The Pearl Company

riot nrrd with Leo Dragtoe! Saturday, October 19: NOTE TIME: Doors: 4:00pm. Show: 4:30. Tickets: $20 /or best offer…. riot nrrd is a Hamilton-based musician, (aka Conrad Sichler, a holistic medicine practitioner). He’s resurfacing after the barnburner of a launch for his new album LaughCry, SmartStupid!! for a long-awaited show with the indomitable Leo Dragtoe. Together at last!
Mr. nrrd will be accompanied by his long-time collaborator Dave Gould on drums, as well as a mysterious player to be named later. Come and enjoy the witty repartee, and songs designed to drag you through a series of at least four emotions!  For those who have never heard the nrrd, expect something meaningful, something beautiful, something rhythmic, and something edgy.
Leo Dragtoe is the perfect combination of lovable whimsy and knee-slapping punkishness. He is a walking, talking carnival of words, sounds, feelings and question marks. Sometimes he even plays guitar. Sometimes he sings. No matter what life throws his way, he tries to wear a smile. Leo is about to make some delightful noise with his pal riot nrrd. Thank you for lending your ears. Leo promises to give them back when the show is over. https://www.facebook.com/riotnrrdmusic

Bob Wegner: An Evening of Pink Floyd….Friday October 18. Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00 pm. $20.  Bob Wegner is a seasoned performer and composer.  Career highlights include playing with Classic Albums Live, performing on Canadian Idol, and playing in several productions of the west end musical ‘We Will Rock You’ after auditioning for Queen’s Brian May.  He also performs as a solo artist, and this show will see him performing an entire night of Pink Floyd on guitars and lap steel.  This will be an evening of great music and storytelling and a unique chance to catch this master at his best! https://www.bobwegner.ca      Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIzdYXlN3ac

C.R. Avery: Friday, October 4: 8:00pm, $20 door. CR Avery: Outlaw Hip-Hop Harmonica Player; Beatbox Poet; Punk Piano Player; String Quartet Raconteur; Rock & Roll Matador; Playwright. He is a unique, raw and  dynamic performer. He is admired by and has performed with Tom Waits, Ani DiFranco, Utah Phillips He has recorded 16 LPs and presented six hip hop operas; he is writing his fourth book and now paints. CR is a Canadian music sensation. His lyrics, vocal delivery, energy, and artistry have won him international acclaim. He is a one-man band, but one for this generation. His incredible live performances have been described as Bob Dylan in the body of Iggy Pop….  Every show is all or nothing and his fearless approach to all genres of music both on stage and in the studio proves the longevity of this talented, astonishing creator who has so much more to come. www.cravery.com

Jeff Giles+ Corrina Keeling+ Shawna Caspi: Thursday, September 26. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/ seniors/ un(der)waged. An evening of great songwriting and great musicianship, delivered in-the-round by three old friends.
Corrina Keeling is a sophisticated songwriter and a technically-accomplished rhythmic powerhouse; her music is medicine for complex times, inviting her audience to celebrate, grieve, heal, and imagine what’s possible. From David Suzuki’s ‘Blue Dot’ Tour, to festivals in Australia, the USA, and the UK, she has shared the stage with artists aligned with her message, including Feist, Tonye, The Barenaked Ladies, and Neil Young.
Shawna Caspi may perform solo, but there’s a whole band under her fingertips. Accompanying herself with a remarkably lyrical fingerpicking guitar style, she believes in the power of one person, one instrument, and songs filled with poetry. Currently touring the US and Canada in support of her 4th album, Forest Fire, her performances capture audiences with their grace and intimacy, seeking to be unafraid, to embolden quiet voices, and to tell the truth above all else.
Jeff Giles began his love affair at the age of 8 with the best of 60’s Soul and 50’s Rock & Roll. A Hamilton local, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter, Jeff is now one of the country’s most in-demand tribute music performers, sharing his love for the broad history of popular music across Canada, the USA, and Europe. He is happiest, however, in an intimate environment, singing his own songs: an eclectic mix of folk, soul, and roots music. Of his work, the Hamilton Spectator’s Gary Smith has said: “His writing is graceful and generous, filled with metaphors and memories. How much of it is true doesn’t matter. What matters is he makes us believe every word”.

