519 Magazine December 2018 - Michael Bolton

YOUR LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE

519

Issue 6 - Dec. 2018

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Celebrating Music, Theatre, Fashion, Arts and Events in Windsor-Essex, Brantford, Chatham, Sarnia and London

An interview with

THE WINDSOR EDITION THE TENORS | DOWNCHILD | STEEL PANTHER | ROBBIE G BRITISH BEAT 66 | C.P.R. | NEXT GENERATION LEAHY ANOTHER F**KING CHRISTMAS PLAY | NIGHTINGALE CHORUS

Local Event Listings | Canada South Blues Society | A Christmas Peter Pan

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December 2018

Dan Savoie Publisher / Editor dan@519magazine.com April Savoie Director of Sales april@519magazine.com Kim Cushington Art Director

THE TENORS

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12 C.P.R.

Contributing Writers and Photographers John Liviero Jose Ed Ramirez Brent Groh Kirk Harris Maureen Stewart 341 Parent Ave. Windsor, ON N9A 2B7 519magazine.com / YQGrocks.com Office: 519-974-6611 Award of Excellence 2018 Canadian Web Awards 519 Magazine is published monthly and available at various locations around the Southwestern Ontario region.

Printed in Canada on recycled paper using vegetable oil-based inks.

CHRISTMAS PETER PAN

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MICHAEL BOLTON

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Chatham Boston Pizza CAA Store Chatham Capitol Theatre Chatham Public Library Chatham Motel Colonial Motel Kent Motel Saxony Motel Super 8 Travelodge VIA Rail Station Sarnia 2 Complex (Bottoms Up Bar & Grill) Blue Water Hotel CAA Store Cheeky Monkey Drawbridge Inn & Suites Fauld’s Motel Harbourfront Inn Holiday Inn Sarnia / Point Edward Hotel & Conference Centre Mallroad Library Mystic Mind Corner Quality Inn Sarnia Children’s Library Sarnia Library Sarnia Tourism Super 8 Tanglz Hair Salon Versatile Inn Windsor Anchor Bakery & Espresso Bar Bestway Motel Biblioasis Blackburn Radio Bridgeview Library Budget Inn Budimir Library CAA Store Cadillac Inn Caesars Windsor Capitol Theatre Cardinal Music Chrysler Theater Comfort Inn & Suites Comfort Suites Downtown Days Inn Dr. Disc Records Fontainebleau Library Forest Glade-Optimist Library Gyros & Delight (Precision Plaza) Hampton Inn & Suites By Hilton Hands on Health Chiropractic & Massage Holiday Inn Windsor Downtown Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Icheck Inn Innkeeper’s Lodge Ivy Rose Motor Inn Johnson’s Motel Kenora Master Choice Motel Leisure Motel Lexington Inn & Suites Little Foot Foods LiUNA 625 MNSi Telecom Mr. Meats – Tecumseh East Mr. Meats – Tecumseh West Mr. Meats – Walker Road Olde Walkerville Theatre

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It’s Christmas, that must mean The Tenors are coming Award-Winning trio returns to Windsor for 7th all-new Christmas Show

Story by Dan and April Savoie Multi-platinum, Juno award-winning vocal supergroup, The Tenors will be spreading some annual Christmas cheer, when the group returns to Caesars Windsor for another Christmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 16. The trio’s tradition of Christmas concerts in the Rose City dates back about 7 years.

519 Magazine spoke with the entire group about Christmas, the holidays and the annual Caesars Windsor December appearances.

Windsor is a bit of a holiday tradition for you guys. How long has it been now? I think I can go back to 2011 from when you guys have done a concert here.

Clifton - I think we were about 12 years old when we started. They didn’t let us in though; it was weird. They got us special permission though and let us sing (laughter). Yeah it is an annual pilgrimage and it’s really because of the response. Every time we go there they pack the place with 5,000 people and it really is a highlight of our tour.

Every year people are just jacked and ready to celebrate the season.

And so many fans make it out from the U.S. and Canada because it’s so close to the border.

I’m sure safe to say that you guys truly love the holidays.

Victor – Absolutely! The holidays, specifically Christmas, is our favorite time of year - not only because it means being with family and friends, it’s about absorbing what we’ve done over the year by looking at pictures and just enjoying what we’ve accomplished. It’s a time of year where Tenors music is celebrated, so it’s extremely busy for us. We’re not home a lot until Christmas itself, but we enjoy it because we reconnect with a lot of fans. We just finished a Fall tour, by the way, and that went extremely well, and now we’re going into the Christmas season by putting some of those fan favorites in the

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and like the album Christmas Together, we take that nostalgic warm show. But you know, we have to admit that the Christmas repertoire is one of our favourites. It’s so beautiful for harmonies and we’re Christmas feeling and put it into our album and show. looking forward to it.

Let’s chat about your bus music videos - you recently released Thriller and Bohemian Rhapsody recorded on your tour bus.

It’s the most controversial question of the season – do you say Christmas or Holidays?

We got such a great response from Thriller, and it was so fun to do. We’ve done these little music videos in the past. These are really Fraser - We say both, how is that for PC? Our tour is called Home For The Holidays, but we certainly sing about Christmas. Our focused on social media, one minute long, and we do really popular songs that people may not expect a Tenor’s group to do. First, album is called Christmas Together. So you know we’re happy to Thriller and then Bohemian Rhapsody, which tied in perfectly with celebrate the many traditions and in the music that we perform, we hear different languages and we’ve traveled internationally, so we’re the movie. We’ve actually been doing Bohemian Rhapsody in our show for a year now. It was our big encore on the fall tour and always talking about our Canadian experience ,which is it gets such incredible response - even just the first line very multicultural. We feel like there’s something there for everyone in our performances, but we’re “Is this the real life?” The crowd goes nuts. We’ve got Anthony Mancini from St. Catharines shredding on certainly not scared of saying Christmas at this time of year. the electric guitar in the middle and it’s just really Is there a specific reason you chose Home that song everyone knows and everyone loves - we put our stamp on it and it’s now going to be part for the Holidays for the name of the tour? of our repertoire forever. We’re planning our next Clifton - We’re from Canada and we’re Caesars Windsor bus session here pretty soon and we’d like to do coming back to Canada? We do a lot of Dec. 16, 2018 them on the road. So we’ll do them on the buses international travel as Fraser said. We’re fortunate to see the world and perform for Prime while traveling between the cities; maybe this next Ministers and Kings, orphanages in Africa, and one will be a very festive one perhaps. Who knows?

It will certainly be unexpected, that’s for sure. It will just see the world through music. It’s such a joy, only be on Instagram so you’ll have got to @tenorsmusic. but then traditionally we come back to Canada and Watch for The Tenors bus videos on your favourite social North America for this time of year. So we thought it was media channels and be sure to catch the next Caesars Windsor fitting. And I think that anyone who travels for work, or is gone a Christmas show on Sunday, Dec. 16. Tickets start at $35 and are long time, or is away for school, or are our service men and women available at Ticketmaster or the box office. who are overseas - they get to come back for those special moments at Christmas time. It is really one of the greatest feelings to share with family - sharing few stories together over the holidays. We try,

The Tenors

Nightingale Chorus Tradition Continues With New Christmas Show introduced just a few years in.

Use of props was minimal initially.

The enthusiasm Carrie Beauchamp The first production had a window. The and the crews around her have for second added a bridge, and a backdrop the annual shows by the Nightingale was introduced in their third year.

Chorus is something to see. It’s not Costumes were always used. They just a show. were made by Carrie’s mother, Dianne, Carrie and Gigi Walent-Burke first who has created over 90 percent of the produced one 23 years ago, simply wardrobe that’s still being seen. because they love Christmas. Kristen Sets, once they were introduced, Lobsinger and Malcolm Lawson have were designed by Carrie’s husband, been involved from the start Guy Bennett. He handles the because they feel the sound and collaborates same. with Carrie on their Carrie and Gigi projections as well. got the idea while Their shows were on a trip to London, first staged at the ran with it, and Library’s Theatre Imperial Theatre, introduced Sarnia’s which has about half Sarnia audiences to a the seating of the conception that’s Imperial Theatre.

