Live music

Michael Demers, performing here as a member of The Lonely, died May 1 after a year-long battle with leukemia. (Photo by Benji Duke)

Victoria music community mourning Michael Demers

Veteran singer-songwriter, co-founder of The Lonely dies at 63 due to leukemia

 

Frequent buskers Johnny Bomblast, left, and Dave Harris perform in front of Munro’s Books on Government Street. The roommates recently completed a new album of original material entitled Clouds. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

VIDEO: Not even a pandemic can keep a good Vancouver Island street musician down

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

 

The late Hermann Nieweler, centre, founder of Hermann’s Jazz Club, poses with the Tom Vickery Trio on stage at the club (from left, Vickery at piano, Josh Dixon, Sean Drabbitt). Vickery and his current trio headline a March 31 show that is a fundraiser for the B.C./Yukon Kidney Foundation. Nieweler was a kidney transplant recipient in 2010. (Courtesy Hermann’s Jazz Club)

Kidney Month show at Hermann’s honours memory of Victoria jazz club owner

Tom Vickery Trio headlining fundraiser being livestreamed online March 31

 

Singer Ken Lavigne will perform by live-stream from Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River on Feb. 7, starting at 7:30, playing romantic ballads and love songs. (Ken Lavigne/Submitted)

Get into the mood for Valentine’s Day with Vancouver Island’s Ken Lavigne

Singer will perform romantic ballads and love songs by livestream from Campbell River on Feb. 7

Singer Ken Lavigne will perform by live-stream from Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River on Feb. 7, starting at 7:30, playing romantic ballads and love songs. (Ken Lavigne/Submitted)
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’90s rock band resurfaces with songs never properly recorded or released

Underwater Sunshine’s online reunion involves four guys who lost contact for years

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Drummer Kelby MacNayr and friends play a Nov. 11 show at Hermann’s Jazz Club, part of its Community Nights series of free concerts. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

Musical connections feed the soul at Victoria venue

Hermann’s does its part to put performers in front of live audiences, with free community concerts

Drummer Kelby MacNayr and friends play a Nov. 11 show at Hermann’s Jazz Club, part of its Community Nights series of free concerts. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
Jen Hodge conducts an online concert during the pandemic after returning to B.C. from New York City. Photo courtesy Claudia Nobauer

Canada Recovery Benefit won’t replace the magic of live performance, musicians say

Cash will help, but its the audience connection that most performers miss — and crave

  • Oct 26, 2020
Jen Hodge conducts an online concert during the pandemic after returning to B.C. from New York City. Photo courtesy Claudia Nobauer
Musicians Teva McHillis (left) and Anela Kahiamoe (full-time musician and regular at Roy’s Towne Pub) play some tunes. The pub wants to get small-scale performances going again. Photo supplied

Island pub wants people to ‘drop five’ to keep music alive

Royston’s Charlie Aiken thinks his plan can help artists and venues alike

Musicians Teva McHillis (left) and Anela Kahiamoe (full-time musician and regular at Roy’s Towne Pub) play some tunes. The pub wants to get small-scale performances going again. Photo supplied
Shelley Vaags, a Langford woman, has been entertaining dozens of viewers on her daily sing-along livestreams. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

Langford bartender hosts singalong livestream for seniors

Live Senior Singalong takes place daily at 1 p.m. on Facebook

Shelley Vaags, a Langford woman, has been entertaining dozens of viewers on her daily sing-along livestreams. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Tune in for the Wish You Were Beer! Virtual Happy Hour concert series and you can have your very own house concert, featuring some of the Comox Valley’s best musicians. Luke Blu Guthrie (pictured) played May 2 at Brewing Company. Photo by Terry Farrell

Comox Valley craft breweries hosting a series of live-stream concerts

Wish You Were Beer Comox Valley Craft Brewery Virtual Happy Hour underway

Tune in for the Wish You Were Beer! Virtual Happy Hour concert series and you can have your very own house concert, featuring some of the Comox Valley’s best musicians. Luke Blu Guthrie (pictured) played May 2 at Brewing Company. Photo by Terry Farrell
City of Victoria artist-in-residence Kathryn Calder performs a livestreamed concert on Facebook from her home this Friday at 7:30 p.m. YouTube

