Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, March 2 to Wednesday, March 8.

If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.

When local songstress Mary-Kate Edwards was 15 years old, she almost didn’t make it to her first major performance in Peterborough.

“I remember my first show at Market Hall when I was fifteen for the Youth for Music concert, and I had been practicing my song for four months,” she recalls. “The song was ‘Please Please Let Me Get What I Want’ by The Smiths. But two hours before the show I started crying and I told my mom that I wasn’t going to go.”

“My mom said ‘Mary-Kate, you’ve been playing this song every single day until midnight for the past four months. I’m going to die if you don’t go tonight.’ So she dragged me out the door and I did play. It’s always been that way.”

In the time since then, despite a few pitfalls along the way, Mary-Kate has become one of the most buzz-worthy singer-songwriters in the Kawarthas. On Friday. March 3rd, Mary-Kate will be releasing her first EP, Blueberry Pie, at The Spill in downtown Peterborough.

With deeply personal lyrics and a soft yet intense vocal delivery, Mary-Kate has been writing music since she was five years old. As the daughter of a writer and a musician, words and music has always been a major part of Mary-Kate’s life.

“I’m a poet before I’m a musician,” she says. “I’ve been writing poetry since a really young age. It’s always something I did. My dad is a writer as well, so I was always inspired by him, and my mom is a musician.”

“Normally my songs are based on emotional highs and emotional lows. I can’t just get up and say I’m going to write a song today; I get a feeling and I need to write right now.”

Musically active as a teenager, Mary-Kate was often seen at open stages at The Spill or the occasional performance at The Black Horse. However, upon entering Trent University, she nearly gave up her music for her studies.

“I guess I was having a little bit of an identity crisis,” she explains. “My parents are very supportive of my music, and they were so supportive of me studying music, but I had it in my head that I should pursue something else.”

“I love school, but I remember in first year it would be three a.m. and I’d be watching videos of Joni Mitchell and thinking to myself ‘Why am I not doing this?’ and I’d be so sad. I’d say to myself that fourteen-year-old me would hate me. She would say ‘You promised yourself you’d always play music. You need to play music again.'”

Still writing music throughout this time, Mary-Kate began playing shows around Peterborough again and got to the point where she was performing a gig about once a week.

Then, in May 2016, Mary-Kate joined Kate Suhr, Chelsey Bennett, Missy Knott, Melissa Payne, and Celeste Terry at the YWCA Women for Women fundraiser at Market Hall. She found a bigger audience than ever before, and was further embraced by the local music community.

“I was super nervous because I hadn’t played a show that big,” Mary-Kate recalls. “I was the youngest person there, but everyone was really nice to me. The music scene is still very male dominated, but all the women in music in Peterborough really stick together. When I started getting back into music, I was welcomed with open arms by them.”

Mary-Kate reveals that when she decided to record her album, she paid a visit to Chelsey Bennett in Toronto, who really encouraged her to put her plans into motion.

“Chelsey was the person who said ‘Yes, do it!’,” Mary-Kate says. “She just made it happen for me. She gave me all these contacts in Toronto. She was amazing.”

However, just prior to recording the album at James McKenty’s studio, the old self-doubt from years before began to creep up on her once again.

“The week before I went into the studio I was crying and I called my mom and told her I wasn’t going,” Mary-Kate reveals. “But I’ve always been like that. I don’t know why I’m like that. There is part of me that is grateful because it always pushes me to be the best I can be.”

“I’m more scared of not making music. I’m terrified of that. Even when I came up with the idea of recording an album, I was terrified of doing it. But the worse feeling is thinking that I’m not going to do it.”

Of course, Mary-Kate made her way into the studio to record the album and she says James and his family made her feel welcome and comfortable. In fact, the experience was so positive that she is already writing and preparing for her second release. Meanwhile, Mary-Kate has a busy schedule this summer performing at numerous folk festivals, and she’ll be appearing at Pop Montreal in September.

“All the songs on Blueberry Pie are under a year old,” Mary-Kate says. “It was my first time doing something and I wanted all the songs to be good. I didn’t want them to be just another record that is thrown together. I’m really happy with all the songs on the record.”

“I had seven friends in the studio helping me, and I really regard those people as family. I am so happy to have them in the studio with me, and they had such a big influence on my music.”

Mary-Kate says it’s the impact her words and music have on other people which drives her to continue making music.

“I wrote a song called Never Mine, which is on the album, and I remember when I played the song for the first time for an audience. I was really nervous because it’s a lot different than the other songs I’ve written. But I was sitting at the bar after my set and a guy came up to me and said ‘I really want to tell you that the last song of you set really hit me hard. It’s exactly what I needed to hear.'”