Dec. 12-15 become an honoured Their message of tradition. hope resonated clearly Many people have told her with audiences. Attendance the season doesn’t really begin for was strong from the outset and the them until they’ve seen the production. shows have been sold-out consistently Things actually began on a smaller since about their fifth year. scale then they are now. The inaugural They moved into the Imperial piece featured 23 children, 13 women Theatre when it opened in 1999 and and one man, just 37 in all. This year’s it, along with Theatre Sarnia and event has 33 children, 32 young adults Bluewater Musical Productions, were (ages 12-16) and 56 adults of (widely) among its first clients. Since that time varied ages, for a total of 121. they’ve never really looked back.

The Victorian theme has always As she goes over how the been used, but the early productions productions have evolved, what stands were variety shows. Storylines were out in Carrie is the integrity in her

By Brian Hay

purpose — it literally shines like a beacon.

The productions have never been about the money. She’s well aware of the need for stability in that area and lists attendance figures readily along with the benefit to the Downtown area when approaching potential sponsors.

But it’s a means to an end. She loves Christmas and views what she’s doing as an answer to the cynicism that surrounds and often seems to take the season over.

The story she presents from among

the seven she’s written, always gets a rewrite. There’s over 100 musical numbers at hand and she constantly searches for new material. Of the 32 songs in this year’s production, a third are new to the show.

Her fondness of the Victorian look gives the productions one of their constants. The extreme disparity between rich and poor back then resonates with her and provides an ideal setting to convey the message.

The purity of her conviction that Christmas should be about giving

from the spirit, hit home deeply when I first saw one of her productions.

Among the things I wrote were that “Malcolm Lawson’s reading of “O Holy Night” was extremely moving and Carrie’s performance of “God Help The Outcast” had my eyes misting over”.

Her message is still transparently clear. A repeat is bound to happen.

Elizabeth’s Wish, the Nightingale Chorus annual Christmas show, runs from Dec. 12-15 at the Imperial Theatre in Sarnia.

Elzabeth’s Wish

A New Generation to Carry on the Leahy Legacy

By Dan and April Savoie

Well I’m one of the members of the original group and of Leahy and Building on over three generations our children, I guess the four oldest of Leahy musicianship, Doug Leahy, have had the opportunity to play on together with his wife Jennifer and stage with myself and my brothers their children, are keeping those and sisters when Leahy was still traditions alive through music, song, touring and so we’ve been asked a and dance. lot of questions over the years Doug, as a member of about when are the kids “Leahy” and Jennifer, going to do their own having played thing and that time music throughout has arrived and her life, both it’s been quite a Next Generation understand great experience.

Leahy the joy and So was there Belle River - Dec. 6-7 exhilaration ever a time that only music can London - Dec. 12 you thought provide. maybe the kids Brantford - Dec. 16 It’ no wonder wouldn’t be then that their involved in music. children understand Absolutely, You innately that music will know, we never planned to be a huge part of their lives. Even play publicly like this. We certainly the smallest children feel the music wanted music to be part of their pulsing through their veins. They lives. But very early you start to are drawn to it. They are passionate recognize their ability and how about it. much they love it. We had some kids We spoke with Doug about the in the house here that would rather family and music. play music than almost do anything.

Just to put things into They have a hard time passing by perspective. Where does the next an instrument in the house without generation gang fit into the family playing it. And it just brings so and the Original group? much joy to them when they get to

play and then the other part of that is when they get to perform on stage.

That’s also a reward to them where they get to go and share it. But see other communities and meet people and get that response from the crowd that really gets them energized and makes them love it.

How any generations does music go back in the family?

Well when you go back on both my parents sides, that’s what they did - they played music, not necessarily professionally, but it was in their blood. It was part of immigrants lives years ago. They brought a lot of stuff with them. And both my dad’s family came from Ireland and my mom’s family is from Scotland.

She’s actually from Cape Breton and

music was part of their lives and it is part of our lives. It’s in our blood and we’re thankful for it now.

Catch Next Generation Leahy on tour in the 519 at The Urban Field House in Belle River on Dec. 6 and 7, London Music Hall on Dec. 12 and the Sanderson Centre in Brantford on Dec. 16. www.thenextgenerationleahy.com

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Downchild Blues Band Legendary Blues Band Raising Funds For Windsor

By Dan and April Savoie

Downchild, the legendary Canadian followed when they did three of our blues band that helped inspire the songs on their first album. We just characters and sound of the The Blues played a show with Dan Ackroyd last Brothers, will headline a benefit week, so that friendship is still alive. concert at Olde Walkerville Theatre Is there a certain sound or feel that on Dec. 7 to raise money for Windsor you think Canadian blues has that music icon Kim “The Commander” might be different from American Kelly, who was paralyzed in a fall, and blues? to further support Sparky’s Toy Drive.

I think it’s quite an eclectic variety Twenty-eight year veteran vocalist of Canadian blues musicians and Chuck Jackson has been with the band doing all styles. We do have our own for the last half of its lifespan. He spoke style with Downchild, but all the with April Savoie about Downchild blues musicians in Canada have been and his passion for the blues. influenced heavily by American blues.

The Blues Brothers really had a It can even be broken down by style unique blues sound, but that sound - the Chicago blues style, the urban clearly resonates from Downchild style, some jump blues, some of the itself. Does the band still keep that Delta blues and even country blues. same vibe and feeling after all There’s a wide range of blues that’s these years? gathered and influenced by so Sure does. You know many different Canadian our thing is we like to artists. make sure people are Blues dates back Downchild dancing, we do a lot of to the 1920s, but Olde Walkerville Theatre - Windsor jump blues and we’re Canada never really Dec. 7, 2018 still recording fresh got into the game new material all the until the 50s. Some say time. Our newest CD was Ronnie Hawkins is the nominated for a Juno and Canadian grandfather of our last CD won the Juno. So the blues. Who was your intro yeah, we’re still writing songs, still in to the blues? that tradition of Downchild and it’s that Well Buddy Guy was one of the first same tradition that the Blues Brothers blues artists I ever saw. But you know I

Blues in the Schools Blues Society Goes to School

The Canadian South Blues Society visited Tecumseh Vista Academy in Windsor on Nov. 16 to talk to music teachers from across the Greater Essex County District School Board about the importance and history of blues music with hopes educators might include the music form in their curriculum.

To demonstrate the Blues in the School program, Detroit musician Rev. Robert Jones brought along several instruments, including the harmonica, banjo, fiddle, and a guitar.

Photos by April Savoie

listened to so many different artists like Paul Butterfield and Muddy Waters.

B.B. King, was also a big influence.

Junior Wells was big influence on me playing harmonica. A lot of the British blues invasion like Eric Clapton and John Mayall were playing the blues and they kind of inspired me to find out who the original artists were. And I started listening to Sonny Boy Williamson and the great Chess performers like Little Walter. I’ve pretty much listened to all the blues greats like Willie Dixon and Howlin’ Wolf, who again, is another big influence on me.

You’ve been to Windsor many times, but not in years. Have you ever been to the Olde Walkerville Theatre?

I don’t think so. You know we played Windsor so many times over the years with Downchild. It used to be a big stop and a lot of it had to do with Kim Kelly, who would book us. This show is a fundraiser for our old friend.

So what can we expect that the show?

Well you’re going to get a lot of our new songs from our last two Juno nominated and Juno winning CDs,

and you’re going to get a lot of the fan favorites like Flip Flop Fly, Almost and Shotgun Blues as the Blues Brothers covered. Just a little something from all our albums. We’re going into our 50th year and we’re going to be doing a new tour in the new year featuring songs from all 20 of our albums.

Downchild will perform with local guests A.J. Vanden Berghe, D’Anunnzio and Sean Shepard at Olde Walkerville Theatre on Friday, Dec. 7.

Tickets start at $40 and are availbnale at online or the box office. www.oldewalkervilletheatre.com

An interview with

With over 50 million albums sold, Stone Temple Pilots roared on to the scene in 1992 with their raucous debut, Core. A breakout success, the album peaked #3 on the Billboard 200 chart, and dominated radio waves with hits like “Sex Type Thing,” “Wicked Garden,” and the GrammyAward winning, “Plush.”

