New Michael Vallely CD: Circus Songs

If you prefer variety in your music, then Circus Songs, the incredible latest disc from local singer/songwriter Michael Vallely is for you.  Recently nominated for a Hamilton Music Award, the album deftly explores a lot of musical territory.


Though always grounded in the folk/roots tradition, the songs range from pop, Celtic, Country, a touch of Reggae and even a little bit of Rap.  Michael handles it all with distinctive vocals, outstanding songwriting and a wonderfully twisted sense of humour.

Joining him on this unique musical venture are a few amazing local talents such as Tomi Swick, Andrea Unger, Randall Hill, Danny Lockwood, Amy King, Bob Doidge, Colin Lapsley, and Sahra Featherstone

You can pick up the CD at any of his live show or download it through iTunes.

Video below courtesy of Hamilton Blues Lovers.



Links: More Michael Vallely Stories, More CD Releases

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View Magazine Reader's Choice Award Winners 2013

Readers of Hamilton's View Magazine have had their say!  The mag's Reader's Choice Awards for 2013 have been unveiled.

All the votes are tallied and the Hammer has chosen their local favourites: From the best music, to the best place to break up (Gore Park, by the way) to the finest shops in the land.

Musically, the big winners are rock group Monster Truck with 3 wins and This Ain't Hollywood with 4 (co-owner Lou Molinaro landed an additional two)

You can click here for the full list. 

Below are all the music-related categories.

Congrats to everybody!

Local Female Artist

• Gold: Terra Lightfoot
• Silver: Robin Benedict
• Ginger St. James

Links: Terra Lightfoot, More Terra Lightfoot Stories, Video courtesy of Mel Olds

Local Male Artist

• Gold: Steve Strongman
• Silver: Tomi Swick

Links: Steve Strongman, More Steve Strongman stories, Video courtesy of M2B67

Local Band

• Gold: Monster Truck
• Silver: Arkells

Local Cover Band

• Gold: The Undercovers
• Silver: Freedom Train

Local Band Most Likely to Make it Big

• Gold: Monster Truck

Local Band Name

• Gold: Monster Truck
• Silver: Blind Mule

Local Album Artwork

• Gold: Blind Mule EP
• Silver: Jonny Debt: Prince of The Golden Horseshoe

Open Jam

• Gold: Carrigan Arms
• Silver: This Ain’t Hollywood

Open Stage

• Gold: The Baltimore House  
• Silver: This Ain’t Hollywood

Local Festival

• Gold: Festival Of Friends
• Silver: Super Crawl
• It’s Your Festival

Local Radio Station

• Gold: Y108
• Silver: Funny 820
• CFMU

Local Radio Personality

• Gold: Ric Taylor (CFMU)
• Silver: Lou Molinaro (CFMU)

Local Show Promoter

• Gold: Lou Molinaro
• Silver: Ken Inouye

Local Independent Record Label

• Gold: Sonic Unyon
• Silver: Hidden Pony Records

Coolest Instrument to Play

• Gold: Guitar
• Silver: Drums

Local Recording Studio

• Gold: Grant Avenue Studio
• Silver: Catherine North Studios
• Jukasa Studios

Local Rehersal Space

• Gold: Rock Parlour
• Silver: The Jam Zone
• SoundCheck

Lounge

• Gold: The Casbah Lounge
• Silver: The Baltimore

Live Venue

• Gold: Stonewalls
• Silver: This Ain’t Hollywood
• The Casbah

Country Bar

• Gold: Dirty Dog Saloon
• Silver: Galley Pump

Jazz & Blues Venue

• Gold: The Masque
• Silver: Cat ‘N’ Fiddle

Pub

• Gold: Slainte
• Silver: Rebel’s Rock
• Snooty Fox

Vibe

• Gold: Gallagher’s
• Silver: Sarcoa
• Lazy Flamingo

Dive

• Gold: This Ain’t Hollywood
• Silver: Prince Edward Tavern
• Galley Pump

Musical Instrument Store

• Gold: Long & McQuade
• Silver: Mountain Music
• Musical Equipment Sales

Store to Buy New Music

• Gold: HMV
• Silver: Cheapies
• Dr. Disc

Store to Buy Old Music

• Gold: Cheapies
• Silver: Dr. Disc
• Where Heads Meet

Blast from the Past: The 2012 Winners

Links: View Magazine, More from the View's Reader's Choice Awards

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New Andy Griffiths CD: Mind on Other Things

Once again, local singer/songwriter Andy Griffiths, brings his great pop/folk/rock sound to a new disc.  Mind on Other Things is a great follow up to his previous CD, Looking at a Life ...