The Passion of Flamenco! TRONÍO FLAMENCO and Milena Tejada “la Tormenta” Return: Friday, September 13. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. TRONÍO FLAMENCO and guitarist Dennis Duffin bring an exciting, dynamic Flamenco show straight from the small streets of Seville. This is the third in a series of tours in the past year for this quartet from Quebec to Toronto. Milena Tejada (nicknamed The Storm or la Tormenta…) is known for her emotional bursts of expression and dramatic flurries of technical prowess. Her recent studies in Sevilla and Madrid this summer will be the focus as TRONIO returns with powerful new dances, new music and plenty of FLAMENCO PASSION! Dennis Duffin, the Seville-based, Toronto-born guitarist, has toured the country many times over. He has hand-picked this team of incredibly talented young artists that are guaranteed to give you goosebumps and get your heart racing! Caracolillo is a remarkable singer native to Montreal with a strong passion for traditional cante. Hanser Santos Gomez from Havana, Cuba, is an incredibly talented percussionist now tearing up the Latin music scene in Montreal.
Tronío Flamenco delivers a powerful, authentic experience that will conjure a moment of duende for all.

Fin de Fiesta Flamenco presents: SEMPITERNO: Friday, July 26. Doors: 6:30pm. CHANGE OF TIME! From 8:00pm to 7:00pm. Tickets: $22 advance; $25 at the door. International flamenco music and dance ensemble Fin de Fiesta Flamenco presents their new production, “Sempiterno”. Though its members hail from Canada, France and Cuba, Fin de Fiesta Flamenco comes together in Spain every year and creates inspired new work to tour in North America and Europe. Immersed in the flamenco way of life, they create the vibrant and impassioned music and dance that has been dazzling audiences for the past seven years. “Sempiterno” tells the story of the magnetic pull of the flamenco art form, a pull that has drawn Fin de Fiesta’s members away from the countries where they were born, to Spain, the cradle of flamenco.
The searing vocals of Alejandro Mendia (Noces Gitanes, France) are accompanied by the intricate guitar arpeggios of Dennis Duffin (Ventanas, Seville) and the haunting flute melodies of Lara Wong (Madrid). Dancer Lia Grainger (2017 Certamen New York International Flamenco Competition finalist, (Madrid) brings the stage to life with fierce and sensual choreographies and improvisations and Hanser Gomez (Cuba) holds down the rhythm on cajon. Stunning dancer Deborah “La Caramelita” (Noces Gitanes, France) joins the ensemble for her second year on tour.
To the south of Spain and back again, Fin de Fiesta will leave you breathless, with the pulsing rhythms of flamenco beating in your heart.
“A rowdy and intense troupe that radiates flamenco passion.” – The Vancouver Sun WWW.FINDEFIESTAFLAMENCO.COM
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqI0LwyahbY 

Gary Santucci’s SPANJAZZ! A World Beat Jazz Project: Saturday, July 13. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/seniors / un(der)waged.  A collection of musical compositions inspired by world music rhythms, performed in a jazz context by the 6-piece world-beat jazz ensemble, SPANJAZZ! Featuring: Jordan Abraham – keyboard, Jeff Plumbley – trumpet, Aidan Sibley – trombone, James Gannett – bass, Rob Santos – drums and Gary Santucci – guitar. All musicians are highly respected performers in their own fields; the juxtaposition of their different styles and approaches creates the unique sound and experience that is SPANJAZZ!

The Passion of Flamenco! ADALANTE: Makeda Benitez with Dennis Duffin & Tamar Ilana: Saturday, July 6. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. “Adelante” or “Onwards” is a passionate night of Flamenco straight from Seville, Spain — full of emotional bursts of expression to dramatic flurries of technical prowess. Toronto’s talented young dancer Makeda Benítez returns from studying and performing in Seville, Spain, to present a traditional Flamenco show “Adelante” in Toronto. She is accompanied by Flamenco guitarist Dennis Duffin (also based in Seville) and singer/dancer Tamar Ilana (of Ventanas fame). www.tamarilana.com
The show will transport you to the tablaos in the small streets of Seville. Featuring solos of guitar, singing and dance.
Makeda Benitez with “Persamenco” in Toronto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afLvPt6Idqo
https://www.facebook.com/mak.ben.77

FRIDAY VARIETY SHOW! Larry Smith’s Hi-Larry-Us! Comedy, with Renee Christiansen, Gus Apostolos, & El Santucci: Friday, June 21: Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20/ $15 students/ seniors/ un(der)waged. The perpetrators of this Comedy Variety Show decided to give this night a touch of diversity…. Join the irrepressible Cartoonist/ Stand-Up Comedian Larry Smith and musicians Renee Christiansen (powerful, sultry, bluesy voice), Costas Gus Apostolos (finger-style guitar from rock to flamenco) and Gary Santucci (flamenco, classical & jazz guitar).

