The Pearl Company

Sly Violet: Friday, March 18: $10, $8 for student/artist.  Doors at 9, start 9:30pm. This husband and wife indie folk rock duo has been rockin their own musical trail for the past few years thru various venues, from festival stages, to pubs to coffee houses and cafes: they embrace them all with their passion for music.  Sly Violet is Violet Clarke on vocals, guitar & harmonica and Sly Boston on drums. The duo recently received a Barrie New Music Award for ‘Best Folk’ at the annual awards show in September.  Their sparse folk arrangements are built on acoustic guitar and her lovely harmonies, with ripples of piano and percussion on top.  It’s a wonderful blend of folk and acoustic soft rock.  Though Violet’s melancholy musings resemble Elliott Smith and Hayden, her voice has been compared to Joni Mitchell’s, her guitar style entrenches a touch of Dashboard Confessional and her pianist soul rivals Ben Folds. www.slyviolet.ca (more…)

REVWear 8th Annual Fashion Show: Saturday March 12th, and Sunday March 13th, 8:00pm. $12 @ revwear.ca. A fashion event unlike any other; all the clothes are made of reused materials, and contrary to the messages promoted by many fashion shows, the theme is Freedom From Oppression.  REVWear is an intense art experience that has woven reused, salvaged and found materials into a wearable story of fashion, dynamic performance, installations, multi-media, spoken word, music and dance. All help tell the stories of struggle for a better world.  www.revwear.ca

Rant Maggie Rant: Friday, March 11. Concert at 8:30pm. $18 advance/$22 at the door. This brilliant band combines traditional elements with a contemporary approach to deliver an exotic blend of new and old; that’s what Celtic music is built on, this exciting evolution of the genre. Don’t miss “Rant Maggie Rant” to get you in that St. Patty’s Day mood, with a hot show you won’t soon forget!  Traditional tunes played straight up or yielding to the influences of world rhythms; reels with a touch of Appalachian Swing, jigs driven by Latin hand percussion, slow ballads as they’ve been played for centuries; they will take you on a journey charted through the past, to new compositions of the present, passing by the shores of the seven Celtic nations on their way.

“Rant Maggie Rant exudes a style and brand of Celtic entertainment that is both new and old. Their showmanship, and delivery combined with their diversity of traditional sound coupled with upbeat and unexpected blends, makes them a welcome addition to any musical line up….”  Maggie Durocher, Windsor Celtic Festival.    www.myspace.com/rantmaggierant Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketscene.ca or call The Pearl: 905 524-0606

Barney Bentall: Tuesday, March 8, 8:00pm. $20 at the door. $15 artist/student. During the past decade Barney Bentall has transformed personally and musically to emerge as one of Canada’s prolific folk/roots singer/songwriters. His sixth studio album, The Inside Passage, paints portions of a life’s journey and shows that the leader of Barney Bentall and The Legendary Hearts is still at the top of his game; he certainly delivers proof that he is Canadian musician who has paid his dues and dually deserves recognition by the music industry, his followers, listeners and peers, especially  If you’re a fan of artists like Bruce Springsteen’s, Fred Eaglesmith, or Bruce Cockburn. www.barneybentall.com

Mark Berube and The Patriotic Few: Friday, March 4, 8:00pm., $12 at the door. $10 artist/student. When recorded by the CBC for Canada Live, Mark was compared to a “young Leonard Cohen” for his lyrical brevity and craftsmanship.  www.markberube.com Mark’s new album, June In Siberia sees a departure for Mark and The Patriotic Few (Kristina Koropecki on cello, Patrick Dugas on drums, and Amélie Mandeville on bass) The overall result is a striking and unique blend of indie chamber-folk. At a sold out show at La Cigalle in Paris, Mark sold out of albums both nights and was touted by the French press as “a very strong and promising artist …equally charming behind the piano or a cappella” Not to be missed! Here’s a link to Mark’s latest review: http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/SoulFunkAndWorld/mark_berube_patriotic_few-june_in_siberia

The Art Bus is Sponsored by Judy Marsales Real Estate

• March 4: First stop will be Gallery on the Bay (Tibor Nyilasi), then we’ll be giving riders the treat of traveling to Dundas to see the Carnegie’s temporary digs and the ultra-cool studios of the artists who inhabit the Oddfellows Hall. Then off to the Sunrise Gallery finishing up at Gallery 435.
• March 11: We start with the Ottawa Street Stroll where we will find AllSorts Gallery, Earls Court Gallery and Under the Moon. Then to the James North Art Crawl with its multitude of artists studios and galleries.  We’ll finish the tour at Hamilton’s original Studio Gallery with the fabulous Tiger Group.