“I think that’s the beauty of art. Being able to comfort people, and bring an entire room to the high of a feeling, or to bring it down and quiet and make them think. The fact that everybody can have a mirror of a feeling, but at the same time have it be unique to them, I think that’s a really beautiful thing.”

For her EP release show on Friday, March 3rd at The Spill (414 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-748-6167), Mary-Kate will be joined by Adam Tario, Andrew Vatcher, and Missy Knott. The music starts at 9:30 p.m. and the cover is $10, which includes a copy of Blueberry Pie.

There’s great music all month long in Peterborough and the Kawarthas this March. There’s literally something for everyone: roots, folk, pop, rock, country, bluegrass, blues, and electronica. Here are just a few of the great live music events happening in the area.

Kerry Jayne at The Spill in Peterborough on March 1

Head to The Spill (414 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-748-6167) on Wednesday, March 1st to hear Kerry Jayne and special guests.

Now living in Peterborough, Jayne was a nominee for Roots Song of the Year at the 2014 Vancouver Island Music Awards. Her voice is haunting and intimate, and her songs are ethereal and dreamy.

The show begins around 8:30 p.m. and is $5 at the door (or pay what you can).

VIDEO: “Dreaming” – Kerry Jayne

Brooklyn Doran, Gillian Nicola, and Bethany Brown at The Garnet in Peterborough on March 4

Three lovely lady performers will take the stage at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Saturday, March 4th.

Brooklyn Doran, Gillian Nicola, and Bethany Brown will warm up the room with an intimate performance of songs of love and life.

The show will begin around 9 p.m. and tickets are available at the door.

If you’re in the Bobcaygeon area, you can also catch Doran and Nicola the night before (Friday, March 3rd) at Kawartha Coffee Co. (49 Bolton St., Bobcaygeon, 705-738-1500). The concert begins at 7 p.m. and admission is pay what you can.

VIDEO: “Lansdowne” – Brooklyn Doran

VIDEO: “Unconditionally” – Gillian Nicola

Jack de Keyzer at the Holiday Inn in Peterborough on March 10

Blues fans must go check out Jack de Keyzer in an “up close and personal” solo show at Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront (150 George St., Peterborough, 705-743-1144) on Friday, March 10th.

de Keyzer been nominated for numerous awards and his reputation as a solid blues man is well earned. Tickets are $15 and are available at the front desk (call 705-743-1144). The show starts at 8 p.m.

VIDEO: “Canal Bank Shuffle” – Jack de Keyzer

Lonesome Ace Stringband at the Gordon Best in Peterborough on March 10

Old-timey string band music is a great treat for the ears. It is simplicity personified, with little pushes and pulls on the ears.

Toronto’s Lonesome Ace Stringband will being their very polished brand of this music to the Gordon Best Theatre (216 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-876-8884) on Friday, March 10th.

The band features fiddle player John Showman, banjo player Chris Coole, and bass player Max Heineman. Tickets are $15 at the door and the show begins around 9 p.m.

VIDEO: “Cherry River Line / Gauley Junction” – Lonesome Ace Stringband

Martha and Lotus at Peterborough Square on March 13

Here’s a great way for parents and children to kick off March Break!

Local folk musicians Martha and Lotus will play a morning show on Monday, March 13th in the atrium of Peterborough Square (340 George St. N, Peterborough).

The concert takes place from 10:30 to 11;30 a.m. just outside of the Peterborough Public Library and it’s free.

VIDEO: Lotus Wight

Shari Ulrich at The Loft in Cobourg on March 18

Golden-voiced folk music chanteuse Shari Ulrich will play The Loft (201 Division St., Cobourg, 416-895-1234) on Saturday, March 18th at 7:30 p.m.

Ulrich has been nominated for numerous Junos (she won one in 1981) and has composed music for many CBC programs, Sesame Street, and more. She has had a number of collaborations with artists like Barney Bentall, Bill Henderson, and Roy Forbes. Ulrich has 24 albums to her credit and in 2014 she won a “Song of the Year” writing award.

Tickets are $20 plus fees and are available at the Victoria Hall Box Office or by calling 855-372-2210 or 905-372-2210.

VIDEO:”Rain Rain Rain” – Shari Ulrich

A Tribe Called Red at The Red Dog in Peterborough on March 22

The Historic Red Dog Tavern (189 Hunter St. W, Peterborough, 705-750-1710) will be bumping on Wednesday, March 22nd as indigenous electronica artists A Tribe Called Red return to Peterborough.

The last show was sold out and this one will too. Advanced tickets look like they may be sold out, but there might be some at the door.

I don’t usually promote DJs in this space, but A Tribe Called Red are a definite exception. The group released their latest record We Are the Halluci Nation in late 2016 and it continues to receive critical acclaim in the music industry. Sweat, indigenous dancers, and sick beats.

