September has some great music coming to Peterborough and the area. Lots of shows to go out and see and festival season isn’t even over yet. September has two great festivals happening. Get out there and check out some great tunes!
Shelter Valley Folk Festival in Vernonville from September 2 to 4
Shelter Valley Folk Festival is the last summer fest before we head into the unofficial beginning of the fall season. The festival takes place on Labour Day weekend (September 2nd to 4th) on the Henkel Family Lavender Farm near Vernonville, Ontario.
Shelter Valley has a great lineup of folk, roots, and music that goes a little beyond those genres. Acts include Jenn Grant, Scott Cook, Lennie Gallant, Irish Mythen. and more.
For more information, check out www.sheltervalley.com.
“I’ve Got Your Fire” – Jenn Grant
Nhapitapi at the Arlington Hotel in Maynooth on September 3
Check out a six-piece ensemble of Zimbabwean musicians at The Arlington Hotel (32990 Highway 62, Maynooth, 613-338-2080) on Saturday, September 3rd at 9 p.m.
The group is called Nhapitapi. Their music weaves ancestral rhythms and melodies with contemporary African music.
Tickets are $15 at the door.
“Pangu Pangu” – Nhapitapi
High and Lonesome at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene on September 4
Rice Lake’s beautiful Elmhirst’s Resort (1045 Settlers Line, Keene, 705-295-4591 or 800-461-1940) has been hosting music for over a year now.
Their second summer of music will close out with a matinee performance on Sunday, September 4th by High and Lonesome, featuring the great Bobby Watson and Kate Kelly.
The duo present a unique melding of music, poetry and song in their show. Completely free and all ages, the show will be on the beautiful boardwalk on Rice Lake and begins at 3 p.m.
“Grass in the Cracks/For What It’s Worth” – High and Lonesome
The Jellyman’s Daughter at Catalina’s in Peterborough on September 7
Scottish eclectic acoustic duo The Jellyman’s Daughter will play at Catalina’s (131 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-5972) on Wednesday, September 7th.
With cello, guitar and great vocal work, Emily Kelly and Graham Coe bring influences from bluegrass to post-rock to the stage. Stirring vocal harmonies and layered instrumentation bring unique aspects of The Jellyman’s Daughter to the forefront.
Ticket are $5 and available at the door, and doors open at 8 p.m. The duo are also playing at Shelter Valley Folk Festival at the beginning of the month.
“All That’s Been” – The Jellyman’s Daughter
East Coast Love Story at The Garnet in Peterborough on September 9
Having toured Canada so often, it’s truly a great feeling when friends from a city I have played in a dozen times finally make it to MY town. On Friday, September 9th, The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) will host Moncton’s up-and-coming alt-country/rock band East Coast Love Story.
These guys have been working hard for years to get on the road and this is their first big tour. I can’t say enough about this band.
The show will begin around 10 p.m. and will feature opener Lee Dodington, along with Richie Young.
“Cold Cold World” – East Coast Love Story
All-Canadian Jazz Festival in Port Hope from September 9 to 11
Port Hope is hosting a couple music festivals in September and one of them is the All-Canadian Jazz Festival, taking place September 9th, 10th and 11th in Port Hope’s Memorial Park.
Musicians performing include legendary pianist Oliver Jones (his next-to-last stop on his farewell tour), John MacLeod & the Rex Hotel Orchestra, Amanda Martinez, Dione Taylor, Brass Transit, “Coltrane! Kirk MacDonald & Pat LaBarbera”, Tia Brazda, Marianne Trudel Quartet with Kevin Turcotte, The Jive Bombers, Red Hot Ramble, The Quickshifters, and Chelsey Bennett.
There’ll also be food, wine, and beer available. Friday night’s entertainment featuring Chicago tribute band Brass Transit with local band The Quickshifters is free, and it’s $30 to see four acts on Saturday and Sunday afternoon ($10 for youth and free for kids under 12). A weekend pass is $100.
For more details and tickets, head to www.allcanadianjazz.ca.
Oliver Jones performing with Oscar Peterson
Grier Coppins at Catalina’s in Peterborough on September 10
Peterborough favourite Grier Coppins will be returning to town to play a matinee at Catalina’s (131 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-5972) on Saturday, September 10th at 3 p.m.
This time he brings a different project into town as The Urban Highlanders make their debut here. There are still bagpipes, but now also with some percussion brining some other beats and a slightly African feel to Coppin’s music.
Tickets are available at the door. Get a fancy cocktail, peruse the beautiful vintage things at Catalina’s, and check out the music.
“Kidogo” – The Urban Highlanders with Grier Coppins
Mayhemingways at The Pig’s Ear in Peterborough on September 17
Time to shamelessly plug my band. Mayhemingways will be playing at The Pig’s Ear Tavern (144 Brock St., Peterborough, 705-745-7255) on Saturday, September 17th.
