a 2014 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year, and they have become an audience favourite. Whether they are belting it out a capella style, tugging on your heartstrings with a folky original, crooning a jazzy swing tune, or getting into the spirit with a gospel-inflected singalong, Gathering Sparks performances make fans out of listeners with their stellar harmonies and fine musicianship.
Cheryl Prashker studied classical percussion at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she was born and raised. She has toured Canada, U.S. Europe and Russia. She spent many years in NY City where she honed her skills of playing anything from Rock and Roll, Klezmer, to Celtic as well as Middle Eastern music. She now uses her special style of percussion to enhance the music of such artists as Eric Andersen, Jonathan Edwards, Pat Wictor, Tracy Grammer, Full Frontal Folk and her own Celtic Roots Music group RUNA.
2023 Shows at a Glance
Check out the listings below to see what you missed! This will give you a general idea of what we will program in the future.
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$20 Advance/$25 Door
A Songwriters Showcase, featuring The MacQueens & Woody Woodburn.
Born & raised in Mississauga, ON, Canada, drawn to the small town lifestyle of his roots in Cape Breton, NS, Woody Woodburn now calls his home Rockwood, ON. The kind of melodies that linger in your head well after you’ve heard them. He gives life to your own struggles. Like listening to an old friend. Woody is an unassuming, humble guy that will surprise you with his powerful voice. A voice that combined with with the real & “come from the heart” lyrics will leave you more hopeful & inspired in your life.
Built around the distinctive chemistry of married couple Kris and Livia MacQueen’s musical partnership, The MacQueens‘ sound is a compelling fusion of contemporary folk, rock, and country, characterized by their thoughtful lyrics, engaging melodies, and memorable performances.
Their first full-length studio album “You & Me & Everything”, released in 2019, is a sonically diverse, emotionally honest reflection of life together. It received regular rotation on the CBC and more than 45 campus and independent radio stations across North America.
With their band or as a duo, their live performances navigate between delicate acoustic moments and powerful wall-of-sound highlights and all the spaces in between. The MacQueens perform with range and diversity that keeps audiences with them from the moment the music starts, to the moment they walk off stage.
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$15 Advance/$20 Door
19th Moon is an Electro/pop/indie artist based in New Orleans. Her music is about love, lifting the spirits and also vibrating at a beautiful frequency. Her style is influenced by her African, European and American roots. Born in the USA but growing up in Nigeria and vagabonding through Italy and Germany influenced her musical style and outlook in life.
Her latest album is called, “We Are Here”. It’s a call to empower and unite all. All races, genders, ages, sexes, whatever we feel separates us. According to here, these are just illusions created to occupy and distract us from our true purpose of love and oneness with infinite divine.
Opening act: Paige Warner
With an evocative voice that captivates her audience, Paige Warner creates alt-pop music with soul-inspired vocal licks layered on catchy hooks and rhythms. With over 80,000 combined listens on Spotify alone, Paige’s recent singles have drawn love from media and listeners alike. Having performed on stages such as NXNE, Owen Sound’s Summerfolk, TD Harbour Nights, and opening for iconic artists including Ron Sexsmith and Monowhales, Warner’s dedicated fan base continues to grow, while she pulls on heartstrings or pulls you to the dance floor. With new music on the way, Paige plans to continue releasing songs, creating intimate concert experiences, and leaving audiences with a memorable connection and a melody.
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$20 Advance/$25 Door
Melbourne sister duo Charm of Finches deliver intricate indie-folk that is simultaneously graceful and darkly bewitching. Their seamless blood harmonies traverse melancholy and wonder in equal measure.
The sisters, Mabel and Ivy Windred-Wornes, released their third full length album Wonderful Oblivion in 2021 through New York-based label AntiFragile Music to critical acclaim. They have since toured the UK and Europe in Spring/Summer 2022 and returned to the UK in January 2023.
Winners of the Australian Folk Music Awards Best Folk Album (2022) and Music Victoria Best Folk Act (2021), their music has been nominated twice for the prestigious Australian Music Prize.