Tickets are $25 at the door and the show begins at 10 p.m.. Here’s hoping you can get in!

VIDEO: “Indian City” – A Tribe Called Red

Basia Bulat at Market Hall in Peterborough on March 24

Basia Bulat is playing at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) on Friday, March 24th at 8 p.m. in yet another show presented by the Peterborough Folk Festival.

Whether she performs solo or backed up by a great band, Bulat is a big-time talent. It’s not exactly rock and it’s not exactly pop — it’s all her own. Her meaningful lyrics and melodies will stay with you.

Balat’s latest record Good Advice is another feather in her cap, as she has garnered both Juno and Polaris Prize nominations.

Tickets are $25 plus fees and are available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at www.markethall.org. Tickets for Row C are available (cash only) at Moondance (425 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-9425).

VIDEO: “Infamous” – Basia Bulat

Lennie Gallant at Market Hall in Peterborough on March 26

There will be no shortage of great folk and blues music in Peterborough on Sunday, March 26th as two back-to-back shows go down one block from each other. Two of Canada’s great male solo performers take the stage.

Folk Under the Clock presents PEI’s folk hero Lennie Gallant at 4 p.m. at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146).

Gallant is full of great stories and emotive songs that bring tales to life. This is Folk Under The Clock’s final concert of their 30th anniversary season.

Assigned-seating tickets are $35 plus fees ($25 plus fees for students) and are available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at www.markethall.org. Tickets for Row C and Tables 8 and 9 are available (cash only) at Moondance (425 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-9425).

VIDEO: “Tales of the Phantom Ship” – Lennie Gallant

Matt Andersen at Showplace in Peterborough on March 26

Another powerhouse musician from Canada’s East Coast returns to Peterborough on Sunday, March 26th, when Matt Anderson performs at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-7469).

If you haven’t seen Andersen perform before, you’re in for a real treat. The Juno-nominated singer-songwriter is not only an amazing acoustic blues guitarist, but he’s got a giant soulful voice that will shake you to the core.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 and are available through the Showplace Box Office or online at www.showplace.org.

VIDEO: “Let’s Get Back” – Matt Andersen

VIDEO: Matt Andersen compilation

Peter Willie Youngtree at The Garnet in Peterborough on March 27

If you like old-school country music and folk story-telling, you should go check out Newfoundland’s Peter Willie Youngtree at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Monday, March 27th.

Youngtree is an accomplished, yet still young, singer-songwriter of high quality. His debut album Country Hymns was awarded MusicNL’s Country Recording of the Year in 2016.

Tickets are available at the door, and the show begins around 9 p.m.

VIDEO: “Without Bounds” – Peter Willie Youngtree

Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies with Adam Baldwin at the Academy Theatre in Lindsay on March 28

There will be a big kitchen party at the Academy Theatre (2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay, 705-324-9111) on Tuesday, March 28th when former Great Big Sea lead singer Alan Doyle and his band The Beautiful Gypsies come to town.

Doyle’s music continues to include Newfoundland-inspired tunes including Celtic, rock, sea shanties, and even some of Great Big Sea’s best-known songs. This show will be big fun for everyone.

Nova Scotia’s Adam Baldwin (best known as a member of Matt Mays’ band) is opening the show. Baldwin released his debut full-length album No Telling When (Precisely Nineteen Eighty-Five) last summer.

Tickets are $55 and are available at the Box Office, by phone at 705-324-9111, or online at www.academytheatre.ca

VIDEO: “1,2,3,4” – Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies

VIDEO: “Daylight” – Adam Baldwin

Lynne Hanson and The Good Intentions at Catalina’s in Peterborough on March 31

Fans of gritty country-rock like Lucinda Williams or Gillian Welch will definitely enjoy the deep driving tunes of Lynne Hanson and The Good Intentions, playing at Catalina’s (131 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-5972) on Friday, March 31st.

Hanson is releasing her latest record Uneven Ground, produced by Winnipeg musician Scott Nolan, on April 7th.

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m.. Tickets are $15 at the door.

VIDEO: “River of Sand” – Lynne Hanson and The Good Intentions

This guest post by Victoria Mohr-Blakeney, Performance Curator at Public Energy, is an excerpt from Curator’s Corner, which can be found at www.publicenergy.ca.

Kate Story grew up with 1920s newspaper funny man Don Marquis’ writings and drawings and has wanted to create a performance about his life and work for the past two decades.

After a first incarnation at The Theatre on King in January 2015, damned be this transmigration is set to hit the Market Hall stage the first week of March.