STP founding members Dean DeLeo, Robert DeLeo, Eric Kretz, along with new lead vocalist, Detroit singer Jeff Gutt, released their seventh studio

album, Stone Temple Pilots this year.

After about a year of silence, Jeff officially joined the band in November 2017 and played his first concert with the band at the infamous Troudabour in Los Angeles.

During the year prior to his debut, Jeff was spending time getting to know his new role in the band and to write and record songs for the new album.

Jeff is no stranger to the 519, having spent some time on the other side of

Detroit in Windsor and around the area.

He loves his hometown and is a big fan of the Detroit Tigers.

The band is currently on the road across Canada with Seether and Default and will make an appearance twice in the 519 - Nov. 7 at Budweiser gardens in London and Nov. 10 in Kitchener at Centre in the Square.

We spent a little time with Jeff to chat about his new gig and the mighty D. Story by Dan Savoie

Grammy Award-winning singer Michael Bolton is bringing his holiday show The Symphony Sessions: Greatest Hits & Holiday Favourites to Windsor for a special evening at The Colosseum on Thursday, December 13.

Photo byJohn Liviero

He will be performing all the holiday classics along with his timeless hits “When a Man Loves a Woman”, “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” and “Time, Love and Tenderness”, as a musical journey though pop, rock, soul and standards specially arranged for a symphony orchestra.

Michael Bolton

Caesars Windsor Dec. 13, 2018

Along with selling more than 65 million albums and singles worldwide, he released an original Netflix production, Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Valentine’s Day Special, which ranked among the network’s best debut comedies. He also appears dressed as some of Hollywood’s most iconic characters in a comedic music video with The Lonely Island (Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone).

We spent a little time with the music icon to find out more about the tour and his love of comedy.

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This new tour is with a symphony.

That’s not an easy undertaking. How did this come about?

Who is it that said, nothing that’s worthwhile is ever easy? I have found that all the greatest things have come with tremendous effort, time and commitment. That’s kind of the story of my life. I was signed when I was 16 but then didn’t have a hit until I was 34.

And I will tell you those 18 years were nothing but struggle and at times very scary. But you have to believe in yourself and dream bigger than your dreams. I had a few opportunities to perform live with a symphony orchestra and there is something about that feeling on stage of just a wave of musical instruments all filling the air with different sounds that play together. It was a dream of mine to have my own Greatest Hits recorded with a live symphony orchestra and it took many years to find the right window of time. Now coming up on my 50th anniversary in the music industry seemed like that.

How hard was it to adapt some of the songs into a symphony arrangement?

It’s definitely challenging because you want to stay true to the original composition that people have known and sung along to for decades. You don’t want to create something so far off the familiar melody that sets people off humming or singing along. You just want to enhance and embellish and find moments in the song where you can highlight certain instruments. There is definitely an art form to it all.

Is the symphony adaption harder than arranging for albums like Sinatra, Hitsville USA or your latest Songs of Cinema?

There are different challenges when working with a symphony orchestra as compared to a big band, which is what we used for my Swings Sinatra album, or the rhythm and blues players

on the Hitsville album or the various arrangements across all the genres of music on Songs of Cinema. The key is to bring out the best in the players and let them do their thing while you direct them along the path. As a singer I might take certain liberties in interpreting a song that vary from the original but I’m always guided by the central intention and message and it’s the same for the players, they’re just working from different instruments.

As a multifaceted artist, being backed by a symphony must be a unique feeling – that’s a big sound behind you. What does that feel like on stage?

It’s really indescribable, it’s almost mesmerizing. It is probably my favorite thing.

You seem to enjoy having a theme to your albums in the last decade. Did they start out that way or just develop as you dove into them?

That’s a good observation actually that I haven’t really been asked about before. Yes I do apparently like themes.

I think all of my albums have been thematic, just like any individual song has a theme. It’s a short story really, with a central message. The first really successful albums I had with Soul Provider and Time Love and Tenderness had a theme to them, just that they were all new songs at the time. Now they are in 65 million homes all over the world which is just amazing and allows me to tour every country where sometimes English isn’t the first language but people are singing my songs. Album themes are really just ways of organizing the stories. So the last album told the story of my love of movies. Before that it was my love of the music that came out of Detroit. Before that it was my love of collaborations with Gems, the duet collection.

Do you think the symphony tour

might become an album?

You must have a crystal ball.

Another aspect of your show here in Windsor is the holidays. Your musical love of the holidays can at least be dated back to This Is The Time: The Christmas Album in 1996.

In my family we weren’t raised religious but the holidays - whatever that may mean to you personally - is always a time of reflection for me and it can be a nostalgic time. Lately it’s been a really special time because I get to spend it with my three daughters and their children so there’s all this great, playful energy around. I really look forward to it.

You really surprised a lot of people when Big, Sexy Valentine’s Day Special came out on Netflix. That was one of the first times many got to see your funny side – and it was so funny.

It was so unlike the image everyone typically sees of you.

I guess my best kept secret is that my whole life I have actually been the class clown. My family and friends know this about me. But during that long 18 year climb to try and find success in the industry, I got very fixated and committed to my career and then when I finally had success I was determined to never go back. So I guess people perceived that as serious. But the funny side has always been there. I am always trying to find a comedic way to spin any situation and really I’m still a kid at heart. That’s why I get along so well with Andy, Jorma and Akiva because they love to have fun but they are super focused on their careers as well. So the Netflix special was just a lot of laughs while getting the work done and you’re always just amazed and grateful that this is your job.

Although the Valentine’s Special was a biggie, you surprised a lot of people with Jack Sparrow with The

Lonely Island. Did you ever think that was going to catch on? I mean, OMG, here’s Michael Bolton swearing for the first time and splashing himself with cocaine!

OMG is right and that was not real cocaine!!! And the only way I could agree to that scene was by being in character because you see, it’s Tony Montana not Michael Bolton. But really “Jack Sparrow” was a game changer for me. It finally showed the world that I do love comedy and being in on the joke and that I’m game to play. Working with The Lonely Island was key to the success of that project because they are not only hilarious and talented but they are perfectionists. Now we are at nearly 200 Million views on YouTube and it’s a video that literally has gone viral the world over, including into China where little kids just know me as Jack Sparrow.

Will we get to see more of the humorous side in the future?

I am constantly in development on a handful of ideas for TV, film, digital media. I’ve done some really fun cameos on shows like Two and a Half Men, Glee, Fresh off the Boat, and it just makes me want to do more.

I’ve been fan since Fool’s Game and Everybody’s Crazy. In fact, Everybody’s Crazy was one of the hardest CDs I’ve ever had to find when I started to replace albums with CDs - but I still enjoy listening to it. Do you pull out any of that older material now and then?

Wow, what a great question. I don’t really but now I think I’m going to revisit some of it, if I can find one!

What happens is I’m always looking forward, to what is next, which means I am always wrapping my head around a new theme or a new body of music and so I’m immersing myself in that new project. But it could be nice to revisit some of the early material.

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Photo by Kirk Harris (K&M Photography)

British Beat 66 - Perfoming Music From an Era When Music Mattered

By Dan Savoie Windsor British Invasion show band British Beat 66 is a unit that formed in 2004 to celebrate the sounds of a musical era that changed the face of rock and pop forever. Band members Michael Hereford (Michael Chester), John Labadie (Johnny Bo), Dino Urbano (Derek Domino), Lawrence Culnan (Larry C) and Matthew Damm (Matthew David) perform favourites from legacy bands like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Herman’s Hermits and others from the era.

The band makes a return performance at Caesars Windsor on Thursday, Dec. 6. We interviewed the band to see what they’re all about. They were so excited that they offered to pose nude for a new feature in 519 where users can use a pencil eraser to remove their clothing from the photo.

Can you tell me about British Beat 66 and how you met?

Michael - I went to high school with John and we have performed together off and on since then. I have known Larry for years and have played with him in different projects over the years.

I met Dino when he assisted with one of our early shows and I met Matthew recently through mutual musical friends.

Why did you choose to play music from that era?

Michael - It is the music I love and grew up with. I identify with the sights and sounds of that era. I love all music

artists you play live?

