There’s so much music to see and hear during April in Peterborough and the Kawarthas! Here are just a few of the great things happening this month. Kick off those winter boots and get out to see some live music!
For other upcoming live music events, remember to check out our Concerts & Live Music and Pubs & Clubs pages.
Mayhemingways in Peterborough at the Pig’s Ear on April 2 and The Spill on April 10
The Peterborough Folk Festival presents a pair of Mayhemingways‘ Hunter Street Blues album release shows.
The first is on Saturday, April 2nd at the Pig’s Ear Tavern (144 Brock St., Peterborough, 705-745-7255) and begins at 10 p.m. For those who prefer an earlier show, the second is a matinee at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 10th at The Spill (414 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-748-6167).
The album is the first full-length effort of the Peterborough fuzz-folk duo of Benj Rowland and yours truly. Tickets are available at the door for both shows.
“Hunter Street Blues” – Mayhemingways
Rising Appalachia with Thetaflo at George Street United Church in Peterborough on April 7
There will be an eclectic musical feast for the ears on Thursday, April 7th at the George Street United Church (534 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-4162) as Rising Appalachia from Atlanta, Georgia take the stage.
Their genre is hard to pin down: one part folk and another part world beat with elements of the Appalachian tradition. Their songs are uplifting and tell stories of healing, growth and change.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with opening act Thetaflo going on around 7 p.m.
Tickets are $23.37 and are available on EventBrite.
“Medicine” – Rising Appalachia
Micah Barnes at Trinity United Church in Bobcaygeon on April 8
Bobcaygeon will be the smoothest small town in Ontario on Friday, April 8th when crooner and pianist (and former Nylons member) Micah Barnes performs at Trinity United Church (42 William St., Bobcaygeon, 705-738-5135).
The singer was well known in the Queen Street scene in Toronto before moving on to Venice Beach in California and garnering all sorts of attention.
The 7:30 p.m. show is presented by the Bobcaygeon Music Council and is part of their five-concert Music Alive series. Tickets are $30 for each concert in the series, or you can purchase tickets for all five concerts for $120.
“New York Story” – Micah Barnes
CANCELLED – Joe Hall with Tiny Davis at Electric City Gardens in Peterborough on April 8
Update 04/08/16 – This performance is cancelled and will be rescheduled for another date.
Joe Hall, one of Canada’s unsung musical heros and a long-time Peterborough resident, will entertain along with Tiny Davis (The Silver Hearts) at Electric City Gardens (373 Queen St., Peterborough, 705-749-1909) on Friday, April 8th at 9 p.m.
The pair play along with each other’s tunes, each full of whimsy, humour, and an intangible brilliance.
The cost of the show is $10 at the door.
“New Frontier” – Joe Hall with Tiny Davis and Pat Walsh
Pat Temple and the Hi Lo Players and Alan Black & The Steady Band at Showplace in Peterborough on April 9
There is nothing like a great double bill and there will be a doozy on Saturday, April 9th at 8pm in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-7469). The evening will feature two iconic area acts in Pat Temple and the Hi Lo Players and Alan Black & The Steady Band.
Their music will meander between blues, country blues, and hillbilly jazz. This show is a great reason to get out, dance away the winter, and welcome spring.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Advance tickets are available at the Showplace Box Office or online at www.showplace.org.
“Say So” – Pat Temple and the Hi Lo Players
“Drag Your Spirit” – Alan Black & The Steady Band
C.R. Avery at The Garnet in Peterborough on April 13
Creative conduit, author, poet and musician C.R. Avery returns to Peterborough to play The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Wednesday, April 13th.
The Vancouver artist’s shows are chalk full of inspiring and delighting elements. There are sure to be some familiar faces as guests too.
The show begins around 9 p.m. and tickets are available at the door.
C.R. Avery with The Weber Brothers and PrufRock Shadowrunner
Nudie at South Pond Farms in Pontypool on April 15
Old-school country troubadour Nudie, who resides in Charlottetown PEI, will be playing a house concert near Bethany at South Pond Farms (1020 Gray Rd, Pontypool, 705-277-1649) on Friday, April 15th from 6 to 9 p.m.