Their 2019 sophomore album Your Company won the 2020 Independent Music Awards’ Best Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album – the same award won by Martha Wainwright the previous year.
Charm of Finches recorded their fourth studio album in Nova Scotia, Canada at the beginning of 2023, working with acclaimed producer Daniel Ledwell (The Once, Jenn Grant, Oh Pep!, The Good Lovelies) – to be released in 2024. They return to Canada’s east to showcase these songs this Fall.
“Wonderful Oblivion is a triumphant indie folk effort – nostalgic yet fresh, haunting, but at the same time serene. ” – We Found New Music
“Melbourne sister duo Charm of Finches are perched for stardom. For lovers of tight sibling harmonies, chamber folk, and those who long to be carried-away by a lullaby…” – Ariana Morgenstern KCRW Today’s Top Tune
‘Music that tugs at the heart and stirs the imagination.’ – The Australian
‘For anyone who listens to Phoebe Bridgers, Bon Iver, Billie Marten, etc., this band is well worth adding to your rotation.’ – The Epigram (UK)
Gets Tickets Now
$20 Advance/$25 Door
A triple bill featuring:
SHAWNA CASPI: Shawna Caspi is all about authentic human connection, sharing songs and stories that are relatable, but told in new and unexpected ways, with lyrics that are poetic and clever, wrapped around intricate fingerstyle acoustic guitar accompaniment. Her latest album, “Hurricane Coming”, was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award and an Ontario Folk Music Award. www.shawnacaspi.com
CLAIRE COUPLAND: There is a pureness to Claire’s voice that can silence a room. A moving songwriter and compelling guitarist, she combines smooth folk finger picking, jazz influenced progressions under soaring melodies. Darker and more vulnerable reckonings of self worth, escaping abuse, painful goodbyes, and hope for the future are all themes in her new album “New Light”. She brings a graceful contemporary feel to folk music, with a touch of her “wicked sense of humour” (Rik Emmett). www.clairecoupland.com
SARAH HILTZ: Sarah Hiltz is a contemporary folk artist based in Toronto, Canada. Her new album CALM FURY is a collection of songs that grew out of her research into the ways we experience, express and repress anger in modern society, especially women. Her work as a talented singer-songwriter has landed her Folk Music Ontario’s Songs From The Heart Award, opening slots for Canadian icons Gordon Lightfoot and Ron Hynes, a Best Folk Album nomination (Toronto Independent Music Awards) and earned her an invitation to give a TEDx talk in 2014. www.sarahhiltz.com
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$20 Advance/$25 Door
Desiree Dorion grew up 1.5 miles from Dauphin’s Countryfest. As a girl she would ride her bike there when the festival wasn’t on, climb up on the stage, and pretend to play to the thousands of fans that come to watch big country music acts.
Her most recent album release, “That’s How I Know,” reached #3 on iTunes in its 1stweek of release. The JUNO Nominee has had multiple songs chart in the top 100 on the Canadian country music charts, and several reach #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown
with Stacey Lee Guse and Carrie DeMaeyer
Stacey Lee began singing before she speak. Naturally, her life has been grounded in the music business ever since. A highly accomplished session vocalist and live performer, Stacey Lee has been delighted to add creative touches on several world class stages, albums, radio and television themes and has worked with renowned producers David Foster, J. Richard Hutt, and Jason Barry. Most recently, she can be seen as a featured member of Canada’s swing supergroup, The Western Swing Authority. With them she performs an eclectic mix of Western swing, jazz and traditional country standards along with 6 more of Canada’s finest musicians, including her husband, two time CCMA fiddle player of the year Shane Guse.
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$19 Advance / $24 Door
The story of Death Party Playground is really about the creative evolution of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kyle Taylor. The music showcases Kyle’s undeniable lyrical and melodic skills, resembling a combination of late-‘70s New York energy and early-‘90s Britpop drama. Avid Habs Fans. Aspiring Die Hard extras. Rock band.