Michael - The British Invasion and I perform and listen to a wide bands? I never saw The Beatles, variety, however, this is the music I however I have seen Ringo Starr & enjoy the most.

Paul McCartney in concert. I have seen Larry - Growing up in that era was the Rolling Stones twice, Herman’s amazing. Starting with early North Hermits (with whom I did a show American Rock and Roll and then before there was British Beat 66) and I entering into the British invasion. It was also saw The Zombies, The Yardbirds, a creative time and that’s what started Steve Winwood (Spencer Davis me with being a musician. Now I get to Group). play the influences of that era.

Larry - The Rolling Stones, Rod How authentic do you strive to Stewart and the Small Faces, be with the music?

Procol Harum , Pink Michael - We attempt Floyd. to capture the spirit & You guys had the feeling of this music. chance to perform We enjoy putting our British Beat 66 with a Rock and own spin on the tunes.

Cosmos Lounge Roll Hall of FamerWhat is it about Caesars Windsor Jim McCarty, the the music of that era Dec. 6 legendary drummer that appeals to you of The Yardbirds. and your audience?

What an honour that Michael - It’s fun would have been. Please tell energetic music. Our audience me about the experience. loves to dance & at times sing along Michael - When I first heard about with us at our shows. it I was almost worried to say anything If there was one band that closely in case it didn’t happen. I’m sure glad it resembles who you guys are, who happened Jim has performed with Eric would that be and how do you Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page compare? for a large part of his career, so I knew Michael - That’s a tough one. If we needed to give the Yardbirds tunes anything, I would say a combination proper justice. Jim is such an amazing of several 60s British Invasion bands, drummer. He showcases some very most particularly The Rolling Stones, creative beats and drum breaks in those The Who and The Beatles. Our own Yardbirds tunes. personalities come through when we Larry - Yes they were. Such a list of are performing. great guitarist came through the band.

Have any of you seen any of the

They were part of the era that brought you the information and opinions of what was going on in the world at that time.

That was such a privilege for Windsor to have a legend like that in town. He was such a down to earth guy too. That concert kind of puts you in the Windsor history books as one of the few Hall of Famers to ever come to town. What are your thoughts on the Windsor music scene?

Michael - The Windsor scene is full of talented performers and some pretty cool venues and owners. I am excited to see some of the younger bands and performers starting to make in roads and seeing success.

Matthew - One thing I can say about the Windsor music scene it the incredible support the musician give to each other, they are known to inspire, encourage, and help each other out far above the call, Windsor is a true great experience to be a professional musician in.

Is there something you’d love to see improve in the Windsor music scene?

Michael - It’s good to see many of the venues have local entertainment starting earlier in the evening. I enjoy diversity in music that often corresponds to my mood, so I would like to see meaningful work for all styles of music.

I miss having a listing of who is playing where. Now it’s a matter of checking each venue’s listing.

Larry - Yes, more venues and a variety of music to be witnessed live.

More support for the different bands who are putting their own music out. There is definitely a lot of great talent here. The problem we have is the shrinking live venues. Rooms are smaller and crowds are different from 30 and 40 years ago. So with the help of Facebook and local papers like yours, it helps to give the area an idea of the entertainment available and where you can see them live.

Are there any other highlights of the band’s career so far? I know you guys play Caesars for example.

Michael and Larry - British Beat 66 has had several memorable appearances at Caesars Windsor. Our performance at the Grand Prix on Belle Isle courtesy of Motor City Casino was another highlight. Our trip to Montebello, Quebec where we were treated wonderfully by our host was another.

Also, Put-in-Bay Ohio, Caribbean Blue & Friends III were special to us. I am truly blessed with the people I have met in the music world and the wonderful venues where I had the privilege of performing.

Is there a desire or want to write and record original music as a group or solo?

Michael - British Beat 66 has been working on some original material including “Mop Top Madness” & “A Minute or Two” which will become part of our show in 2019.

Peter Pan Gets a Holiday Twist in New Riverfront Theatre Company Show

By Dan Savoie The entertaining Junior Ensemble of Riverfront Theatre Company always stages a fun show. On December 8 and 9, the troupe will present a holiday twist to the iconic play Peter Pan when they stage A Christmas Peter Pan at the Windsor Downtown Mission.

We interviewed Executive Director Kristina Garswood about the show.

What is A Christmas Peter Pan? A Christmas Peter Pan is an Artreach children’s play with music (traditional carols with reworked lyrics) that tells the story of Peter Pan, impatient for Christmas, deciding to travel to the North Pole to find Santa Claus.

Unfortunately, he is followed by Cpt. Hook, Smee and the pirates, and both

he and Santa Claus are captured.

Tinkerbell and a set of winter fairies go to get Wendy, John and Michael, and bring them to the North Pole to rescue Peter Pan and Santa, and save Christmas for all the toys, the elves, and of course, the children of the world.

How different is the show from the traditional, non-Christmas, version?

Photo by Maureen Stewart (K&M Photography)

10

A lot of the same characters are involved (the three children and their parents, Peter, Hook, Smee, and Tinkerbell.) New in this story is the setting (the North Pole), the Christmas Elves, the winter fairies, and the toys.

The rescue of Peter is a little different, but familiar. It’s just Christmas adventures with a lot of the same crew.

And maybe a touch of Rudolph in there, with the lost toys.

Tell us about the Junior Ensemble.

The Junior Ensemble is our younger half (or one-third) of Riverfront. They are ages 6-10 (grades 1-5). They rehearse September to December, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and then rejoin the full company after Christmas to participate in the full-company musical (this year, Mary Poppins). We have a number of new students this year – 17 of the 22 kids are brand new to Riverfront.

Several of our students moved into Seniors this year. All but one have returned.

Riverfront is a great theatre company for young ones. What is the company’s purpose?

Riverfront is really all about the kids – we want to give as many kids as possible a chance to really work in that team setting, accomplishing more than any one of them could alone,

through a rich drama experience. We put them on stage three or four times a year, and the Juniors get this show to give them a chance to get their feet wet performing in a smaller setting, for friends and families. We want to make theatre accessible – not just for our performers, but for our audiences as well. We don’t charge the kids to register for Riverfront, beyond the cost of their scripts and tshirts (though we do hold fundraisers!), and we continue to keep our ticket prices very low at $10 and $15 for our regular, and the school performances are $5/ student. We also have the Riverfront Educational Initiative, which allows us on occasion, where the budget permits, to make seats available to schools at no cost whatsoever. The Junior show will be entirely by donation, both for seats, and for the bake sale. Part of the proceeds from A Christmas Peter Pan will be going directly to the Downtown Mission, who are hosting this production at the Mission Chapel.

A Christmas Peter Pan is being staged at the Windsor Downtown Mission. Admission is by donation.

For more about Riverfront Theatre Company and what they do, visit riverfronttheatrecompany.wordpress. com.

11

Guelph Rapper Brings Superstars to Canada

By Dan and April Savoie

Obie

Guelph rapper and concert promoter Robbie G will be on the road this month supporting and promoting rap legend Obie Trice as he travels across Canada - ending in Vancouver on Dec. 23.

For Robbie, it’s a chance to perform music from his seventh album Fire and gain some new fans across the country.

In the last couple years you’ve performed with a ton of hip hop and rap icons. Now you’ll be heading out with Obie Trice this month.

Yeah. So we had him for a couple of shows two years ago on his last tour and this will be the first time that I’ll have a chance to actually go on the road with him like a decent amount of time. That’s pretty awesome.

How does a Guelph boy get influenced and make a career in hip hop?

I mean there’s hip hop everywhere especially nowadays with the Internet. I kind of just grew up with it. My first album.