LIVE MUSIC: Artist in Residence reaching into the community

Kathryn Calder to perform livestream show on YouTube channel this Friday, April 3

City of Victoria artist-in-residence Kathryn Calder performs a livestreamed concert on Facebook from her home this Friday at 7:30 p.m. YouTube
Maria Manna will perform an Italian version of Hymn to Freedom, on a Facebook livestream today (March 30) at 2 p.m. from Hermann’s Jazz Club. Photo by Kevin Light Photography

Victoria vocalist Maria Manna reaches out to hard-hit Italy with special online song

Jazz singer to perform ‘Hymn to Freedom’ with Italian lyrics on Facebook at 2 p.m. Monday

Maria Manna will perform an Italian version of Hymn to Freedom, on a Facebook livestream today (March 30) at 2 p.m. from Hermann’s Jazz Club. Photo by Kevin Light Photography
The Lonely singer reaches out and gives back, with online birthday show

The Lonely singer reaches out and gives back, with online birthday show

Michael Demers sharing a musical chat tonight at 8 p.m. on Facebook

The Lonely singer reaches out and gives back, with online birthday show
Trio of rock shows rescheduled for Alix Goolden Hall

Trio of rock shows rescheduled for Alix Goolden Hall

Bowie tribute show, Martin Barre’s Jethro Tull show and Tommy Emmanuel all booked for late fall

Trio of rock shows rescheduled for Alix Goolden Hall
Opera from a social distance: Taking it to the web

Opera from a social distance: Taking it to the web

Pacific Opera Victoria launching two weekly podcasts to educate and stay in touch with listeners

Opera from a social distance: Taking it to the web
Victoria Quarantunes playlist encourages support for struggling artists

Victoria Quarantunes playlist encourages support for struggling artists

Victoria brewpub creates local playlist after restaurant closes in response to COVID-19

  • Mar 25, 2020
Victoria Quarantunes playlist encourages support for struggling artists
Dance company Kidd Pivot rehearses for their production of Revisor. An art relief fund has been started to help out artists put out of work by the COVID-19-related shutdown of shows across the world. Photo by Michael Slobodian

Relief fund for Canadian performing artists gets $100,000 boost from foundation

Facebook started the fund with a first $100,000 donation last week

Dance company Kidd Pivot rehearses for their production of Revisor. An art relief fund has been started to help out artists put out of work by the COVID-19-related shutdown of shows across the world. Photo by Michael Slobodian
A 2017 performance during the Tiny Lights Music Festival in the Kootenay community of Ymir. This year’s edition of the annual event has been postponed to 2021. Tyler Harper/Black Press

Will the show go on? B.C. music festivals consider options for 2020

Summer events running out of time to stay on schedule, in wake of COVID-19 uncertainties

A 2017 performance during the Tiny Lights Music Festival in the Kootenay community of Ymir. This year’s edition of the annual event has been postponed to 2021. Tyler Harper/Black Press
A fan takes a photo of a band at a live concert. Photo by Terry Farrell

Music industry feeling the effects of COVID-19 pandemic

Island musicians, promoters and producers alike reeling from cancellations, venue bans

A fan takes a photo of a band at a live concert. Photo by Terry Farrell
The City of Victoria’s Artist-in-Residence, Kathryn Calder, chairs the City’s Music Advisory Committee, which is helping assemble Victoria’s first official music strategy. Photo by Steve Calder

Surveying Victoria’s future live music scene

City of Victoria, Music BC among partners on public project, submit your input by April 13

The City of Victoria’s Artist-in-Residence, Kathryn Calder, chairs the City’s Music Advisory Committee, which is helping assemble Victoria’s first official music strategy. Photo by Steve Calder