The pandemic may have affected concerts in Kingston’s bars, clubs, and arenas, but it hasn’t stopped local artists from connecting with audiences online. From Friday night kitchen parties presented by Spearhead Brewing Company to the Isabel’s Online Summer Music Festival, here are 9 shows to catch from your couch this July and August.
Happy Hour at Home
Fridays, 4 pm – 7 pm
These weekly three-hour shows have been happening since April and have feature a rotating cast of local legends like Miss Emily, Greg Ball, Julia Finnegan, and Jay Smith (pictured). Hosted by Kingstonist, Kingston Live, and Spearhead Brewing Company, you can find the live feeds at the Kingstonist’s Facebook page. And it wouldn’t be a happy hour without a drink discount, so head to Spearhead’s online beer store and enter the promo code KingstonistOne for a 10% discount on delivery.
Free
The Celtic Kitchen Party
Fridays, 8 pm
Keep the party going with these two-hour Friday night shows sponsored and presented by Spearhead in partnership with The Celtic Kitchen Party (pictured). Different special guests kick off the show every week with The Celtic Kitchen Party’s Andrew Vanhorn closing the show. Special guests in July and August include folk and blues artist Spencer Scharf, acoustic cover favourite Sierra Hallin, and mother-daughter folk duo Hips and Harmonies. Find the live stream on The Celtic Kitchen Party’s Facebook page or website.
Free
Michael Capon
Thursdays, 12 pm
St. George’s Cathedral
Although the pews at St. George’s Cathedral have been empty, every Thursday at around noon Michael Capon takes to the organ at the church and plays a 30- to 45-minute recital that he livestreams to YouTube. Capon is the music director at the cathedral, and is an accomplished performer, conductor, composer, and teacher. He started doing these recitals near the beginning of the pandemic, and as he told Global News in May, he did so to try to reconnect with people: “My mission as a musician, it’s not so much about the music. It’s really about building the community.”
St. George’s Cathedral YouTube
Free
Jive Ass Slippers
Wednesday, July 22, 8:30 pm
The Isabel Online Summer Music Festival
Since mid-May, The Isabel has been hosting live shows from its digital concert hall featuring local and international artists playing classical, jazz, indie rock, hip-hop, and more. The Jive Ass Slippers are a Kingston-based jazz quintet with Jon Stewart on tenor and soprano sax, Benji Perosin on trumpet and flugelhorn, Paul Morrison on piano, Paul Clifford on bass, and Rich Bannard on drums. For this show, they’ll play the music of Canadian composer and jazz musician Kenny Wheeler, plus a mix of old favourites.
isabeldigitalconcerthall.queensu.ca
Free
DAN School Faculty Artists
Tuesday, July 28, 7:30 pm
The Isabel Online Summer Music Festival
Queen’s DAN School of Drama and Music is home to a variety of distinguished faculty musicians, and at this special show during the Isabel Online Summer Music Festival three of them will show off Johannes Brahms’ Clarinet Trio: Wolf Tormann on cello, Cynthia Tormann on piano, and Kornel Wolak on clarinet (pictured). Written in the summer of 1891, the Clarinet Trio is one of four chamber works composed by Brahms featuring the clarinet as a primary instrument.
isabeldigitalconcerthall.queensu.ca
Free
Kathy Reid-Naman
Wednesday, August 5, all day
Kingston Frontenac Public Library
The Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) has been hosting a wide range of online concerts, workshops, readings, and more for the young and old since the beginning of the pandemic. This concert, “Tickles and Tunes”, is for kids of all ages and it should be a popular one since Kathy Reid-Naiman is always one of the library’s favourites. Reid-Naiman has made 16 albums of songs and fingerplays, and says her songs “bring the comfort of tradition and the sweetness of nostalgia — as well as the thrill of novelty and innovation to young listeners and their caregivers.”
Free
Oakridge Ave.
Wednesday, August 5, 8:30 pm
The Isabel Online Summer Music Festival
This Kingston band has quickly risen to the top of the city’s rock scene since forming in 2018 and galvanizing fans with their very danceable blues and funk hits and tight musicianship. As they say, they’re the “sonic love-child of John Mayer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, conceived at a party thrown by Arkells.” Indie rock outfit Emilie Steele & The Deal will play before Oakridge Ave. at 7 pm.
isabeldigitalconcerthall.queensu.ca
Free
Kingston Cabaret Night
Wednesday, August 12, 7 pm
The Isabel Online Summer Music Festival
Two of Musiikki Café’s regular acts are joining forces for this special sultry night of jazz, pop, and beyond. Musiikki’s Monday Band includes Alex Tikhnenko (bass), Bryan Howell (percussion), Paul Medina (drums), Helena Hannibal (saxophone), and Eric Liu (trombone/keyboard). Firebirds are Selina Chiarelli (voice), Chantal Thompson (voice), and Caroline Kwok (flute).
isabeldigitalconcerthall.queensu.ca
Free
The Limestone Trio
Wednesday, August 19, 7 pm
The Isabel
This highly trained string trio made up of Lisa Draper, Danielle Lennon, and Jeff Hamacher
has been making a name for itself since forming in 2008. The three are also members of the Kingston Symphony and are principal players of the Melos Baroque Orchestra. At this show, expect a combination of classical, traditional, and pop, including Bach’s “Sheep May Safely Graze”, Ashley MacIsaac’s “MacDougall’s Pride”, Handel’s “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba”, and The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun”.
isabeldigitalconcerthall.queensu.ca
Free
More to Experience
Did we miss an online concert? Let us know using our live chat feature and we’ll add it below!
- B-Day Driveway Jam with Bon Evans, Dave Bull, Laura Richards, Eric Spillsbury, Keith Gordon, and Ben Vandergaast | July 18th, 2020 | Online via Facebook Live
- Clem Chesterfield Live | Friday nights + Weekdays at 10am | Facebook Live
- Live Stream Concert Series | July 25, 2020 | Facebook Live