The Kerr St Big Band: Friday, June 14. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. “The Kerr St Big Band is excited to be bringing our swinging style for our first engagement at the Pearl Company! Playing the music of the big band era and beyond, we are an 18-piece band under the direction of trumpeter Ray Chantler. The evening will feature Basie classics, along with some contemporary Gordon Goodwin arrangements. We are pleased to showcase the passionate and polished Claire Rodger on vocals, singing such favourites as “A Foggy Day” and “Sweet Georgia Brown”. Join us for an evening of toe-tapping fun!”
“Rodger has an interesting and unpredictable voice steering boldly between brassy bravado and the trite and lite…a sunny and appealing sound” Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star.

Colour Film: New Songs. Special guest HarpAcash. Saturday, June 15. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/ seniors/ un(der)waged.
Music for your mind’s eye. With songs that play like home movies rich in imagery and characters, Colour Film is the stage name of Hamilton’s Matthew de Zoete.  Mixing a storyteller’s eye for detail with melodic pop hooks, he takes snapshots of everyday life to illuminate the threads beneath the surface. Imagine Nick Drake cheering up a bit and meeting Beck. For this concert, Colour Film will play new and unreleased songs with a small ensemble.  www.colourfilm.ca
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_judrBFsfiE
HarpAcash is a duo from Barrie who blend R&B-infused pop songs with jazz and soul elements, incredible vocal range, and unique scat-like rhythms.  www.harpacash.com

The Jazz Connection Big Band: Saturday, May 25. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. They’re back!!! Catch the powerful sound of this fabulous big band in our relaxed, atmospheric venue. The JCBB is a well-established 17-piece jazz ensemble comprised of professional and semi-professional musicians, performing only the best modern big band charts from the books of Goodwin, Martin, Menza, Rich, Basie, and many other great contemporary composers. Jazz Connection delivers high energy, uncompromising, straight ahead jazz, funk, and Latin, combining the highest level of musicianship and great charts in an entertaining show that engages both the jazz enthusiast and the casual listener. The excellent acoustics at The Pearl easily accommodate their very cool (& hot!) surround-sound. “This is one of the most exciting, entertaining and musically interesting jazz ensembles to come along in many years – the musicianship, the repertoire and the energy are all of the highest level!” Nick Deutsch – Mohawk College, Faculty of Music.  www.jazzconnection.ca  Listen: http://epresskitz.com/index.php?u=2691

Big Johnny Blue: Friday, May 17. 8:00pm, $20 / $15 students/seniors/wage-challenged…. The show will not be a CD Release because of technical details… Johnny will explain.
Like the blues? You’ll love them Big Johnny Blue style!  Big Johnny’s a Hamilton guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and founding member of The Hamilton Blues Society. No matter the venue, Big Johnny captivates his audience with the winning sounds of what he has coined “Hammer Blues”. His brand new CD showcases the evolution of Big Johnny Blue’s original music. Guitar: Robert Tyler, Bassist: Brad Hill, Blues Harmonica: Charly Chiarelli, Drummer: Steve Ruddick, Back up vocals: Luanne Carrier. Come, revive your soul with great new music! With special guest opening act, Thom Adkins.

Leanne Hoffman with Kim Harris: Saturday, May 18. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/ seniors/ un(der)waged.  Those east coast female voices! Leanne Hoffman’s work is a tribute to the magic of songwriting. The Halifax based singer-songwriter can lift words off a page and hearts out of their chests. It is the pursuit of that magical pairing of lyrics and melody that lead her to create unique songs that are impossible to ignore. Her debut solo-album, “What Remains” produced by Erin Costelo feels equally indebted to contemporary pop acts like Metric as it does to songwriting greats like Randy Newman and Paul Simon. Hoffman’s lyrics and resonant voice are front and centre: she’s singing about subjects from romance to family and aging to gender equality, sharing her soul as she chases that magical musical synergy.
Kim Harris’ emotionally driven alternative pop is rich, deep and moving. Her sophomore LP, Heirloom, produced by Daniel Ledwell, will be released in January 2020 with its first release and title track coming this spring

Valdy: Sunday, May 5. 7:30pm. $25: Valdy has been part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music for over 36 years. A man with a thousand friends, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island to Texas to New Zealand, he’s a singer, guitarist, storyteller, and songwriter who catches the small but telling moments that make up life. Thirteen albums, 2 major Juno Awards (Folk Singer of the Year and Folk Entertainer of the Year), a 7 Juno nominations, and 4 Gold albums to his credit, has made Valdy a true folk icon. He has taken his music to a dozen different countries, from Denmark to Australia and been an often-invited performer at Texas’ prestigious Kerrville Festival. Today, he is based on Salt Spring Island, where he lives with his wife Kathleen, three dogs and a large cat.
Anyone who has seen Valdy perform knows his shows are energetic, engaging, and a ton of fun. We are delighted to have him back at The Pearl!
www.valdy.com   Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v