Happy 2017!
Happy 2017 everyone! Super stoked to head into the new year with so many rewarding projects on the go! January can often be a time of pause for musicians as everything is still kind of in recovery mode from the onslaught of the year before, but this January things seem to just be nicely spilling over in a healthy continuation.
This year, I am lucky enough to hold the drum chair for seven Major label acts, as well as more on indie labels and also unsigned, so this requires consistently being on my toes mentally, physically and switching musical gears, but I love it immensely! I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to work with such a variety of artists and producers that challenge me and help me grow.
The tail end of 2016 was packed with highlights such as…
· A nation wide tour opening up for Backstreet boy Nick Carter, drumming for Dan Talevski
· Four dates coast to coast with Alx Veliz on the Virgin End of Summer Bash tour, opening up for Magic!
· A western Canada tour headlining theatres and Clubs with The Abrams as well as a festival date opening up for Vance Joy
· Performance down in Nashville with Jason Benoit as well as a headlining arena show in New Brunswick
· Headlining theatre show in Markham with Kira Isabella
· Live youtube session video shoot with Michelle Treacy
· Closing off the year with a packed crowd at the horseshoe Tavern drumming for KO, opening up for Ill Scarlett. Reggae Rock at it’s finest, and the sweaty crowd on a freezing December night definitely warmed my spirit.
2017 started off with …
· music video shoot for Michelle Treacy’s new single Colours
· A studio recording session for Kira Isabella’s new single (this was also filmed and will be released on Youtube)
· A headlining show at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa with The Abrams
· Drumming in the house band with some fantastic musicians and friends for the Bishop Allen Vocal Showcase…very talented young bunch
· Performance with Nefe for the Universal Music showcase, opening up for Mother Mother
Lots more to come, and some exciting news to drop that I will update next time.
End Of Summer Update
Avondale, Newfoundland
As summer has wrapped up, it’s awesome to look back and realise what a great time I have had with all the artists/friends I’ve been fortunate enough to make music and travel with! Here are some updates since my last post in June.
Most recently I played Music Canada’s annual general meeting, where Alx Veliz was the guest artist. Jeffrey Remedios (Universal President) presented Alx with the Canadian Gold Record for his single “Dancing Kizomba” which has already gone Platinum in Spain, and is now spreading. Other ventures with Alx this summer have been a Virgin Radio tour alongside Magic!, that reached as far as Vancouver and Montreal, as well as a taping of a YouTube special for him, a headlining show at the Mod Club as well as corporate gigs and guest appearances.
I have also enjoyed touring and working with artists I had not previously played with until this past summer, such as a young girl newly signed to Sony named Michelle Treacy. Her brand of angst pop allows me to really dig in and play with a crazy level of fire! I have also thoroughly enjoyed touring with Pop/bluegrass country duo The Abrams who are newly signed to Warner. They are an amazing talent, and it has been an amazing experience, playing rad festivals and touring all over the country! A residency at the CNE with Fredericton’s Tristan Horncastle was also a new experience and one I very much enjoyed!
On the flipside, this year it has been very nice to begin to have feelings of comfort and familiarity at some of the country’s biggest festivals, such as Boots and Hearts, Cavendish Beach festival, Otttawa City folk et, as I have been there pretty much every year consistently with some of the regular artists I play for, such as Kira Isabella, Jason Benoit, Lindsay Broughton, etc…….
Was also a pleasure to work as the house band drummer for the Honeyjam showcase for the third year in a row! It is a female singing event where certain artists are picked to perform based on their obvious potential, and it happens every august at the Mod Club.
Another highlight, I was also called to work with an excellent team out of Vancouver and San Francisco who have a children’s show on CBC called Scout And The Gumboot Kids. It was a a great time performing that music with them
This November I will be hitting the road for a number of weeks……..That will be in my next update……
First day of summer!
Much Music Video awards Alessia Cara crew
First day of summer is here and boy is it hot! Performed yesterday alongside some really good friends in an expanded version of the Alessia Cara band for the Much Music Video Awards. It was a blast and great running into so many people on the scene.
Earlier this week I performed with Latin Pop artist Alx veliz on BT Toronto, playing his hit single "Dancing Kizomba" which has now gone Platinum in Spain and is climbing the charts everywhere else. I look forward to our next full show, which has him headlining the Mod Club on July 14th.
July will be ram packed with shows, studio dates TV performances, and lots of fly dates around the country, where I will be drumming for the likes of Kira Isabella, Jason Benoit, Dan Talevski, The Abrams, Alx veliz, Candice Sand and more......
Happy summer everyone! Gonna be a great one!
Happy New year!
Wow, It’s 2016 already. Finished off 2015 with a bang with a nationwide tour playing drums for the amazing Jason Benoit. He exploded on the country scene in the summer with a top ten single for his song “Gone Long Gone” and I teamed up with him in the fall to start touring with him. The last part of his tour was a week with Autumn hill, where I played for both them and Jason, which was super fun! After a vacation in beautiful Costa Rica, I came back to finish off the year playing local shows around town and prepare for 2016.
Very excited about 2016. This month I will be drumming on an awesome record at the great Noble Street Studios in downtown Toronto, as well as working on pre -production for another record I will be doing in February. As well as local shows, there are also some dates in Alberta with Kira Isabella, a reunion show with my band Rebel Emergency and some video shoots I will be doing.
Happy 2016 everybody! Let it be a great one!
Back in town for a bit.....
Soundcheck at Rexall Place in Edmonton opening for Keith Urban
The summer of 2015 has been so hectic and so much fun. Maintained a ridiculous schedule with Kira Isabella, playing many of the bigger country and non country festivals of the summer, such as Ottawa Blues Fest, Cavendish fest in PEI, Boots and Hearts, Calgary Stampede etc…..as well as awesome arena shows opening for the likes of Keith Urban and Jason Aldean. Over June and July we were back and forth from Alberta at least 5 times! Ontario festival Boots and hearts was especially fun as I played Friday and Saturday with new country artist Jesse Labelle, and then the Sunday with Kira.
On days off from touring, I stayed busy in the city playing shows for the Pan am games as well as Para Pan am games with Jasmine Denham (one of the cowriters of the the Pan am games theme song “together we are one”) as well as TV performances with Soul Pop act NEFE, shows with country act Autumn Hill, Electronic Band Most Non Heinous, Cd release party with Stevie Carlyle as well as many corporate gigs.
It was also an absoloute pleasure to be part of the Honeyjam house band on august 13th! Honey jam is an all female artist showcase that celebrated it’s 20th year this year. We as the house band backed up nine amazing up and coming new female artists. Some awesome talent there from all over canada that I’m sure we will be hearing from a lot more in the future.
Exciting upcoming stuff involves fall tour dates, recording a record in New York and more in town shows that Im very much looking forward to!