The Pearl Company

Big Johnny Blue: Concert for Charlene: Saturday, November 30.  Tickets: Suggested $20 or Pay What You Can. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. When Big Johnny (aka John Crawford) lost his wife of 39 years, the charming and highly sociable Charlene, he and his band wanted to do a concert focused on honouring her. If you’ve been to a Big Johnny concert you will have seen Charlene’s warm and welcoming smile. She rarely missed a concert and her unwavering support of John and his band members was a valued addition to every show.
Big Johnny’s a Hamilton guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and founding member of The Hamilton Blues Society. No matter the venue, Big Johnny captures his audience with the winning sounds of what he has coined “Hammer Blues”. Guitar: Jon Newton, Bassist: Dano, Blues Harmonica: Rod McTaggart, Drummer: Scott Gardner.
Come; revive your soul with great music! And say a special goodbye to Charlene. We will all miss her amiable and loving presence.

Gary Santucci’s SPANJAZZ! A World Beat Jazz Project: Friday, November 29. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00pm. 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, Simon Wheeldon – saxophone, 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!

Hanna Bech Presents “Mirroring”: A Concert and Art Show Where Musicians and Artists Pay Homage to Each Other. Saturday, November 23. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $10 students/seniors/un(der)waged/Artists. Featuring: Robyn Lightwalker & Hanna Bech; Anthony Haley & Wax Mannequin; Petra Matar & Nick Zyla; Carolina Gama & Rachel Nolan. Hanna Bech has done it again…. “You are invited to an evening celebrating creative collaboration among Hamilton artists.  The night features four artists, and four musicians pairing up, exchanging pieces, and creating a new work inspired by the piece they receive.  We think this sounds like fun, and hope you can come enjoy the night with us.”
Tickets at:  https://www.bruha.com/event/5164
Check out the bios of this diverse and exciting group! (more…)

The David Brideau Quartet ft. Darcy Hepner: Friday, November 22. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $10 students. Jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher David Brideau, is excited to announce his upcoming gig at the Pearl Company. The Quartet is being joined by special guest artist Darcy Hepner. A native of Hamilton, saxophonist Hepner has performed with a multitude of legendary performers including BB King, Aretha Franklin, and Sergio Mendes and toured internationally with Blood Sweat and Tears, Buster Poindexter and Artie Shaw. The David Brideau Quartet is excited to be featuring Darcy as well as debuting some new tunes along with favourites from the recently released Winter Dream album. Brideau has covered a lot of styles in his musical journey; he thrives upon the motivation of finding something new. This will be an exciting and satisfying evening. Make sure to get your tickets in advance!

Pamela Blackwood Marques Sings; Gary Santucci Plays: Saturday, November 16. Doors: 6:30pm. Show: 7:00. Tickets: $20/ Seniors: $15/ Students $10/ Under 10 Free. Presenting an Evening of Culture, Comedy, and Courage, Pamela Blackwood Marques Sings Opera with a Fado Flair and Fado with an Operatic Twist.  Favourites such as: O Mio Bambino Caro, La Habenero, Sodade, Besame Mucho, Jeux Interdits. Enjoy opera arias that will engage the senses with partially staged performances, and with the addition of costumes! Hear classical done with a contemporary twist. In honour of Carmina Marques you will hear Fado as never before. Pamela Blackwood Marques is not only a multi-talented performer; she is also a talented costume designer.  Her designs have appeared on the stages of Hamilton Place, and Stratford. She has designed, co-designed and assisted for many local theatre and high school productions and is now dabbling in film! (It was Pamela who did the fabulous costumes for Hamlet at The Pearl.) Gary Santucci’s unique arrangements on guitar, done especially for Pamela, are designed to excite and engage. https://www.facebook.com/pamela.blackwoodmarques.7