This time, the spirit's a lot higher.  Tunes like Gone Forever, Lost My Groove, and Garbage into Space, are incredibly catchy and animated.  Slower moments such as Your Style and Your Smile and We Sing For Your Love work extremely well as a beautful contrast to the more kinetic ones.

To end off the album, Andy's included two interesting, raw, bonus demo tracks.

A few of the accomplished musicians from the previous disc make a triumphant return. Frank Koren, Ray Farrugia, Lawrie Ingles and others add their magic touch.

There's some new blood is here as well.  Both Tomi Swick and Kim Koren add background vocals to a few tracks.  Jesse O'Brien tickles the ivories on 4 songs.  Mark Lalama even breaks out his accordion for wonderful The Fog Has Lifted.  There are too many other guests to mention but they all make this CD sound marvelous.

You can pick up this spectacular CD at Andy's live shows.

Below are a few live videos from a CD release show.







Blast From the Past: Andy Griffith's Looking at a Life...

Links: Andy Griffiths, More Andy Griffiths Stories, More CD Releases 

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2 New Episodes of Ensemble Online

Videos courtesy of Cable 14



Links: Terra Lightfoot, Steven McKay, Lee Anne Wesseling, Mark Wilson



Links: Mark McNeil, Rachel Heart Warrior, Andy Griffiths, Tomi Swick

More Ensemble Episodes

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News Roundup (X-Mas Singles, City and the Sea, Robin Banks)

Local

• Download the Acoustics' new X-Mas single and help "Out of the Cold"
• Download new Smoke Wagon X-Mas single and help Make a Wish
• The Hamiltonian interview with Joshua Weresch
• Tomi Swick will be moving to Ireland this week. We wish him luck!
• We'd like CHCH to play more local music (Facebook page)

Canada

• Colin James, Colin Linden and Dave McLean list their fave Canadian guitarists

World

• Podcasts: Nothing But the Blues 219, Blues Time 174, Roadhouse 404

 Blasts From the Past

• 2009: Blues News Bites and Videos by Pete Sisk, Pappy Johns & Jacob Moon
• 2010: Hamilton Music Award Videos
• 2011: Kelly Jay & Trickbag@Buddy's Roadhouse

Featured Videos  




Links: City and the Sea,  More City and the Sea stories, Video courtesy of the band's YouTube page



Links: Robin Banks, More Robin Banks stories, Video courtesy of 25Musical

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Hamilton Music Award Winners

 
Congratulations to all the winners from the 2012 Hamilton Music Awards.  It was an amazing showcase of  all the wonderful talent we have in the city.

The big winner was Terra Lightfoot, who received three well-deserved awards (Female Artist, Female Vocalist, Alt-Country Album).  Blues veteran Harrison Kennedy walked away with two (Male Vocalist, Blues Album) as did Tomi Swick (Pop Recording, Video) and Luke Doucet (Adult Alternative Recording w Whitehorse, Best Guitarist)

The ceremonies were held November 15-18, 2012 at the McIntyre Theatre in Mohawk College.

Click here for the article from the Spectator, which includes the complete winner list.

Click here for video coverage from CHCH.

Here's Tomi Swick's video of the year, December Sky, courtesy of Tomi's YouTube Page



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Below are highlights of the winners list.