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$25 Advance/$30 Door
Moulettes are one of UK’s most unique touring bands and are steadily being singled out from the wave of apparent Bjork & Kate Bush influenced Indie/alt Folk bands that have arisen this decade. They recorded their third studio album Constellations in studios, churches, tunnels, artisan workshops and bedrooms around Brighton and released it in 2014/2015. Their current project is the multi-album opus, Xenolalia
Renowned for their breathtaking live shows, it is clear that few bands have the creative range and work ethic of Moulettes. With a brave approach to production and arrangement, Moulettes look for peculiar ways of blending acoustic and electric instruments; For example, by putting Bassoons and stringed instruments through pedals and valve amps.
$20 Advance/$25 Door
Emmanuel United Church presents Traveling Songs ft. Andrew Bentham-Riley, Neil Little, Scott Wicken, and Lynn Jackson.
You are invited to join these songwriters as they share their songs and stories from the road in this intimate Songwriter’s Round performance.
Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario Andrew Bentham-Riley‘s lyrical style is anecdotal – sharing a narrative of his own life, an assorted batch of tales from the road, heartbreak, and lessons learned along the way. Andrew pairs these stories with tastefully crafted guitar parts wearing his influences for all to see finding better days through music. hyperfollow.com
Neil Little is a singer-songwriter from Stratford, Ontario. His sound is a blend of alt-folk-Canadiana with the emphasis on thoughtful lyrics and interesting guitar work. www.neil-little.com
Kitchener, Ontario Singer Songwriter Lynn Jackson has been writing and performing original music for more than 25 years.Jackson’s songs are fierce and tender, searching and powerful, as she draws us into her world and characters with enduring narratives and strong melodies. www.lynnjackson.net
Scott Wicken is a singer-songwriter and spoken word artist based in Waterloo, Ontario. Transitioning from poetry into songwriting in the ’90’s it took over his creative output writing 100’s of songs covering social issues, heartfelt ballads, and irreverent comedy, all with dazzling wordplay. www.scottwicken.com
$15 Advance / $20 Door
Inspired by the storytelling that exists in the diverse genre of folk music Noelle writes in a way that is simple, honest and deeply emotional. Noelle is a witty and charismatic performer who draws in the audience with her joy. She meshes a lighthearted presence and stage banter with emotionally charged, uplifting and sometimes haunting songs. Lyrically she taps into the angst and beauty of life. Each song has a soul and largely speaks to the resiliency and courage of human beings. Visit @noellefrancesmusic on Instagram and/or www.noellefrances.com
$20 Advance / $25 Door
Inspired by artists such as Janis Joplin and Florence + the Machine, Montreal-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Cinzia & the Eclipse creates an impact through diary-like lyricism and her raw, unforgettable vocal style. Cinzia has performed for national audiences at CMW, NXNE, & POP Montreal, and has shared the stage with the likes of Jonathon Roy, Bülow, Andy Kim, and Billy Raffoul.
Altered By Mom is an Alt-Rock/Indie Duo from Toronto that combines a knack for infectious melodies and classic songwriting with a quirky sense of humour and a tongue-in-cheek post-grunge aesthetic. They sound like Alanis Morissette, Olive Rodrigo, and Sloan chowing down on a party sub in the security line at YYZ.
Altered by Mom’s latest release is AHEM, a metaphorical throat clearing, a demand for attention, and a commanding of the floor. The four tracks on AHEM are a power snack, like a banana with a Red Bull chaser, an amuse-bouche for the ears. Lead singles “Dive In”, “Everygirl” and now “Waiting on a Sign That’s Already There” are compelling fun and introspective songs about self-belief, pursuing love, and embracing the weird and wonderful in life.
This is a pay-what-you-can performance.
Singer, songwriter Fraoich takes the listener on an evocative journey with her songs, style, haunting, warm, expressive voice that “has all these qualities and characteristics to it.” Fraoich is joined by Latin Fusion Artist Ravel MX.