I think that I listened to Trice is probably Get Rich or Die Trying and that was

DECEMBER EVENTS IN THE 519 Brantford Dec-08 Christmas Bells with the Elmer Iseler Singers, Sanderson Centre (7:30am) Dec-09 The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition, Sanderson Centre (7pm) Dec-10 Brantford Downtown Jazz presents Avery Raquel , Sanderson Centre (8pm) Dec-12 Lunch at Allen’s, Sanderson Centre (7:30pm) Dec-15 Christmas in Nashville, Sanderson Centre (7:30pm) Dec-16 The Next Generation Leahy, Sanderson Centre (7pm)

Chatham

Dec-05 Movie Night: Mission Impossible: Fallout, Chatham Capitol Theatre (7pm) Dec-06 Karaoke Knights, Fortresss Tavern (8pm) Dec-07 Movie Night: How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Chatham Capitol Theatre (6:15pm) Dec-08 Legends of Motown, Chatham Capitol Theatre (8pm) Dec-12 Movie Night: The Man Who Invented Christmas, Chatham Capitol Theatre (7pm) Dec-13 Karaoke Knights, Fortresss Tavern (8pm) Dec-19 Movie Night: The Mircale on 34th Street, Chatham Capitol Theatre (7pm) Dec-20 Cornell School of Irish Dance: A Night On Broadway, Chatham Capitol Theatre (7pm) Dec-20 Karaoke Knights, Fortresss Tavern (8pm) Dec-22 Elvis: A Christmas Special, Chatham Capitol Theatre (7pm) Dec-23 Movie Night: The Polar Express, Chatham Capitol Theatre (7pm) Dec-27 Karaoke Knights , Fortresss Tavern (8pm) Dec-28 Chatham Comedy Festival 4, Chatham

Capitol Theatre (8pm) Jan-10 I Mother Earth & Finger Eleven, Chatham Capitol Theatre (8pm)

Kitchener – Waterloo

Dec-04 Headstones, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (7:30pm) Dec-05 Onion Honey, The Grand Trunk Saloon (7:30pm) Dec-06 Busty and the Bass, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (7:30pm) Dec-07 Homegrown hero, Hack’s Taps & Grill (9pm) Dec-07 Friday Night Dance Party :Learn The Hustle, Conestoga Place (7pm) Dec-07 Tamarock Album Release, The Yeti Café (8pm) Dec-07 The Velveteen Rabbit, The Registry Theatre (6:30pm) Dec-07 Stars wsg My Brightest Diamond, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (7:30pm) Dec-08 Greg Williams & Iain Leslie Unplugged, Strykerz Kitchen & Bar (7pm) Dec-08 Groove Robbers, Hack’s Taps & Grill (9pm) Dec-08 Tri-City Fighting Series VII, Elements Nightclub Kitchener (6pm) Dec-08 The Stevie Ray Vaughan Experience, Rhapsody Barrel Bar (9pm) Dec-08 Sikuri’s St. Lawrence Band: a South American Journey, First United Church (6pm) Dec-08 & 09 The Velveteen Rabbit, The Registry Theatre (2pm, 6:30pm) Dec-09 Tragedy Ann live, TWB Co-operative Brewing (2pm) Dec-10 Rock 101 Seasonal Showcase with 78N,

just because my brother had it and to being from a small town. In that he listened to it. Then he showed market, I get to put on shows and me the Marshall Mathers LP. I think promotions. No one was really after that was one of the Eminem doing hip hop events there, but since records that kind of started the I started doing it, we’ve been able journey from there. But hip hop is so to bring a lot of A-list artists to the universal and it’s so accessible for city to perform - people like Sean anybody. If you get into it, there’s Paul, Nelly, Akon and stuff like tons of it out there to listen that. In the bigger cities to. It’s just music that like Toronto or even always connected Vancouver and with me. I think Edmonton, more so than there’s just so any other kind much more with guests of music. I competition listened to and so much Windsor - Dec. 4 other forms more artists London - Dec. 5 when I was around that it’s Guelph - Dec. 7 younger, but hard to figure I’d say 80 to out some times.

90 percent of my In Guelph there’s musical consumption just a handful of artists is hip hop, just because that’s working there and you can what I resonate with most really stand out and rise to the top Does being in Guelph hurt or in the city and then start to branch help your career? out and start doing the same thing At first I thought that it was going in other cities like London and to hurt my career because I was Windsor. like ‘oh you want to be known as Check out Robbie’s new album the rapper from Toronto’ because Fire and purchase tickets to Toronto is a big city on a global upcoming shows at robbieghiphop. scale. No one’s really going to know com. what Guelph is or who raps in the They perform at RockStar Music City. Guelph is a small town. As Hall on Dec. 4, 765 Old East in I started developing as an artist I London on Dec. 5 and DSTRCT in realized that there is so much benefit Guelph on Dec. 7.

Obie Trice

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS AT EVETS.519MAGAZINE.COM Rhapsody Barrel Bar (6pm) Dec-11 UnHinged :Festival of Disturbing Theatre, Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre (8pm) Dec-12 The 12 Days of Beersmas, TWB Co-operative Brewing (7pm) Dec-13, 14, 15 ActOUT! KW Presents Les Miserables (school edition), The Registry Theatre (6:30pm) Dec-13 Birds of Bellwoods, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (7:30pm) Dec-14 Silver Hill Rebels, Hack’s Taps & Grill (9pm)

The Philosopher Kings, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events, Dec. 15 Dec-14 Petty Theft: A Tribute to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, KW Boathouse (8pm) Dec-14 Yuletide Spectacular, Centre In The Square (8pm) Dec-14 Cancer Bats / The Flatliners / Heart Attack Kids, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (7:30pm) Dec-14, 15 PAW Patrol Live! & The Great Pirate Adventure , The Aud (10:00am, 2pm & 6pm) Dec-15 T’was The Fight Before Christmas!, Cross Body Pro Wrestling Academy (7pm) Dec-15 The Kent Macmillan Band, Hack’s Taps

& Grill (9pm) Dec-15 Toni Jankovic & Srcani Udar, Conestoga Place (8pm) Dec-15 & 16 Yuletide Spectacular, Centre In The Square (2:30pm & 8pm) Dec-15 The Philosopher Kings, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (7:30pm) Dec-16 Dan Walsh, TWB Co-operative Brewing (2pm) Dec-16 Matt Weidinger 2018 Holiday Show, LOT42 Global Flex Campus (2pm) Dec-19, 20, 21, 22, 23 A Very Leila Christmas, The Registry Theatre (7:30pm) Dec-19 Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy: A Celtic Family Christmas, Centre in the Square (8pm) Dec-21 Mojo Filter, Hack’s Taps & Grill (9pm) Dec-21 Local Live with Jack Pender, Descendants Beer & Beverage Co. (8pm) Dec-22 Pink Leather Jackets, Hack’s Taps & Grill (9pm) Dec-22 Craig Cardiff, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (7:30pm) Dec-23 The Western Swing Authority, Rhapsody Barrel Bar (3pm) Dec-28 R. City, Elements Nightclub Kitchener (9pm) Dec-28 The Tea Party, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (7:30pm) Dec-29 Five Foot Nothing, Hack’s Taps & Grill (9pm) Dec-29 Siren Song, The Williamsburg Arms (9:30pm) Dec-29 Blue Rodeo, Centre In The Square (8pm) Dec-31 NYE Dance Party 2018, Conestoga Place (7:30pm)

Dec-31 NYE 2019, District Night Club (9:30pm) Dec-31 NYE with Danko Jones, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events (9pm)

London

Dec-04 Busty and the Bass, Rum Runners (7pm) Dec-05, 06 Lunch At Allen’s, The Aeolian (7:30pm) Dec-05 Sean Leon, Rum Runners (7pm) Dec-06 Selfish Things & Story Untold w/ Certainty & Bet Your Life, Rum Runners (7pm) Dec-06 Headstones, London Music Hall (7pm) Dec-07 Music & Arts Collide Christmas, The Aeolian (6:30pm) Dec-07 Wordburgler An Timbuktu, The Rec Room London Masonville (9:30pm) Dec-07 Daniel Romano “Finally Free’ w/ Casper Skulls, Rum Runners (7pm) Dec-08 Loco & Jam, Rum Runners (10pm) Dec-08 The McCartney Years, The Aeolian (8pm) Dec-09 Charlie Weber w/Birds Of Bellwoods & Dakota Mill , Rum Runners (7pm) Dec-09 A Christmas Carol by John D. Huston, The Aeolian (2pm) Dec-10 Good Lovelies Christmas 2018, The Aeolian (7pm) Dec-11 A Christmas Time with The Ennis Sisters, The Aeolian (7pm) Dec-12 Jeremy Dutcher , The Aeolian (7pm) Dec-12 Next Generation Leahy Christmas, London Music Hall (7pm) Dec-13 Michael live, The Aeolian (8pm) Dec-13 Michael Kaeshammer, The Aeolian (7pm)

Love-Hate Relationship With Christmas Creates Musical Farce

By Michael K. Potter

Post Productions’ most recent show so we could write specifically for them started with the title, a joke tossed out and play to their strengths. Nearly

by Michael O’Reilly. But Fay Lynn everyone invited agreed to be part and I loved it, and within minutes the of it. The first person we approached three of us started riffing, batting ideas was Eric Branget, after we saw his back and forth, writing down ideas performance in Life of Len at the 2017 that seemed promising while throwing Windsor-Walkerville Fringe Festival. others away. Then I suggested it should He agreed to play the singer – who at be a musical, which was also a joke – that point was just called Bing Crosby until it wasn’t. That’s how Another Guy (the accompanist was called Fucking Christmas Play: A Fucking Douchey Piano Guy at that point).

