Live music

(Bass Coast/Black Press file photo)

French DJ Clozee to headline Bass Coast in Merritt

Lineup announced for annual music fest

 

Hula hoop artist Fox Spirals spun a routine at the Kootenay Children's Festival in 2022 (Barry Coulter photo)

Kootenay Children’s Festival promises fun and games for the whole family

Event will feature performances from Will’s Jams, Bonnie Harvey and The Amuse Troupe.

 

Dancers in front of the stage at the 2017 FVDED in the Park music festival at Holland Park in Surrey. (File photo: Gord Goble)

Cancelled: Another popular B.C. music festival ‘on pause as we plan what’s next’

Refunds for FVDED in the Park’s 2023 dates in Surrey ‘automatically processed,’ fest organizers say

 

Danny Davis Guitars are displayed in Huntsville, Ala. A groundswell of support for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival has its board of directors rethinking plans to cancel this year’s event and dissolve the society.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, The Huntsville Times, Matt Wake

Chorus of support has Vancouver folk fest board reviewing cancellation, letter says

Board has paused a motion to dissolve the society and looking at options to continue

Danny Davis Guitars are displayed in Huntsville, Ala. A groundswell of support for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival has its board of directors rethinking plans to cancel this year’s event and dissolve the society.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, The Huntsville Times, Matt Wake
Casey Cawston and Dianne Clifton were invited up on stage by Kane Brown, with Cawston giving a shoutout to their hometown of Keremeos. (Facebook)

Video: B.C. couple get dance of a lifetime on stage at Kane Brown concert

The couple were invited up at the Vancouver show and gave their hometown a shoutout

Casey Cawston and Dianne Clifton were invited up on stage by Kane Brown, with Cawston giving a shoutout to their hometown of Keremeos. (Facebook)
Country superstar Blake Shelton has been announced as the headline for next summer’s Sunfest Country Music Festival, running Aug. 3 to 6, 2023. (Courtesy of Sunfest Country Music Festival)

Blake Shelton coming to Vancouver Island as Sunfest headliner

The Cowichan country music festival returns to Laketown Ranch Aug. 3 to 6, 2023

Country superstar Blake Shelton has been announced as the headline for next summer’s Sunfest Country Music Festival, running Aug. 3 to 6, 2023. (Courtesy of Sunfest Country Music Festival)
Hospital employee Shannon Bower (left) is hoping to give a special gift to Sir Elton John at his concert Friday evening. Her co-workers Berni Russell, who made Elton-style safety glasses, Kavita Dabla and manager Janine Lapierre, along with hospital foundation staff Terra Scheer, Andrea Woo, Tim Staunton, and Gabriella Matute are backing her ambitious goal. (Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance Times)

Hey, Elton John, can you give Shannon a wave in the fourth row?

Langley woman’s last minute offer for a friend’s concert ticket has her hoping for the musician’s help

Hospital employee Shannon Bower (left) is hoping to give a special gift to Sir Elton John at his concert Friday evening. Her co-workers Berni Russell, who made Elton-style safety glasses, Kavita Dabla and manager Janine Lapierre, along with hospital foundation staff Terra Scheer, Andrea Woo, Tim Staunton, and Gabriella Matute are backing her ambitious goal. (Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance Times)
Shawn Mendes performs “Summer of Love” at the MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in New York. Mendes is one of several musicians to cancel Canadian concert dates in recent weeks.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Charles Sykes-Invision-AP

From Mendes to New Kids, concert cancellations prove a costly gamble for fans

Fans sometimes stuck with hefty travel, hotel expenses

Shawn Mendes performs “Summer of Love” at the MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in New York. Mendes is one of several musicians to cancel Canadian concert dates in recent weeks.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Charles Sykes-Invision-AP
French horn musician and Royal Canadian Navy Naden Band member Alliszon Zaichkowski, right, plays one of her 20 conch shells during a jam session with her aunt, front left, and mother. Zaichkowski originally learned about the conch from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and jokingly ordered her first one off eBay. (Courtesy of Alliszon Zaichkowski)

B.C. musician toots conch shell on Canada’s Got Talent; gets Howie Mandel’s support

James Bay resident builds on 21 years of French horn training

French horn musician and Royal Canadian Navy Naden Band member Alliszon Zaichkowski, right, plays one of her 20 conch shells during a jam session with her aunt, front left, and mother. Zaichkowski originally learned about the conch from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and jokingly ordered her first one off eBay. (Courtesy of Alliszon Zaichkowski)
Canadian band Our Lady Peace will tour to B.C. cities this spring. (Submitted photo)

Holograms help power Our Lady Peace tour that includes Vancouver concert this spring

Alt-rock band touts ‘intersection of music and technology’ in partnership with ARHT Media

Canadian band Our Lady Peace will tour to B.C. cities this spring. (Submitted photo)
Rock band Dear Rouge performs at Surrey’s Party for the Planet festival in 2014, in celebration of Earth Day. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C.’s new ARC program aims to give musicians the tools to build sustainable careers

Applications from B.C.-based musicians now welcomed, with 15 to be picked for program’s first round

Rock band Dear Rouge performs at Surrey’s Party for the Planet festival in 2014, in celebration of Earth Day. (Black Press Media file photo)
Tim McGraw sings “Something Like That” in a video posted to Youtube.com. The American artist is booked to perform during the 2022 Rockin River Fest in Merritt, B.C.

Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker headline summer’s Rockin River Fest in flood-hit Merritt

‘Now more than ever, we need things to be excited about,’ city’s mayor says

Tim McGraw sings “Something Like That” in a video posted to Youtube.com. The American artist is booked to perform during the 2022 Rockin River Fest in Merritt, B.C.
The Vancouver Island country music festival Sunfest has been postponed the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Citizen file)

Canadian Live Music Association aims for clarity with live event regulations guide

Each province’s rules for live event gatherings is explored in detail in online guide

The Vancouver Island country music festival Sunfest has been postponed the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Citizen file)
Saanich residents Reb Stevenson (left) and Billy Reid are the duo behind Pancake Manor, a successful children’s YouTube channel. (Photo courtesy of Reb Stevenson)

B.C. duo drops new kids’ music as Youtube videos close in on 2 billion views

Duo behind Pancake Manor releasing their eighth children’s album this week

Saanich residents Reb Stevenson (left) and Billy Reid are the duo behind Pancake Manor, a successful children’s YouTube channel. (Photo courtesy of Reb Stevenson)
Castlegar country musician Lisa Nicole is releasing a new album. Photo: Suzanne Sagmeister

Castlegar’s Lisa Nicole launching new country album

Lisa Nicole will be performing in Rossland this weekend

Castlegar country musician Lisa Nicole is releasing a new album. Photo: Suzanne Sagmeister
Stumped by Steve Milroy is one of many pieces that can be seen on the Castlegar Sculpturewalk, which is venue No. 11 of the Columbia Basin Culture Tour that is taking place Aug. 7 and 8 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Photo by D. Gluns)

Combine a road trip with art in the upcoming Columbia Basin Culture Tour

Over 50 stops across the Kootenays Aug. 7 and 8

Stumped by Steve Milroy is one of many pieces that can be seen on the Castlegar Sculpturewalk, which is venue No. 11 of the Columbia Basin Culture Tour that is taking place Aug. 7 and 8 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Photo by D. Gluns)
Johnny Cash, June Carter and others pictured on a page from “Memories From the Mountain,” a new book that documents the history of Merritt Mountain Music Festival in photographs by Surrey’s Dee Lippingwell. (Photos: Dee Lippingwell)

Merritt country music festival’s ‘crazy-ass scene’ recalled in photographer’s new book

Campground C party zone and more remembered in Dee Lippingwell’s third book

Johnny Cash, June Carter and others pictured on a page from “Memories From the Mountain,” a new book that documents the history of Merritt Mountain Music Festival in photographs by Surrey’s Dee Lippingwell. (Photos: Dee Lippingwell)
Live concerts could return to venues such as Blue Frog Studios in White Rock by year’s end - provided immunizations make a diference and COVID variants are held in check - according to a recent round table including provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry and reprsentatives of performing arts groups. (Submitted photo)

B.C. performing arts groups could see gradual return of live events

Round table between Dr. Bonnie Henry and arts groups gives rise to cautious optimism

Live concerts could return to venues such as Blue Frog Studios in White Rock by year’s end - provided immunizations make a diference and COVID variants are held in check - according to a recent round table including provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry and reprsentatives of performing arts groups. (Submitted photo)
Frequent buskers Johnny Bomblast, left, and Dave Harris perform in front of Munro’s Books on Government Street. The roommates recently completed a new album of original material entitled Clouds. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

VIDEO: Not even a pandemic can keep a good B.C. street musician down

Buskers ‘One Man Band’ Dave Harris and Johnny Bomblast team up to record pandemic-inspired album

Frequent buskers Johnny Bomblast, left, and Dave Harris perform in front of Munro’s Books on Government Street. The roommates recently completed a new album of original material entitled Clouds. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
Vancouver’s Blonde Diamond is one of dozens of B.C. bands who received a SoundON grant during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Lauren Zbarsky photo)

$500,000 more funds available to struggling B.C. musicians amid COVID pandemic

Successful applicants will receive $5,000 SoundOn grants in as early as a month

Vancouver’s Blonde Diamond is one of dozens of B.C. bands who received a SoundON grant during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Lauren Zbarsky photo)