Nudie’s work is honest and true and steeped in the traditions of the great country voices and songwriters. He recently recorded an album with local producer extraordinaire James McKenty and will be releasing it throughout Ontario in April. The show is part of Home Routes, a house concert tour series that takes place all over Canada.
Tickets are $20 for music and $20 for dinner. Visit www.southpondfarms.ca for more information.
“I’ve Been Here Before” – Nudie
The Quickshifters at Catalina’s and Limestone and Feathers & Fangs at The Spill in Peterborough on April 16
There are a pair of great early shows on Saturday, April 16th in Peterborough. You can get out and dance and enjoy some tunes and still be home at a reasonable hour!
Local rockabilly band The Quickshifters will be at Catalina’s (131 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-5972) playing upbeat and fun tunes beginning at 8 p.m. — perfect for dancing and enjoying classy cocktails.
Don’t know how to dance to rockabilly music? Well, there’ll be a one-hour dance lesson before the music with Cobourg Swing and Lindy Hop. Tickets for music are $10, dance lessons are $15 or you can get both for $20. For more information call 705-874-5972.
The other show is part of the While The Night Is Young series at The Spill (414 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-748-6167) and is their first two-act evening with Peterborough’s Limestone and Toronto’s Feathers & Fangs.
Limestone combines rock and roll covers with fun originals, while Feather & Fangs play concept-based folk rock. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the show starting at 8 p.m. Advance tickets are $10 and are available at The Spill, with the cost at the door being $12.
The Quickshifters Live at Cherry Colas
Feathers and Fangs
Hawksley Workman at Showplace in Peterborough on April 22
Hawksley Workman has done just about everything you can do in music and the performing arts. He has excelled in songwriting, producing, acting, writing, and certainly singing over his 12+ year career.
He returns to Peterborough on Friday, April 22nd at 8 p.m. at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-7469).
Hawsley brings with him a reputation as one of Canada’s great showmen, always seeming to defy categorization through an unwavering dedication to creativity and artistic growth.
Tickets are $35 and are available at the Showplace Box Office or online at www.showplace.org.
And don’t forget that kawarthaNOW.com, the presenting media sponsor of the show, is giving away eight pairs of balcony wing seats exclusively to VIP readers who are subscribed to kawarthaNOW’s weekly newsletter. For your chance to win, sign up at k-n.ca/subscribe.
“We’re Not Broken Yet” – Hawksley Workman
Roxanne Potvin and Erin Costelo at The Spill in Peterborough on April 22
After Hawksley’s show at Showplace, two of Canada’s brightest female artists will be performing at The Spill (414 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-748-6167).
Montreal’s Roxanne Potvin is a Juno-nominated artist whose work gets stronger and stronger with each album. Her music drifts between somewhere between roots and soul. Her latest album For Dreaming was just released to rave reviews.
Speaking of soul, Potvin will be joined by Halifax artist Erin Costelo and her band. Costelo is an acclaimed songwriter and singer with a ton of talent and soul. Her brand new record Down Below the Status Quo is another big step in her evolution as an artist.
The show begins at 10 p.m. Advance tickets will be available at The Spill as of April 1st for $10, or $15 at the door (if you show your Hawksley Workman ticket stub at the door, you can get in for only $8).
“I Thought I’d Miss You” – Roxanne Potvin
“Low” – Erin Costelo
Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys at the Market Hall in Peterborough on April 24
Roots fans rejoice! Folk Under the Clock continues bringing excellent music to town with PEI’s Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys playing at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) on Sunday, April 24th at 7:30 p.m.
With blazing fiddle and rock solid roots instrumentation, this high-energy band has travelled the world over the past couple of years. This is the final concert of Folk Under The Clock’s 29th season so don’t miss it!
Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for kids, available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at www.markethall.org. Tickets for Row C & Tables 9/8/15/16/17 are available (cash only) at Moondance (425 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-9425).
“Pickle King Polka” – Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys
New Grease Revival with The Losing Hand at The Garnet in Peterborough on April 30
There’s going to be a heck of a show at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Saturday, April 30th at 10 p.m.
Hometown talent Jay Swinnerton returns to Peterborough with a whole bunch of great Toronto players in his band New Grease Revival and will be joined by uber-cool local band The Losing Hand.
Trust me on this: it’ll be great music all night long with some “wow” moments. Tickets are available at the door.
“Bullseye” – New Grease Revival