Musical took its first tentative steps Within two weeks we had assembled into the world. a who’s-who of Windsor talent, many We have a love-hate relationship of whom we’d worked with previously, with Christmas, especially with the others strangers we admired.

Christmas songs and movies of the The next step: creating a massive 1940s and 1950s, such as multi-page table of every White Christmas and Christmas cliché and trope Holiday Inn. So the we could find, which first characters we we grouped and knew we needed categorized with the were a chummy goal of trying to cram but arrogant and as many into the play sort of lecherous as possible – with a Shawobox Theatre lounge singer and twist. We compiled it Windsor - until his embittered through web searches Dec. 15 accompanist, who and by watching had a long history a lot of classic and together as both friends contemporary Christmas and rivals. Where would movies (to the delight of my they work? A resort of some kind, therapist, I believe I have now seen like in those classic Christmas movies. every Hallmark holiday movie at Okay, perfect. Now what? least once). The table told us which We wanted to invite some of our kinds of characters we needed, so we favourite local actors to be part of began assigning roles to the actors who the project, people we knew had the joined us and started writing in earnest comedy chops to pull off a complicated in August 2017. A year later we had ensemble show, the best of the best – a mostly complete draft of the script,

Another F**ing Christmas Play

featuring the singer and accompanist (Eric Branget and David Burrows), a cross-dressing resort owner (me, eventually), three feuding sisters (Samantha Edwards, Carla Gyemi, Jules Walton), a rich media mogul and her reality-show star boyfriend (Cindy Pastorius and Matt Froese), a pair of alcoholic Santas (Zeph Yr and Michael O’Reilly), and a miserable impoverished family who are at the resort thanks to a contest in Middle Class Dreams Monthly magazine (Fay Lynn, Julia Pastorius, Nikolas Prsa, and Maria Hausmann).

The three of us had written plays, and some of us had written songs, but we’d never before written a musical.

And let me tell you: musicals are difficult to write. Realizing we’d need a real musician and composer to help us with the songs, we enlisted Sam Poole about a year ago. With Sam on board, we were ready to work on the songs in earnest. We had created lyrics and vocal melodies – and we had fragments and vibes and styles in mind for the music – but Sam’s talent, knowledge and energy brought them to life. An immensely gifted musician, Sam created a jazzy feel that was close enough to the Christmas musicals we were parodying to be familiar, but different enough to stand on its own, with a unique identity.

Rehearsals began in August 2018.

Along the way we lost a few cast members for various highly legitimate

DECEMBER EVENTS IN THE 519 Dec-13 Silverstein, London Music Hall (6pm) Dec-14 Doghouse Rose w/ Black Frame Spectacle & M.A.D , Rum Runners (9pm) Dec-14 A Really Retro Crooner Christmas 2018, The Aeolian (12:30pm & 6:30pm) Dec-15 DeeCee, Khardiac and Aaron Winter, Rum Runners (10pm) Dec-15 I’ll Be Home For Christmas, The Aeolian (7pm) Dec-15 Glass Human, Swearcrow, Glass Lung, Treading Zero, Old East 765 (9pm) Dec-15 The Flatliners & Cancer Bats w/ Heart Attack Kids, London Music Hall (7pm) Dec-16 Sultans of String’s Christmas Caravan, The Aeolian (8pm) Dec-16 The Philosopher Kings, London Music Hall (7pm) Dec-17 Creed Bratton: An Evening of Music & Comedy, Rum Runners (7pm) Dec-17 Good Lovelies Christmas (Show #2), The Aeolian (7pm) Dec-18 Heather Rankin: Christmas, The Aeolian (7pm) Dec-19 Wonderful World of Christmas: Graceland Edition, The Aeolian (7pm) Dec-21 Homesick: Emo Night Holiday Edition, Rum Runners (10pm) Dec-21 Rant Maggie Rant’s 10th Anniversary Frost & Fire Tour, The Aeolian (7pm) Dec-28 Punk Meets Metal 2, Old East 765 (8pm) Dec-29 Futureshock, Old East 765 (9pm) Dec 31 New Years Party, London Music Club (9pm) Dec 31 New Years Eve Hosted by Eric Ethridge, The Bull & Barrel (9pm)

Dec 31 NYE, The 8th Annual: The Penthouse, London Music Hall (10pm) Dec 31 New Years, Curley Brewing Company (8pm)

Sarnia

Dec-01 Long Range Hustle, Refined Fool Brewing Co. (9:30pm) Dec-01 Christmas Benefit Concert, Free Methodist Church (1pm) Dec-04 Lunch at Allen’s, Imperial Theatre (7:30pm) Dec-08 The River Lately, The Water Tower Inn (9pm) Dec-15 Robb Sharp & Lit’l Chicago Christmas Blues 2018, Theatre Forty Two (7pm) Dec-15 Emm Gryner & Preetam Sengupta, Sarnia Public Library (8pm) Dec-19 I Got It: Cards at the Moose, Moose Lodge No 1046 (4pm) Dec-22 Rumble Fish, Lizards Bar & Grill (9:30pm) Dec-31 The Focklers NYE, Paddy Flaherty’s Irish Pub (9pm) Dec-31 The Gypsy Flats NYE, Lizards Bar & Grill (9pm)

Windsor - Essex

Dec-05, 12, 19, 26 Open Stage Wednesdays with Ron Leary, Green Bean Café (8pm) Dec-05 Selfish Things & Story Untold, Phog Lounge (7pm) Dec 06, 07, 08, 13, 14, 15 Another F***ing Christmas Play: A F***ing Musical, Shadowbox Theatre (8pm) Dec-06, 07, 08, 09, 13, 14, 15, 16 Pinocchio,

reasons – life gets in the way sometimes – and by the end of September all three partners in Post Productions were in the cast, so as with The Worst Thing I Ever Did, it made more sense for the three of us to share directing duties rather than have one of us try to direct alone.

A Christmas comedy-musical may seem like an odd choice for Post Productions, which tends to favour hard-hitting drama – that’s its bread and butter. But we all love comedy as well – especially dark comedy that deals with intense emotions and ideas. So although Another Fucking Christmas Play is a farce and a musical, it has some serious points to make as well – about who chooses your identity, not being constrained by the past, when to cut your losses and move on, and when to forgive. You may not notice those things when the cast is singing

“Everyone’s a Christian at Christmas”, but they’re in there.

Everything worthwhile is difficult; everything that matters involves some pain, some struggle. I believe that right down to my core. So of course the process of bringing this show to life hasn’t been easy. We’ve learned a lot along the way, as we do from every production. But just as labour pains are the price we pay for bringing beautiful new life into the world, every moment of struggle involved in this process has been worth it. When you have the opportunity to spend countless hours with talented, smart and creative people, making each other laugh and building on each other’s ideas, I suggest you take it.