• Female Artist of the Year -Terra Lightfoot
• Male Artist of the Year -Lee Reed
• Local Group of the Year by the Peoples Choice -Hey Brother
• New Artist/Group of the Year - Missy Bauman
• Roots Recording of the Year - Ben Caplan and  the Casual Smokers – In The Time Of The Great Remembering
• Alternative/Indie Rock Recording of the Year - CA Smith – Someone You Love
• Folk/Traditional Recording of the Year - S.G Sinnicks – The Last Irishman In Corktown
• Rock Recording of the Year - Arkells – Michigan Left
• Adult Alternative Recording of the Year -  Whitehorse – The Fate Of The World Depends On This Kiss
• Blues Recording of the Year -  Harrison Kennedy – Shame The Devil
• Alt/Country Recording of the Year - Terra Lightfoot – Terra Lightfoot
• Pop Recording of the Year -  Tomi Swick – Tomi Swick
• ArcelorMittal Dofasco Artist Lifetime Achievement Award - Crowbar and Gordie Tapp (Hee Haw)
• Songwriter of the Year - Arkells
• Female Vocalist of the Year - Terra Lightfoot
• Male Vocalist of the Year -  Harrison Kennedy
• Canadian Recording of the Year by Peoples Choice (Sales over 10,000 units) - Monster Truck, The Brown EP
• Record of the Year -  The Rest – Seesaw

From the Industry Awards

• Producer — Dan Griffin
• Video — Tomi Swick, December Sky
• Live Club — This Ain’t Hollywood
• Musical Event by People’s Choice — Burlington Sound of Music Festival
• Keyboard Player — Jesse O’Brien
• Guitarist — Luke Doucet
• Drummer — Zander Lamothe
• Bassist — Kevin Christoff

More from the Hamilton Music Awards

Blast from the Past: Last Year's Winners

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News Roundup (Swick, Sinnicks, Local Videos)

Local

• View Magazine article on Tomi Swick
• The Johnny Max Band (including Jesse O'Brien) was awarded The Mississauga Arts Council Award (MARTY) for 'Established Performing Group of the Year'
• Sounds of the Hammer interview w/Steve Sinnicks

World

• Herb Reed, Founder of the Platters, passes
• Biographic comic strip of the Rolling Stones
• New Blues releases for June 2012
• Celtic Radio Podcasts
• Nothing But the Blues Podcast # 194

Funny Stuff

• 10 musicians that deserve their own ice cream flavours

Blasts From the Past

• 2009: Blues With a Feeling@Corktown (TNT Bluesmen, Wayne Janus, more)
• 2010: Big Rude Jake@Artword Artbar
• 2011: Bill Bourne@Brantford Station Gallery

Featured Videos

Links: Rita Chiarelli, More Rita Chiarelli Stories, Video courtesy of Han Stouten



Links: Boogie Infection, More Snow-Heel Slim Stories, Video courtesy of Steinberg321



Links: Bob Bryden, More Bob Bryden Stories, Video courtesy of ReignGhost

New Tomi Swick CD

Local singer/songwriter Tomi Swick has released his long-awaited second album and it's definitely worth the wait.

This self-titled CD (available through Warner Music Canada) continues his magnificent melodic rock sound. There's a lot of power here mixed in with quieter moments. Every song is infused with Tomi's well-crafted lyrics.

Highlights include the energetic Ready, the sweet Mine All Mine and a wonderful collaboration with Julian Lennon, December Sky.

The CD is available at his shows, in stores, online and can be downloaded through iTunes.

Below are a few videos from the album, courtesy of Tomi Swick's YouTube page





Blast from the Past: Tomi Swick at the Festival of Friends

Links: Tomi Swick, More Tomi Swick Stories

Happy Valentine's Day!

Links: Duane Rutter, More Duane Rutter Stories, More from this Show



Links: Tomi Swick, More Tomi Swick Stories, Video courtesy of Sound Spreader



Links: Yitka, More Yitka Stories, Video courtesy of Yitka Karlik



Links: Dawn and Marra , More Dawn and Marra Stories, Video courtesy of MFan1992



Links: Paul Langille - More Paul Langille Stories, Video courtesy of Booker950

Check out all of our Valentine's Day videos

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Spectacle Stage@Festival of Friends (August 7, 2011)

Click here if you can't see the videos.






Links: Cowlick, Barettas, Paul Langille, Tomi Swick

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