•    Starting at 6:30 from The Pearl Company, 16 Steven Street and King William.
•    Please reserve a spot beforehand via email or phone, and purchase your trip ($15.00) when you arrive.
•    We finish back at The Pearl for an après-tour wind-down which can include a tour of the building and usually a taste of whatever event is happening on the theatre floor.

If you have any questions or to reserve a seat, either call or email Barbara Milne (905 524-0606), barbaramilne@cogeco.ca

Jean-Paul de Roover: Thursday, March 3: 8:00pm., $15 at the door. $10 artist/student. J-P plays loops and sings, creating a full band sound all by himself.   www.jeanpaulderoover.com With an innovative approach to music, Jean-Paul De Roover is much more than a solo artist. Accompanied by live looping, guitars and a voice used as an instrument, this ‘sonic architect’ builds his songs from foundation to facade before your very eyes. Beginning with dead silence, his performance could lead anywhere: With lyrical content that can be brutally honest, or lovingly truthful, one thing is certain: the originality and creativity of his timeless performances shines through to every listener.

John Mann: Mister Mann. Wednesday, March 2, 8:00pm., $20 at the door.  A solo project of Spirit of the West’s front man and songwriter John Mann who is returning to his stripped down Alt-folk roots. www.johnmann.ca Mann pens beautiful melodies with emotionally honest lyrics that capture the intimate moments of his hometown of Vancouver, its occupants, the fragile details of their dysfunctional love and the loss of a city’s innocence. John Mann is also an actor of stage, film and television and currently can be seen on the CBC TV drama Intelligence, as CSIS Director, James Mallaby. Really looking forward to this show!

Cinema Insieme Monday February 28: 7:00pm. $10 at the door.  A Hamilton-based Italian Film Club usually screening modern films that have received a lot of attention in Italy or at International Film Festivals. All films have English subtitles. Occasionally, a classic or retrospective film of importance is featured. The films are introduced by highly knowledgeable Italian Film-Buffs and a brief discussion follows the film.  Everyone is welcome. Lo Spazio Bianco (2009) An unexpected pregnancy and premature birth become a burden that Maria is unprepared for. Lacking control over events for the first time in her life, she retreats into an emotional space where she is alone, until the day arrives when she must learn to live again for her vulnerable child. Staring: Margherita Buy, Gaetano Bruno and Giovanni Luden

Gary Santucci Live at The Pearl!  Saturday, February 26: 8:00pm, $15 at the door. $10 artist/student. Gary was all set to play with his long-time musical partner, Dimitrius Doumas, but he has been abandoned for a southern clime.  Therefore, all those people who complain that they never get to hear Gary play anymore here’s your chance.  If you are lucky, he will even do some of his Indian ragas.

Ben Sures: Saturday, February 19: 8:00pm, $15 at the door. $10 artist/student. Singer/songwriter extraordinaire, 2005 Winner in the folk category of the John Lennon songwriting contest, and a winner in the 2006 International songwriting contest. Ben is a songwriter and terrific guitar player who has multiple appearances at most of the major folk festivals in Western Canada under his belt. He has four critically acclaimed recordings to his credit and is also the current semi regular music guest on CBC Radio’s national produced sketch comedy program ‘The Irrelevant Show’. (more…)

Jeff Bird presents Picture Music: Saturday, February 12. 8:00pm. $20 at the door.  Jeff and his musical colleagues spin a mesmerizing musical web as they accompany the action in Jeff’s short impressionistic films.  A special treat is the well-loved documentary RINK. The film follows the life and death of this most Canadian of places, the outdoor, neighbourhood skating rink.  Jeff is joined by: Randall Coryell (Quartette, Kevin Breit) on Percussion, Witek Grabowiecki on Piano, Jaro Czerwinec (Cowboy Junkies, Daisy Debolt) on Accordion, Harri Palm (Johnny And The G Rays, The Eels) Video Manipulation. http://jeffbird.com

Jeff is not just a consumate musician but is also an accomplished film maker. He has had his films screened at festivals from Dawson City Canada to Vladivostok Russia. Along with artful live video manipulation, the show moves effortlessly between scored material and improvisation creating a dynamic sonic and visual experience.