Another Fucking Christmas Play: A Fucking Musical continues at Shadowbox Theatre until Dec. 15.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS AT EVETS.519MAGAZINE.COM Kordazone Theatre (7pm) Dec-06 Tony Orlando & Dawn, Caesars Windsor (3 and 8pm) Dec-07 Crack The Whip, Average Joes Sports Bar (10pm) Dec-07 Toni Jankovic & Srcani Udar, Mackenzie Hall Cultural Centre (8pm) Dec-07 A Night Out Album Release, International Hotel (The I.T.) (10pm) Dec-07 Kat Moscone/Bobby Sproat/Heavy Kevy/Concho, Phog Lounge (10pm) Dec-07, 08, 13, 14, 15 Merry Christmas 1930s: A St. Clair Christmas, Chrysler Theatre (7:30pm) Dec-07, 08, 09 The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Cardinal Music Productions (2pm, 8pm) Dec-07, 08, 09 Flamekeeper: A Christmas Tale, Capitol Theatre Windsor (7pm) Dec-07 Territory//Being//BackStabber Dominion House Tavern (8pm) Dec-07 Tamas Dobozy and Stephen Henighan: Reading and Q A, Biblioasis (7pm) Dec-07 Downchild, Olde Walkerville Theatre (8pm) Dec-07, 08 Hey Jingle, The Bank Theatre and Meeting Place (6:30pm) Dec-08 Spencer For Hire, International Hotel (6pm) Dec-08 A Holy Night ft. Alvin Slaughter, The City Church (7pm) Dec-08 Spenny Live, GlassMonkey Studios (9pm) Dec-08 Dj Charlie Brown and Dj Smartiez , Imperial (10pm) Dec-08 Handel’s Messiah , Leamington United Mennonite (7:30pm)

Dec-08 Hair Force One, Heimat Windsor Banquet Centre (9pm) Dec-08 Remix: An Alternative Dance Night, Green Bean Café (10pm) Dec-08, 14, 15 RockStar Industry Showcase, Rockstar Music Hall (7pm) Dec-08 Van Halen Invasion wsg No Yokos, The Back Stage (9:45pm) Dec-08 Windsor Music & Arts Collide Christmas, Olde Walkerville Theatre (7:30pm) Dec-08, 09 A Christmas Peter Pan, Downtown Mission (6:30pm) Dec-08, 15, 22, 29 BOOM Saturdays, Imperial (10pm) Dec-09 PAW Patrol Live! Windsor: Great Pirate Adventure, WFCU Centre (2pm) Dec-09 Handel’s Messiah, Ste-Anne’s Parish (7:30pm) Dec-09 A Night Out Album Release, Rockstar Music Hall (3pm) Dec-12 Tim & The Glory Boys, Lakeshore St Andrews (7pm) Dec-12 Swiss Army w/ Endless Mike, Phog Lounge (9pm) Dec-13 Michael Bolton, Caesars Windsor (8pm) Dec-14 The Shepherd, Canadian Historical Aircraft Association (7:30pm) Dec-14 Do Good, Imperial (7pm) Dec-14 Birds Of Bellwoods/Middle Sister, Green Bean Café (9pm) Dec-14, 15 O Holy Night: A Celebration of Christmas, All Saints’ Anglican Church Downtown (7:30pm) Dec-15 Of the Pack w/Sleeping Nights & Flower Face, Green Bean Café (9pm)

Dec-15, 16 Holiday Pops, Capitol Theatre (8pm, 2:30pm & 7:30pm) Dec-16 The Tenors, Caesars Windsor (8pm) Dec-16 The Polar Express (Dance), Xtreme DanceWorks (5:30pm) Dec-18 Brewing for Comedy, Craft Heads Brewing Company (8pm) Dec-18 Pure Academy Christmas Show, Chrysler Theatre (6pm) Dec-21 The S’Aints: A Holiday Celebration, Caesars Windsor (8pm) Dec-21 A Very Queenie Christmas, Rockstar Music Hall (6pm) Dec-22 Bad Romance & Chainz Christmas Show, The Back Stage (10pm) Dec-22 Dark Matter, Phog Lounge (9pm) Dec-25 Stefan Hrusca , St George’s Romanian Orthodox Church (7pm) Dec-26 Dance of Morias, Hellenic Cultural Centre (7pm) Dec-27 6th Annual Windsor Comedy Festival, Chrysler Theatre (7:30pm) Dec-27 Jimmy’s Comedy Nights, Jimmy G’s Bar and Grill (9pm) Dec-28 FIRE, Villians (10pm) Dec-29 Year End Blastorama, The Back Stage (9pm) Dec-29 Tim Swaddling, Taloola Cafe (8pm) Dec-29 Trout w/ Jesse Fellows, Of The Pack, Phog Lounge (8pm) Dec-31 All American NYE, Imperial (7pm) Dec-31 NYE, Rockstar Music Hall (8pm) Dec-31 NYE w/ The Jody Raffoul Band, Best Western Plus Leamington Hotel (8pm) Dec-31 Rock Avenue NYE, Jake’s Roadhouse & Blues Joint (9pm)

10 FUN QUESTIONS WITH...

Without using the word fun, what is your definition of fun?

Well I like being excited and I like that fear of being scared to go on stage. I get really nervous before a show because I really want to do a good job and be entertaining.

What’s the most fun you’ve had in the last 24 hours?

We’ve been home for a while. I got up super early the other day and I went for a walk right when the sun came out and I was walking down the street and I don’t know if you’ve ever had this but it’s like your endorphins kick in and everything was killer.

What’s more fun chocolate or whipped cream?

Whipped cream is more fun because you can get the flavor and taste of the whipped cream and you can also high from the gas that’s in the can.

What’s the most fun you’ve had watching a movie?

Oh God! I remember a movie called Frozen. I was watching it with this stripper chick that I was hanging out with and she dressed up as Elsa the Ice Queen and she was dancing around naked. We’re watching this kid’s movie and that was a really fun time. I’m not saying there were drugs involved. I didn’t say that.

When was the last time you were made

fun of?

Well, let’s see, when was the last time I seen the guys in the band. Oh yesterday, that’s right, in the studio. Yeah, they make fun of me; well we rip on each other all the time. I would say Satchel is number one in insults. Stixx would be number two.

Have you ever had fun in church?

Oh my God. I don’t want to say we were bad in church, but damn I get uncomfortable in there. Yeah, I used to be a church goer. It was my thing, my mom use to take me, and then when I got older, I started partying and thought ‘Man, I can’t go in there, it’s not the place to go in.’ So the best time I had was when I was walking out.

What is more fun a mother-in-law or going to the dentist?

Well, in my case my ex-mother-in-law was pretty fucking hot.

What’s the most fun you’ve ever had with your clothes on?

The first thing that comes to mind is sometimes after show, know how we bring girls out on stage during our show and sometimes we hand out backstage passes to some of them and they end up coming backstage. After the show I usually take a shower because I’m dirty as fuck, right, so I get this girl and we start making out and I’m like man I’ve

gotta take a shower. But I don’t want to get naked in front of her so I took her to the shower and we took a shower with our clothes on and that was fun for a while until we took clothes off.

Not including anything too racy, what is the most fun you’ve had with your clothes off?

We were in Mexico, Cabo San Lucas doing show. It was me, Lexxi and Stix we rented these scooters and we drove around on these scooters for like three or four hours and then we came up to this beach and it was like desolate and it was killer. I was like God the water is so awesome, but we didn’t have bathing suit. So we thought you know what we’re going in. We took all your clothes off and went in the water and we did a Steel Panther Skinny Dip. It was pretty awesome, but Lexxi ended up getting crabs. They were like the biggest cabs you’d ever seen.

Has being in Steel Panther made you a more fun person?

I think me being in Steel Panther has made Steel Panther a more fun band.

It’s definitely made me more outgoing because I’m able to say what’s on my mind. I don’t think I would walk up to somebody in a grocery store and say some of the stuff that we say on stage though.

WHAT COMMUNITIES CARRY 519?

AMHERSTBURG BELMONT BOTHWELL CAMLACHIE CHATHAM COTTOM DRESDEN DUTTON ESSEX HARROW

INGERSOLL KINGSVILLE LASALLE LONDON LEAMINGTON MCGREGOR MOORETOWN PELEE ISLAND PETROLA RODNEY

SARNIA PORT STANLEY SHEDDEN SARNIA STRATHROY TILBURY WALLACEBURG WINDSOR WOODSTOCK WHEATLEY

r r a t S l e a h Mic Photo by Dan Savoie

Windsor rapper C.P.R having a R.Y.O.T. with the release of his debut solo CD Story by Dan Savoie Windsor rapper Cody Pinnegat (known professionally as C.P.R.) has just released his debut solo CD, featuring members of his crew Rebellious Youth Of Theory (R.Y.O.T.) and a large gathering of performers from the Windsor and Detroit hip hop scenes.