$15 Advance / $20 Door
Brooklyn Doran (she/her) is a queer singer-songwriter originally from the heart of Northwestern Ontario, who has been a staple of the Toronto folk scene for over ten years. Doran’s unique sound weaves song and storytelling; the polarity between her music and personality create a harmonious blend of wit and humour contrasted by vulnerable lyricism and haunting melody.
Ottawa-based singer/songwriter Rory Taillon is a road warrior, touring across the country and back again. He has the soul of the East coast but the sound of the West in his songs with a voice to match the majesty of the Rockies.
Because Rory Taillon is not just an entertainer he is a performer. It’s just that simple, when Rory Taillon sings everything stops and when its starts again it’s all changed. It’s just that simple, like folk.
$20 Advance / $25 Door
Once upon a lifetime, Jesse Rivest was a young singer-songwriter based in Alberta and BC; music and adventure brought him overseas to Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Brazil (currently based). Now, 18 years later, the singer-songwriter and guitarist is looking to his birthplace, Southern Ontario, as a cozy place to make regular return visits, make new friends, and open his suitcase of original indie-folk tunes.
Sammy Duke is an unmistakable presence the moment he starts performing onstage. Called a “troubadour prog-rock[er]” (No Depression Magazine), this literal one-man-band uses each limb to perform on a variety of instruments; including guitar, foot synths, foot percussion, and even his elbow in the case of his famed ‘elbow chimes’. Through his infectious live energy, Sammy Duke enchants audiences with spontaneous spurts of crowd participation, self-deprecating wit, and thought-provoking lyrics within his folksy-fusion music that blends elements of world-beat, rock and soul.
Mitch Szitas has a way of storytelling through song that is infectious as much as it is captivating. With a euphonious voice, catchy guitar lines, smooth harmonies, and lyrics that will have you holding your chin, his unique styling to the folk genre will have you listening for years to come. His debut EP, Moniker (2023), is a heart-felt tribute to the kid that he once was, with lyrics that will make you think and feel as though you’re somewhere familiar and welcome.
$20 Advance / $25 Door
Onion Honey will be hosting a Holiday Hootenanny at Emmanuel United Church! KW’s favourite local old-time folk band will be performing original Christmas and seasonal songs, as well as plenty of singalong carols.
6:30 PM – Doors open
7:00 PM – music begins!
8:00 PM – intermission
8:20 PM – second half begins
9:30 PM – end
Advance tickets are $20, but tickets at the door will be PWYC.
Onion Honey may hail from Ontario’s tech capital, but they make foot-stomping, toe-tapping, hoedown-ing folk music like an old-fashioned string band. Dave Pike, Esther Wheaton, Leanne Swantko, and Kayleigh LeBlanc play traditional tunes made new and original songs that sound old; like their name, Onion Honey’s music is sweet and sharp and savoury, a remedy for many ills, and a recipe for a good time. Influenced by bands like Uncle Earl, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the Foghorn Stringband, the Kitchener-based outfit brings a uniquely-Southwestern-Ontario flavour to their music.
Onion Honey has been heard on radio stations across Canada and featured in Jan Hall’s Sunparlour Sessions; their last two albums, Raisin’ Heck and Earthly Trials, charted on national campus radio in 2017 and 2019. They gig regularly around Southwestern Ontario and have performed at a number of festivals including Banjofest in Guelph, Cambridge’s Mill Race Folk Festival, Winterfolk in Toronto, Hamilton’s Festival of Friends, and more.
Live Local Entertainment
Embrace the arts and culture of the Waterloo region with live musical performance and entertainment organized and hosted by Emmanuel. Keep an eye on our upcoming events and join us in gathering, building community and enjoying ourselves.
Follow Our Spotify Playlist
This Spotify playlist highlights artists that we’ve hosted in the past as well as upcoming artists. Curated from us to you with love.
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Donations to any partners of Emmanuel can be found on their respective webpages.