KENNEDY ROAD with GRAVEN: Friday, November 15. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. Kennedy Road is a Toronto-based Americana duo, comprised of Sheila Carabine and Brian MacMillan. He’s the tall one. Their seamless vocal blend and electric on-stage chemistry is perfectly matched by their intense and poignant songs. Sheila comes by collaboration honestly, having spent the last 16 years in the Juno-nominated folk duo Dala. Brian is a much beloved singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who has released three solo albums. He has performed with Barenaked Ladies, Wailin’ Jennys, Garth Hudson, John McDermott and more. With velvety vocals and dreamy guitars, Kennedy Road conjures dusk and memory, grit and grace. This is music from the heart, for the heart. Music Links: KENNEDY – https://youtu.be/b5ec69fWl4Q  – https://youtu.be/hTJv-DyXReU Website: https://www.kennedyroadmusic.com/
GRAVEN: Graven is an alt-folk singer from the Ottawa area who illuminates feelings of honesty, hurt and hope. He has released 11 albums to date and has shared stages with the kooky mister Steve Poltz, The Wooden Sky and many more. His most recent single Hymnal was produced by Jim Bryson (sideman for The Tragically Hip, The Weakerthans) and he has played numerous festivals Graven is currently working on a new album produced by Jim Bryson. Listen: GRAVEN – https://youtu.be/x_rAeUS6zCU  Websites:   https://gravencanada.wordpress.com/

The Jazz Connection Big Band: Saturday, November 9. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/seniors/wage-challenged. (Tix @ Bruha.ca) Part of the Steel City Jazz Festival! Catch the powerful sound of this fabulous big band in our relaxed, atmospheric venue. They’re 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 (or 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

Erin Costelo with Clive MacNutt! Friday, November 8. 8:00pm. $20/$15 students/ seniors/ wage-challenged. Drawing comparisons to such icons as Nina Simone and Carole King, superb pianist/songwriter, Erin Costelo soars even as her songs dive deep. Erin is a throwback; a songwriter that brings to mind the ‘golden age’ of music. Although she wears many influences on her sleeve, Costelo is unquestionably herself, a singular artist of maturity and importance; a maverick, unfettered by trend, fashion or industry ‘pathway.’She has shared the stage with such notable artists as Mavis Staples, Dr. John, Boz Scaggs, and recently performed with Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Band. She will perform as a duo with guitarist and long-time collaborator, Clive MacNutt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4S5lTn9aNc&feature=youtu.be  https://www.erincostelo.com “…Erin Costelo seems destined to establish herself alongside the top tier of today’s most expressive soulful singers.” – PASTE Magazine  Erin’s newest single “”All in Your Head, rolls cinematic blasts of brass and a killer, keyboard-propelled groove into a funk-soul freakout.” – Rolling Stone

Dean Hollin Sings Nat King Cole! Friday, October 25. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/seniors/un(der)waged. Dean Hollin presents another of his sparkling “Musical Biographies”. Jacqueline Sadler joins him on bass with Peter Aylin, and David Chown. We love these biographies of beloved songwriters of the past!  And for this performance he celebrates the music of Nat King Cole. We’ll chat…we’ll sing…a casual, musical and informative evening to be had by all! Born and raised in Hamilton, Dean began his theatrical career during his high school years. Throughout his professional career, Dean has created productions, largely based around the music he loves including the Music of Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Burt Bacharach and now Nat, through his production company – My Eye Productions.  Dean’s concerts are extremely popular.  Reserve your tickets early! “Hollin’s warm, smoky voice and his exquisite charm and enthusiasm radiate affection for his material and his audience.” Gary Smith, Spectator.  http://www.deanhollin.com

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.

Hamlet: August 1 – 3, 8 – 10. Doors: 7:00pm. Show: 7:30. Tickets: $20. Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, was written between 1599 and 1602. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered his father in order to seize his throne and marry his mother. Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play, his most popular work during his lifetime, and still his most performed.   
This version is based on the Laurence Olivier adaptation and runs 2 1/2 hours with intermission (not 4 1/2 hrs!)
Cast: Peter Anderson – Hamlet; Victoria Elysse – Ophelia and Player Queen; Valerie Harrison – Queen Gertrude; Andrew Rodwell – King Claudius; Ray Rivers – Horatio; Matt Dafoe – Laertes; Aha Blume – Osiric and Second Player; Bob De Haan – Marcellus, Priest and Captain; Nick Ruddick – Ghost, First Player, and Grave Digger; John Hewson – Polonius; Justine Dennis – Bernarda and Sailor; directed by Gary Santucci.
http://www.classicaltheatre.ca/