Category: Reviews
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HOLIDAY LIGHTS TOUR-December 5th, 2024 – January 4th, 2025 @Casa Loma
By Shannen Johnston & Jesse Read December 2024 and the Holiday Lights are up at the Castle, also known as Casa Loma. It included dazzling lighting displays and themed areas while guest were on a self guided tour of the gardens in all of its winter glory. Castle Loma has some marvelous displays throughout the…
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Highly Anticipated Jay Douglas Documentary Play It Loud! — How Toronto Got Soul Set for Official Premiere on Dec. 4 and 7 at Hot Docs Cinema
Trailer Website I Facebook I Instagram I TikTok Spotify and YouTube Playlist TICKETS ONSALE HERE JAY DOUGLAS IS AVAILABLE FOR MEDIA For much of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Caribbean, Jamaican and reggae music scene in Toronto was almost unrivaled in North America in terms of quality and performers. Jay Douglas, lead singer of The Cougars and one of the biggest and brightest…
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Sue Foley @The Oakville Living Art Centre & Pat Travers @The Rockpile-Sat.,Nov.23rd,2024
By Wayne Baggs The evening began with the soulful strums of Sue Foley’s guitar filling the Oakville Living Arts Centre. The November chill outside only made the warmth inside more inviting as Sue’s Texan blues licks intertwined with her smooth vocals, drawing the crowd into her world. Each note carried an intimate energy, as if…
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The Jitters @Hugh’s Room-Fri.,Nov.8th,2024
By Wayne Baggs The Jitters at Hugh’s Room on November 8th was an absolute blast! It felt like a throwback to the ’80s Toronto music scene, but with a refreshed vibe that totally worked. The band brought their signature energy, and the audience was all in, singing along to their hits. Frontman Blair Packham’s vocals…
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The Fabulous Thunderbirds With Special Guest-Steve Strongman @The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts-Fri.,Oct.25th,2024
By Wayne Baggs The Fabulous Thunderbirds delivered a high-energy, blues-filled performance at The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts on October 25, 2024. Led by frontman and harmonica legend Kim Wilson, the band brought its signature Texas blues-rock sound to a packed house. Touring with a new album release. “Struck Down” features 9 new songs…
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The Highs &Lows Of Week #8 In The NFL
Dramatics for Jayden Daniels’s Hail Mary which lifted the Washington Commanders past the Bears, the Jameis Winston era at QB with the Browns upset the Baltimore Ravens, the K.C. Chiefs is the only my remaining undefeated team and the S.F.49ers are still alive,even with all their key injuries in the NFC West with a win…
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The Musical Stage Company – UNCOVERED: U2 & THE ROLLING STONES @Koerner Hall-Fri.,Oct 25, 2024
By Sally Warburton &Photo credit: Dahlia Katz The Musical Stage Company’s 18th annual UNCOVERED concert was at Koerner Hall! This October the spotlight was on the two most famous rock bands in music history, U2 & The Rolling Stones! From U2’s politically charged arrangements to The Rolling Stones’ rebellious and blues-influenced melodies, the innovation and success of…
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Blues Musician SUGAR BROWN Shares Globe-Trekking Odyssey With ‘Toronto Bound’ Single And Album
“Toronto Bound” YouTube and Spotify Website Picking up and leaving for a new town or city can be a challenge at the best of times. But for Toronto-based blues musician Ken Kawashima (aka Sugar Brown), leaving Chicago — often considered one of the blues’ hotbeds — for Toronto seems like a natural fit on the groovy and gorgeous…
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The Drive-By Truckers @The Danforth Music Hall -Tues.,October 22,2024
By Wayne Baggs The Drive-By Truckers’ show at The Danforth Music Hall in Toronto on October 22 was pure rock-and-roll grit at its finest, everything a fan could hope for—raw, real, and relentless. The Southern Rock Opera Revisited tour found the group performing all 94 minutes of their critically acclaimed album. From the first note,…
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THE 20TH ANNUAL ANDY KIM CHRISTMAS RETURNS TO TORONTO’S MASSEY HALL DECEMBER 4
Featuring Barenaked Ladies, Alex Lifeson, Broken Social Scene, Billy Talent, Dan Hill, Wiliam Prince and more to be announced Tickets to the 20th annual celebration on-sale Oct 18th at 10 am local time at TicketMaster.ca with proceeds supporting CAMH’s Gifts of Light Prices range from $35.50- $85.50 (plus service charges) All Ages / Reserved Seating The Andy Kim Christmas returns to Toronto’s…