8:00pm. Tickets $15 advance or $20 at the door. ($10 or $15 at door students / artists).  A match made in musical heaven could perhaps best describe the famed Broadway songwriting team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart!  A collaboration which spanned over three decades (until Hart’s rather premature death in November of 1943) the team of Rodgers & Hart proved truly magical, contributing substantially to the Great American Songbook with songs such as I Wish I Were In Love Again, My Funny Valentine, Thou Swell, The Lady is a Tramp, My Romance, Blue Moon, and Bewitched.  This melodic and informative “Musical Biography”, lovingly delivered by entertainer and creator, Dean Hollin and accompanist Mark Spencer, takes audiences on a journey through a truly impressive body of work, additionally providing a detailed, intimate look at the two men responsible for it all.  Another of My Eye Productions’ live, interactive “Musical Biographies, Love ‘n’ Rodgers ‘n’ Hart is a perfectly romantic fit for Valentines! www.myeyeproductions.ca

Laura Merrimen, Kelly Sloan, Adam Baldwin: ‘The Icebreaker Tour’: Friday, February 11. 8pm show. $15 at the door. $10 artist/student.  Three exciting young stars from Eastern Canada:

Laura Merrimen: Recently won best country/bluegrass recording of the year with her first album ‘Love Letters For Lonely Hunters’ for the Nova Scotia Music Awards. Opened for Cuff the Duke, Elliot Brood and the Deep Dark Wood in Halifax. Some have compared Merrimen to a female Bob Dylan or Neil Young, others to Lucinda Williams and Neko Case, but you can’t put your finger on it, the sound is uniquely her own. She is a prolific writer who delivers soulful thought provoking lyrics that are steeped in honesty and raw emotion.

Kelly Sloan: This rising Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-based musician is known for deflecting emotional landmines with an easy wit. On stage and in life, Kelly’s clever banter often serves to soften the edges of loss. But once this rising singer-songwriter grasps a guitar and microphone, or sidles up to a piano, all bets are off.

Adam Baldwin: Best known as keyboard player for Matt Mays, Adam Baldwin has steadily been forging his own path in the Canadian music scene. He is set to release his debut solo album this spring; an ode to all things plaid-shirted and Springsteen-esque. An evocative and engaging songwriter, his subject matter is surprisingly mature given his youth. Adam draws you in with tales so close to home, you feel as if he’s been reading your thoughts…in fact, he probably has

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra presents What Next? Festival: Sunday, February 6. 1pm, 2pm, 3pm shows.  Advance single tickets are only available by calling the HPO box office at 905.526.7756. Single tickets will also be available at the door.

What Next? is a festival that merges new classical music with genres and mediums from folk to electronic, to video and dance installations by acclaimed artists and performers. Hear it happening.

1pm: Panel Discussion: Dissonance. Why is so much new music so dissonant? How do our bodies and our brains respond to musical sounds? Is our sense of beauty ‘hard-wired’ ? Featuring guests from the McMaster Institute of Music and the Mind, Music Director James Sommerville and festival musicians.

2pm: Kiss On Wood: Chamber music for strings by Kotoka Suzuki, John Zorn, Toru Takemitsu, and James Macmillan. A concert for strings, performed by members of the HPO. Music from around the globe, inspired by nature, pop, cartoons and zen.

3pm: The Attar Project for violin, tabla and dance with Parmela Attariwala and Shawn Mativetsky. The Attar Project, developed by violinist Parmela Attariwala combines the sound worlds of the violin and the Indian percussion instrument the tabla through both improvisational and compositional means that also incorporates dance and South Asian aesthetics. The Attar Project engages both the ears and the eyes and challenges the boundaries between musical genres and artistic practices.