Corey Hart may be the biggest name coming to town this month, but no doubt Great Lake Swimmers, Charlotte Cornfield, and Shotty Horroh will be hot tickets, too.
Road Apples
Saturday, June 1, 2019, 10:00 pm
The Merchant Tap House
Almost 30 years after forming in Kingston, this Tragically Hip tribute band is still one of the best. They don’t tour as extensively as they did in the 90s, so when the chance comes to see them — especially on a home stage similar to where Gord and the boys started — take it. Hip acts are aplenty out there, but you likely won’t find one this tight, this consistent, and this able to tap into the rich, raw power of “Canada’s Band”.
Free
Chris Jackson and Friends
Friday, June 7, 2019, 6:30 pm
Blu Martini
Chris Jackson has been a mainstay in the Kingston music scene for years, impressing audiences with some serious guitar chops and a deep repertoire of classic rock, country, blues, and funk hits. His weekly Friday night gigs in the lounge at Blu Martini are always popular and always the perfect way to start the weekend. Plus, you never know what other local musicians will show up to play with him from week to week.
Free
The Celtic Kitchen Party
Friday, June 7, 2019, 7:30 pm
Riverhead Brewing Company
If you’ve never been to an east coast kitchen party, these guys will give you the best intro this side of Edmundston. Playing a mix of traditional and contemporary east coast, Irish, and Scottish Celtic music, they throw in a healthy dose of pop, classic rock, and country, too. Influences include The Pogues, Spirit of the West, Bruce Springsteen, and Dropkick Murphys.
Free
Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs
Saturday, June 8, 2019, 9:00 pm
The Mansion
This power pop band from Toronto has its feet in punk, garage, and classic rock à la Cheap Trick, Kiss, and the Ramones. With shout-along choruses, call-and-response backing vocals, and guitar licks right out of the 70s, they bring a ton of energy to their shows. As Sam Coffey himself told the Toronto Star a couple of years ago: “We bring the heat live! Not a lot of bands have as much fun as we do.”
$12 in advance
Corey Hart
Tuesday, June 11, 2019, 7:00 pm
Leon’s Centre
With the release of his 1983 smash hit “Sunglasses at Night,” Montreal-born Corey Hart launched himself into international stardom. He went on to sell over 16 million records, have nine consecutive singles on the U.S. Billboard top 40, and have 11 top 10s in Canada. This year, he released his first studio album in over 20 years and is taking off on a major arena tour across Canada and Asia — his first since the 1980s.
$48.50 – $102.50
This Frontier Needs Heroes
Thursday, June 13, 2019, 8:00 pm
Musiikki Café
This Frontier Needs Heroes is the moniker of Nashville-via-Brooklyn folk artist Brad Lauretti. He has been touring for the past 10 years, playing clubs, houses, and festival stages across North America and Europe. With just a guitar and his voice, you can hear both the desolation of the road and the rollicking, foot-tapping good times that come with any adventure. His mix of alt-country, folk-rock, indie, and Americana is influenced by songwriters like John Prine, Billy Bragg, Kris Kristofferson, and Townes Van Zandt.
Pay what you can
Charlotte Cornfield
Friday, June 14, 2019, 9:00 pm
The Mansion
Toronto singer-songwriter Charlotte Cornfield self describes as a “song farmer”, and exists on the same continuum as Bob Dylan, Courtney Barnett, and Angel Olsen. She just released her third album, “The Shape of Your Name,” which includes collaborations with a few Broken Social Scene members. Pitchfork said the new album “holds its own against some of the better singer-songwriter records of the last few years.” Toronto-based soul artist Lydia Persaud will play this show as well.
$10 in advance
Great Lake Swimmers
Saturday, June 15, 2019, 9:00 pm
The Grad Club
“A national treasure,” as the CBC called them, Great Lake Swimmers have been delivering their own blend of melodic folk-rock since 2003. Their sound has evolved over the years, however, and is now louder and faster than ever. Take, for instance, their 2018 album, “The Waves, The Wake,” which abandons the acoustic guitar and introduces the harp, lute, pipe organ, woodwinds, and marimbas for an elevated, eclectic sound.
$18 in advance
Spencer Evans
Tuesday, June 25, 2019, 6:00 pm
Olivea
Every Tuesday evening from 6 pm – 9 pm, a rotating cast of Kingston jazz musicians play downtown Italian restaurant Olivea. This week, it’s local legend Spencer Evans on vocals, keyboard and clarinet, and Bob Arlidge on bass. Evans has played all over the world and has toured and performed with Sarah Harmer, The Cowboy Junkies, Jeff Healey, Dan Aykroyd, and others. He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Vinyl Café with Stuart McLean.
Free
Kellie Loder
Friday, June 28, 2019, 8:00 pm
Musiikki Café
Juno Award-nominee and proud Newfoundlander Kellie Loder seems to be just hitting her stride. She called her 2018 album, “The Benefit of the Doubt,” a transitional work that allowed her to move from a “contemporary Christian artist to embodying a contemporary folk/pop singer/songwriter’s aesthetic.” Like her home province, her music and shows are studies in contrasts: poignant lyrics and melodic rhythms; electrifying festival shows and intimate bar gigs; heartfelt emotions and lots of laughs.
Pay what you can
Ambush
Saturday, June 29, 2019, 3:30 pm
The General Wolfe Inn, Wolfe Island
For over 25 years, this three-piece has been delivering their own brand of country rock to audiences throughout Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Known for their high-octane live shows, they’ve been nominated for a handful of Canadian Country Music Awards and won CMT Canada’s reality TV series “Plucked.” This special afternoon show will happen on The General Wolfe’s lakeside patio.
Free
Shotty Horroh
Saturday, June 29, 2019, 9:00 pm
The Mansion
Manchester, England rapper Shotty Horroh has been tearing up the UK underground music scene for close to 10 years, and recently signed a four-album deal with Sony Music. A rap battle of his from 2012 has garnered over 11 million YouTube views and the attention of Canadian electronic legend deadmau5. The two went on to collaborate on multiple songs, including “Are You Not Afraid,” “Okay,” and “Legendary.”
$10 in advance