Simply called Compression, the CD has had two video single releases, including the latest, an in-depth piece called Getting Back Up, featuring a young Krisalyn Bell, who’s known for her work with all-girl band Girl Pow-R. We had a chat with Cody about the new album, growing up in Windsor and the local hip hop scene.

Please tell me a bit about yourself, and where you grew up.

So I grew up in the West End of Windsor, lived in the same house from about 3 years old till about 14 years old, on Barrymore Lane near Mic Mac park. I actually talk about it in West End and also in a song that’s coming on the R.Y.O.T album “In the Streets”. It was a small house but it was nice and well kept. My dad worked hard to provide for us and my mom took care of me. We lived just in front of the projects so I seen a lot of diverse families and had friends from all different walks of life.

Tell me about your music career.

My music career actually started just for laughs. I had been friends with my homie and teammate Blaze Jay since the start of high school and he was already rapping and he even performed at our school talent shows a couple times. I mention in one of my old songs “Used to Rap for Laughs Now I’m Finished with that”. The first song I made was called “The Hustle” and it was terrible. In the song “Top You Up” I reference it saying “first song called the hustle, that shit was whack but it started working my brain muscles”. I had fun making the song so I did a couple more and started getting better.

Why the name C.P.R.? What does it mean to you?

When I was born my name was hyphenated with both my parents’ last names because they weren’t married yet and they wanted me to be able to choose when I got older. So my birth name was Cody Lee Pinnegat-Renaud, drop the middle name and you get C.P.R..

I realized this when I was younger. I was actually into wrestling as a kid so I made up my own finishing move and it was called the cpr, so when I started raping that was the first name that came to mind. A few people tried convincing me to change it because it’s not always easy to Google but its C.P.R forever cuz that’s just me.

When did R.Y.O.T. form and how did you become a part of it?

R.Y.O.T. was officially established in 2014 when we chose our name R.Y.O.T. and dropped our first song “Operation

Guillotine”.

Blaze was the first member because he got us all into rapping. Lamatic had gotten the idea to use the name ryot and to turn it into an acronym. Lamatic and I lived together at that moment and we stayed up for hours coming up with Rebellious Youth Of Theory. Essentially what Rebellious Youth Of Theory means is that theoretically everyone is youthful and is capable of being rebellious and standing for what you believe in no matter what your age, gender, ethnicity, whatever....

Why perform rap/hip hop? Where did your love of the music come from?

I actually come from a family of musicians. My dad is a guitar player and lead singer in a cover band called Living The Dream and my uncle Tim actually moved out to Calgary to try to pursue his dream with his band. So I’ve been surrounded by music and vocalists my whole life and I’ve always had a love for music. I learned quickly that I can’t sing very well though so after making a couple rap songs just for fun I realized that this could be my outlet for making music.

You have a new album. It’s not a R.Y.O.T. group album. Why a solo release?

There is a R.Y.O.T album in the works, but when it comes to a group album the songs all have to measure up to each group members standards which is a lot more difficult than just meeting one persons standards. With my album, basically when I was satisfied with everything then it was finished. With a group album if one person doesn’t like something it needs to be altered even if another person is ok with it. It’s also hard to find time for 5 people to get all their recording in and then take the time to sit down and edit everything but it is coming. R.Y.O.T. “In The Streets” is what the album will be titled and we are all more than ready for it to be done but it still needs work. You can look forward to some local features on that album as well as a feature from Guelph’s very own Robbie G. Tell me about what you wanted to accomplish with the new album?

With this being my first solo project I really wanted to establish myself and show people that yes I am a part of a group but I’m also doing things on my own too, because each member has their own unique style that should be recognized by itself as well as together.

I also just really wanted to showcase other artists that I personally feel have great talent. Last but not least I wanted to show people that my main goal is unity amongst my city and amongst hip hop in general. I feel that we have a much greater chance of accomplishing our goals united then we do by ourselves.

You have plenty of guests on the album. How did you choose some of them?

It’s not always easy choosing a feature for a song because you want the person to share your message that you’re trying to convey while at the same time making that message from their point of view.

When I hear a beat most times I instantly think of an artist I could picture relating to the subject while flowing on the beat nicely. Some artists I had asked to be on certain songs declined because they just weren’t able to come up with something they saw fit for that particular song. I really tried to keep it diverse and I also tried putting all my really close artists on songs as well to give them recognition.

From day 1 I knew that I needed to get every R.Y.O.T. member on this project cuz those are my brothers and I had to make sure people know that even though this is a solo project I support my brothers to the fullest.

Krisalyn Bell is a great young singer. It’s different having such a young girl with a rapper. How did you meet and what was it like recording with her?

It was actually really cool how this song came together. There is a group on Facebook called “Windsor Hip Hop” where everyone shares all their music, events, and we even have discussions about everything music related. Krisalyn’s mom made a post in this group chat saying her daughter was looking to expand her horizons and work with some different artists.

R.Y.O.T. has been looking for female artists to collaborate with for a while so the timing was kind of perfect. I have never met any of them at that time but I decided to message her to see exactly what she was interested in doing and of course I wanted to hear what she sounded like. So I messaged Krisalyn’s mom and she actually knew who we were already because they happened to be at a contest we were involved in called “Move The Crowd” and we actually ended up winning that contest, so her mom sent me some video clips of Krisalyn singing and I was blown away by how talented she was especially for her age. I told Krisalyn that I didn’t have a project in mind for us but I just wanted to let her know that I was very interested in working with her. A few days later my buddy Ricky Mac sent me a beat to check and instantly I heard Krisalyn’s voice on it and started to develop a chorus for her. The song came together quickly and I wanted to see how capable she would be to design the bridge part on her own and she absolutely nailed it, from the words, staying on topic, and really showing her vocal range it pulled the song together really nice. She stepped foot in our studio for the first time and just exuded such confidence I’m telling you that girl is gonna do big things real soon, I am blessed to have her on a song and to do a video together.

Why Compression as the title?

I chose for my album to be titled “Compression” mainly because it’s the main action you perform while doing actual C.P.R. but the term to me also relates to music in a few different ways.

I have kids now, so I don’t always have a lot of free time, so when I do have studio time I have a lot of things to do and I need to compress all those things into a few short hours. Also when you’re editing vocals we actually use different types of compressors and when you mix down your final vocals you compress them as well and since I am the executive audio engineer in R.Y.O.T. I do most of the compressions.

You’re a part of Windsor’s hip hop scene. It’s actually a very vibrant and growing scene. Is Windsor a good place for performing hip hop?

Windsor is full of very talented and driven artists but the music scene itself isn’t always popping. We do lots of shows were the artists performing are really good but the crowd just doesn’t flock to the shows for some reason.

The establishments themselves play a big role in this as well though because most of the promoting is left up to the artists. I feel a lot more people need to get involved because it’s really going to benefit everyone if the scene starts to become successful. Over the years it has been growing and we have seen really big name artists come through

such as Merkules, Mad Child, Swollen Members, and Obie. I really want to encourage hip hop fans to help support the scene more and even just give more input to how we can help improve your experience and also what artists would you like to see come to Windsor.

Without the help of the fans nobody is going to go anywhere.

How did Windsor shape you as a person and as a rapper?

Windsor has shaped me to become the person I am today. The people who surround me are all locals and they have all helped build me into the artist and the person I am today whether it was through friendship and creative experiences or just seeing what amazing things other locals are doing and encouraging me to get involved. If it wasn’t for the people I grew up around who knows where I would be at now and what I would be doing. I used to be ok just coasting through life and have a mediocre job but my friends and family have shown me that we all deserve better and I personally want to be a big reason why that happens. I met my wife in Windsor, I’m raising my 2 sons in Windsor and I’ve had some amazing experiences here. Wherever life leads me I always wanna come back to my roots and share my successes with the people who helped me achieve them.

Compression is available on Spotify.

Photo by Kirk Harris (K&M Photography)