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The Doobie Brothers @The Kitchener Aud -Wed.,October 9, 2024
By Wayne Baggs The Doobie Brothers delivered an outstanding performance at The Kitchener Aud on October 9, 2024, blending classic rock with their signature harmonies. From the moment they hit the stage, the energy was palpable, and the band didn’t disappoint, kicking things off with fan favourites like their cover of Eddie Hollands’ “Take Me…
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98 DEGREES ANNOUNCE FALL 2024 TOUR AND XOXO ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERSHIP POP ICONS NEW BALLAD “GOT U” TO DEBUT NOVEMBER 15TH
Los Angeles – October 8, 2024 – 98 Degrees is back with new music, a Fall Tour, and a new record label partnership with XOXO Entertainment. The iconic boy band, consisting of Nick and Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons, and Justin Jeffre, will open their Fall Tour on October 16thin Midland, Texas, at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center. Their new…
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Alberta-Based Blues Rock Sextet SPARROW BLUE Releases “That Rock N Roll” Single From No Lies, No Tricks Album
MP3s, WAVs, Photos, Bio and All Assets Here “That Rock N Roll” YouTube and Spotify Website I Bandcamp I Facebook I Instagram I TikTok St. Albert, Alberta’s blues rock sextet Sparrow Blue has managed to do something that is rare: make classic rock sound as fresh, energetic, and punchy as it did when it first started. The result is a short but incredibly sweet, party-starting, rowdy rock…
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The Legendary Downchild Blues Band Announces Farewell Tour With Special Guest Jeff Rogers
“There would be no Blues Brothers if it weren’t for Downchild.”- Dan Aykroyd “One of the greatest blues bands in the world. Period.”– Toronto Star “Downchild has a virtual lock on Canadian blues hierarchy.”- Blues Revue After 19 albums, countless awards and 55 years of spreading the blues around the world on tour, the time…
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Day #1 Of TIFF- Movie Reviews, Red Carpet & Events- Thurs., Sept. 5th, 2024
By The BKONTHESCENE crew What a fantastic way to start with the documentary screenings of Canada’s iconic group, The Tragically Hip, taking place in front of the Royal Alex. Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal Film screening – and an honour to have Canadian musicians including Bare Naked Ladies band members, Toronto vocalist and songwriter SATE and Oji-Cree…
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Day #2 Of TIFF- Movie Reviews, Red Carpet And Events- Fri., Sept. 6th, 2024
By The BKONTHESCENE crew In the afternoon we arrived at the RED Carpet for The Penguin Lessons at RTH The actors and filmmakers elegantly donned the Red Carpet at Roy Thomson Hall. Unfortunately, Missing from the Red Carpet was the main actor of the film, Steve Coogan. The Premiere film screening took place directly afterwards. Starring Oscar nominee…
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Day #3 Of TIFF- Movie Reviews, Red Carpet And Events- Sat., Sept. 7th, 2024
By The BKONTHESCENE crew Our first stop was the Industry Special Event, The Ankler’s Prestige Junkie LIVE with Katey Rich and Hugh Grant at Glenn Gould Studio CBC In this live edition of The Ankler’s Prestige Junkie podcast, host Katey Rich went over the highlights and awards buzz of the festival thus far with Vulture’s…
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Day #4-TIFF -Movie Reviews, Red Carpet And Events -Sun., Sept. 8th, 2024
By The BKONTHESCENE crew Sunday, September 8th Day 4 Cate Blanchett in Conversation at Royal Alexandra Theatre Red Carpet and in Royal Alexandra, 12noon Actress Cate Blanchett was very well received by her fans on King Street across from Royal Alexandra Theatre. She spent time greeting the fans. She was beautiful and elegant in a stunning…
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The 34th SOCAN Awards @HISTORY-Tues.,Sept.24th,2024
Interviews By Jesse Read &Photography By Wayne Baggs On September 24, 2024, the 34th SOCAN Awards honoured the outstanding achievements of Canada’s most accomplished songwriters, composers and music publishers over the past 2 years. The SOCAN Awards returned The Song & Score Week in Toronto – a week-long program of celebration and education for emerging…
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Day #5 of TIFF – Red Carpet, Events & Film Reviews – Mon., Sept. 9th, 2024
By The BKONTHESCENE crew We started the Monday at the Princess of Wales Theatre. The red carpet at TIFF 2024 for RIFF RAFF was a star-studded affair, showcasing an all-star ensemble that included the likes of Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Jennifer Coolidge, and Bill Murray. Fans and photographers clamored for a glimpse of the talented…
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