If you’re a fan of singer-songwriters, you’re definitely covered this month, as recent Indigenous Music Award-winner Mimi O’Bonsawin plays Musiikki, local up-and-comer Alexa Goldie is at The Mansion, and New York legend Willie Nile is on the Blu Martini stage.
Luscious
Friday, July 5, 2019, 10 pm
The Merchant Tap House
What was once The Brielle LeBlanc Band is now Luscious, a pop-rock cover band that plays everything from Led Zeppelin to Bruno Mars. The group packs some serious Kingston talent, including the always captivating LeBlanc, so it’s no wonder they’re becoming known as one of the most captivating and consistently fun cover bands in the city.
Free
Dave McGrath
Saturday, July 6, 2019, 2 pm
Spearhead Brewing Company
Every Saturday afternoon, Spearhead hosts different local musicians in its taproom, and this week its acoustic troubadour Dave McGrath. Born in Kingston and now living in Rochester, New York, McGrath plays a mix of blues, rock, and country covers and originals. If you like what you hear, you’ll have plenty of chances to see him again, as he plays over 200 shows a year throughout the region.
Free
Buckcherry
Tuesday, July 9, 2019, 8 pm
The Ale House
Can you believe that Buckcherry has released eight studio albums? It seems like yesterday the high-energy California rockers were hitting it big with the album “15”, which included early hits “Crazy Bitch” and “Sorry”. But that was over 12 years ago, and since then they’ve released four more albums, including this year’s “Warpaint”, which some are saying is their best since “15”.
$39.99
The Angelina Hunter Trio
Saturday, July 13, 2019, 9 pm
RCHA Club
This Ottawa-based trio is all about soul-infused blues rock punctuated by screaming guitar solos from Angelina Hunter. They released their first album last year, but they’ve been playing together for years, and you can hear that familiarity in the power of Hunter’s voice and the tightness of bassist Adam Bell and drummer Sandy Hunter. It’s no wonder they won the Ottawa Blues Society’s Road to Memphis competition in 2017.
$10
The Lionyls
Wednesday, July 17, 2019, 9 pm
The Mansion
The second Ottawa band on this list is the four-piece rock and soul outfit The Lionyls. They’ve been making crowds get up and groove all over the Ottawa Valley for over five years now, and have supported artists like Sam Roberts, Serena Ryder, and The Trews. This fall they’ll release their second album, which mixes elements from afrobeat, jazz, and hip hop with the band’s funk, soul, and rock roots.
$10 adv/$12 door
Mimi O’Bonsawin
Thursday, July 18, 2019, 8 pm
Musiikki Café
Contemporary roots songwriter Mimi O’Bonsawin is coming off a big win at the Indigenous Music Awards this spring for Best Pop Album. Now the Northern Ontario-born artist is touring all over the province with her soulful voice and rich stories that often touch on her Abénakis and French-Canadian heritage. She says she writes songs with the intention of giving back and spreading the word about the merging of those two communities.
Pay what you can
Alexa Goldie
Friday, July 19, 2019, 7 pm
The Mansion
Kingston singer-songwriter Alexa Goldie has been writing her own music and performing around town since she was 12. Now the rising 20-year-old is set to release her debut country single “Take the Blame” at this all-ages Mansion show. She’ll also be playing other pop-country originals and covers with a full backing band.
$15 adv/$20 door
North Easton
Friday, July 19, 2019, 8 pm
Musiikki Café
North Easton is an award-winning songwriter from Ottawa with more than 1,000 songs to his name. You may have heard some of those tunes on radio, TV, and in independent films across the country over the past 20 years, but you’ll definitely want to hear them live, as the man has a gift for coupling thought-provoking lyrics with powerful, heartfelt vocals. Think Cat Stevens, Adam Duritz, and Don McLean.
Pay what you can
Willie Nile
Friday, July 26, 2019, 9:30 pm
Blu Martini
Willie Nile is a giant of American folk and rock, and may be one of the most underappreciated singer-songwriters of his generation. Soon after he began playing in the late 1970s in Greenwich Village, the New York Times called him “the most gifted songwriter to emerge from the New York folk scene in some while.” Today, his fans include Bruce Springsteen and Bono, and though he’s now 70 years old, he and his band still know how to blow the roof off any venue they play.
$20
Lotus Shaker
Friday, July 26, 2019, 10:30 pm
The Toucan
This four-piece Kingston rock band has been taking the city by storm for over a year with a mix of funky, dark covers and now original tunes, too. As they put it: “We play a variety of gut-wrenching, soul searching, rough-around-the-edges kind of music.” In other words, the perfect fit for a sweaty summer show at the intimate and gritty Toucan.
Free
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