Come usher in another collegial year with Trent students. Peanut races, trays of beer, great service, and music at one of the city’s great old-school bars.
Admission is $5 and the show begins at 10 p.m.
“Finnish Polka/Salmontails Up the Water” – Mayhemingways
David Simard at the Market Hall in Peterborough on September 18
There was a time when you could see David Simard play at The Spill in Peterborough any given week. Born in B.C. but a Peterborough resident for several years, especially during high school, Simard honed parts of his craft as a student at PCVS and in some downtown venues.
On Sunday, September 18th he will be bringing a full band to play at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146). He will also have a brand new album in hand: The Heavy Wait is his sophomore release. Filled with quiet intensity and a range of emotions, both musical and lyrical, Simard’s talent as a musician and songwriter will be on full display.
Opening the show will be local great Tiny Davis, a founding member of The Silver Hearts.
The general admission show begins at 7 p.m. and costs $18 including fees. Tickets are available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at www.markethall.org. Tickets are also available (cash only) at Moondance (425 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-9425).
“I’m Bad” – David Simard
Breabach at the Market Hall in Peterborough on September 23
What a milestone! Peterborough’s great Folk Under the Clock series, run by MIke and Sonja Barker, has reached its 30th anniversary. How else would they celebrate other than with a great concert featuring world class music?
On Friday, September 23rd at 8 p.m. head to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) to check out Scottish group Breabach.
The group has garnered international attention as one of the UK’s “most dynamic and exciting bands.” Traditional instruments merge with a high-energy performance. This should be a great show and a great celebration of Folk Under the Clock.
Tickets are $37.50 plus fees and are available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at www.markethall.org. Tickets for Row C and Tables 8 & 9 are also available (cash only) at Moondance (425 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-9425).
“Scotland’s Winter/Farley Bridge” – Breabach
Corb Lund, Basia Bula, Good Lovelies and more at Cultivate in Port Hope from September 23 to 25
What goes better with music than food and drink? Not a whole lot. Cultivate in Port Hope is the best combination of those three things in September.
The festival runs from September 23rd to 25th and features a huge lineup of great bands including: Corb Lund, Donovan Woods, Melissa Payne and more on Friday, and Basia Bulat, Wooden Sky, Union Duke, Mayhemingways and more on Saturday. Sunday features another great lineup with Good Lovelies, Catherine MacLellan, Justin Rutledge, and more.
You can still get a weekend pass for $70. Tickets for Friday and Sunday are $30, while tickets for Saturday are $40. Kids under 12 get in for free. Check out www.cultivatefestival.ca for more details.
“Washed-Up Rock Star Factory Blues” – Corb Lund
Porchapalooza in Peterborough’s East City on September 25
Porchapalooza, where neighbourhood porches in Peterborough are transformed into live music stages, is back for another year on Sunday, September 25 from 3 to 7:30 p.m.
Presented by Artsweek, this year’s event takes place in the neighborhood square block of Hunter, Mark, Douro, and Rogers Streets in Peterborough’s East City.
Musicians will play 25-minute sets on different porches, with “tours” at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., and 5 p.m.
Here’s this year’s line-up, curated by Washboard Hank and Sweet Muriel:
- Hannamars Bridal and Rick Fines (blues) at 406 Mark St.
- Evangeline Gentle (alt folk) at 442 Mark St.
- Paul Clark White (classical) at 498 Mark St.
- High & Lonesome (Bobby Watson & Kate Kelly, roots soul) at 496 Rogers St.
- Pays d’en Haut (cajun) at 459 Rogers St.
- The 3 Martinis (comedy song) at Ashburnham Ale House (128 Hunter St. E.).
Keith Hallett and Emily Burgess at The Garnet in Peterborough on September 27
A wicked double bill will be filling The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Tuesday, September 27th at 10 p.m.
The show will feature East Coast blues/rocker Keith Hallett. Hallett is an acclaimed artist who relentless takes his high energy show across Canada. Hot guitar licks and powerful vocals are a trademark of his show.
Speaking of hot guitar licks, The Weber Brothers band member Emily Burgess is also playing that evening.
Tickets are available at the door. It doesn’t get any better than this on a Tuesday night!
“Cattle Call” – Keith Hallett
Bernie Martin tribute featuring Jay Swinnerton and Benj Rowland at The Garnet in Peterborough on September 29
For those who don’t know, the late great Bernie Martin was a true artist. Songs sketched out, framed, and even in their imperfection felt whole. Jay Swinnerton and Benj Rowland will play some of his music as the kickoff for a weekend-long tribute to Bernie Martin in Peterborough.
The show is Thursday, September 29th at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107). The evening is entitled “Weekend at Bernie’s” and culminates with a few other events.
Tickets are available at the door and the show begins around 9 p.m.
“Some Things Never Seem To Change” by Bernie Martin performed by Phillip (Pip) Kummel