“I’ll say that dance is a failure,” Story yells to her fellow actors, half smiling, as Story, Brad Brackenridge, and Ryan Kerr pick apart the cabaret-style trio they’ve just stumbled through.

“It’s a work in progress!” calls stage manager and lighting operator Lindsay Unterlander, from halfway up the empty Market Hall seats.

Unlike the intimate The Theatre on King, in Market Hall the cast of damned be this transmigration has space to move, so the cast is working diligently to get the spacing and timing of the newly imagined work down.

I’m sitting in on a rehearsal in Market Hall. The actors are currently running through the choreography for a series of dance routines spread throughout the production.

Even in this rehearsal stage, the work is completely absorbing. There is an old typewriter in the corner of the stage and an empty bottle of booze to symbolize the main features of Marquis’ working life.

Sitting in on a rehearsal is always a strange experience. It’s a bit like poking your head into someone’s closet when you’ve been invited over for dinner, or peeking into their bedroom — you never know what you’re going to see, but you know your not really supposed to be looking.

This show is composed of local creative powerhouses.

While Story is the writer and choreographer, local musical tour de force Rob Fortin composed all the original songs. Fortin sits in the upper right corner of the stage with a four-piece band including his partner in music and life and fellow Dora award winner Susan Newman on vocals, their son Dan Fortin on bass, and Bennett Bedoukian on drums.

Previously directed by Em Glasspool, damned be this transmigration is currently under the direction of New Stages’ Randy Read.

The original music, inspired by the music of Marquis’ day, is so charming and catching three days later I still can’t the songs out of my head.

Unlike the actors huffing and puffing to nail down the last dance step or the next line, the musicians seem relaxed — concerned primarily with their timing. Rehearsal is an ongoing conversation between the musicians and actors that’s remarkable to watch.

Rather than the musicians curtailing or extending the songs to support the various dance routines, what we have here is a two way street of compromise, with counts of choreography being dropped to better work within the structure of the music and vice versa — a bargaining act-collaboration in its truest sense.

In many ways damned be this transmigration is like the town of Peterborough itself: delightful at first glance, but bearing some deeper and darker truths the closer you look.

Amid its funny one-liners, quick-step choreography, and lilting notes, damned be this transmigration asks us some difficult questions. What is the role of the artist in society? Are artists being compensated fairly for the value they bring to our communities?

Writers like Marquis, who were deemed successes in their own time, struggled in poverty for most of their lives. damned be this transmigration forces us to ask, almost a hundred years later, are conditions any different?

Trailer

The City of Peterborough has launched a public art competition for a monument to be installed in the new urban park planned for downtown Peterborough.

The city is inviting Canadian artists and design teams to submit proposals to design the UN Peacekeepers monument at the Charlotte Street Urban Park, which is planned for the Louis Street municipal parking lot (where the Peterborough Downtown Farmers’ Market is held during the summer months).

The deadline for submissions is Monday, April 3, 2017. Complete details are available at www.akimbo.ca/akimbos/?id=104225.

The UN Peacekeepers Monument Project is the first of several public art projects this year as part of the city’s Public Art Program. In 2016, the Public Art Program sponsored the creation of two public art murals under the Hunter Street Bridge as well as a mural at the corner of Queen and Simcoe Streets.

The city has developed the UN Peacekeepers Monument Project in partnership with, and with sponsorship from, the Peterborough chapter of the UN Peacekeepers Association. Since 1947, United Nations Forces have performed peacekeeping duties worldwide. The association informs the public about the role of peacekeeping and honours sacrifices made in the service of peace.

The competition is open to professional artists and designers across Canada who are permanent residents of Canada. The design team leader must be an accomplished artist or designer, partnered with a professional architect or landscape architect, engineer fabricators and constructors who are able to complete the installation.

The UN Peacekeepers Monument Project will support innovative proposals from both emerging and established artists working in a range of disciplines and media. Beyond improving the appearance of the chosen location, the artwork should consider the community in which it will be installed, as well as the spirit of peacekeeping and the role that Canada plays in bringing peace to the world.

When it comes to peacekeeping, Peterborough has a connection with Lester B. Pearson, the first Canadian to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his proposal to establish a United Nations peacekeeping force to resolve the Suez Crisis. Pearson, who would later become Prime Minister from 1963 to 1968, lived in Peterborough as a youth where he attended Peterborough Collegiate Vocational School.

The proposed location of the UN Peacekeepers monument is a nine-meter square area at the north end of the proposed park, in the area near the Charlotte Street entrance to be known as “The Commons”.

The budget for the UN Peacekeepers Monument Project in $95,000.

The city will announce a short list of successful designs in late April and will select the finalist in June 2017. The UN Peacekeepers Monument Project will be completed concurrently with the expected completion of the park in late 2018.