Michael Johnston – house concert TOMORROW!!
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November 8, 2009
It may be cooler outside, but the music scene in town is still hot, hot, hot, and this week proves it as we have upcoming shows to preview by the likes of Justin Rutledge, Melissa McClelland, David Wilcox, Matthew de Zoete, Amelia Curran, and one of our all-time faves, Skydiggers! To think, even on a week like that, we fit in some new & notable stuff.
Steel Belted Radio – November 5, 2009
Steel Belted Radio has been blessed with a LOT of very special guests in-studio over the course of our 6 years on the air (Sexsmith, Collett, Plumb, Brock Zeman, Deep Dark Woods, Paul Kelly, etc.), but there’s one guy we’ve been chasing all along, Mike Plume. He blessed us with an ideal name for our show, and we’ve always wanted him to come into the studio and sing our theme song for us. Tonight’s the night. Now, what do we hope for in the years to come?
November 1, 2009
A few of our favourites playing upcoming in town this week filled up most of the show. It’s hard not to get excited about a week where Matt Epp releases his new disc, Vance Gilbert makes his long-awaited return to the West End, and Mr. Mike Plume returns to town with his band! Still, we had time for some great new music and a dip into the mail bag for some new submissions.
Playlists: Tell the Band to Go Home – November 2009
Episode #333
Sunday, November 1, 2009
2:00-4:00 pm central time
CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba
www.umfm.com
A few of our favourites playing upcoming in town this week filled up most of the show. It’s hard not to get excited about a week where Matt Epp releases his new disc, Vance Gilbert makes his long-awaited return to the West End, and Mr. Mike Plume returns to town with his band! Still, we had time for some great new music and a dip into the mail bag for some new submissions. Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm Mike Plume Band – 8:30 Newfoundland – 8:30 Newfoundland – CDN
Matt Epp – Working Holiday – Safe or Free – CDN – WPG
Matt Epp – You’ll Find Me Alone – You’ll Find Me Alone – CDN – WPG
Matt Epp – She’s High Water – Orphan Horse – CDN – WPG
Heather Masse – I Don’t Wanna Wake up Today – Bird Song
Pieta Brown – Lovin’ You Still – Shimmer
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family – Take Me to Show-and-tell – Go Waggaloo 2:30pm – 3:00pm Jay Linden – What’s the Matter with You – Under the Radar – CDN
Vance Gilbert – Times Two – Fugitives
Vance Gilbert – Icarus by Night – Shaking Off Gravity
Vance Gilbert – Don’t Leave a Trace – One Thru Fourteen
Vance Gilbert – Whatever Louise Wants – Up on Rockfield
Vance Gilbert – Country Western Rap – Edgewise 3:00pm – 3:30pm Kev Corbett – Uncle – Son of a Rudderless Boat – CDN
The Undesirables – Northern Girl – Travelling Show – CDN
Acres and Acres – Money – All Nations – CDN
Bob Schneider – Trash – Lovely Creatures
Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons – Curious Thing – Death Won’t Send a Letter 3:30pm – 4:00pm Mike Plume – Ride – Rock and Roll Recordings Volume 1 – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Straight Back Home – Simplify – CDN
Mike Plume Band – If There Ever Was a Fool – Song & Dance, Man – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Promise Me You’ll Never Tell – Fools for the Radio – CDN
Mike Plume – Looking for You (A Travelogue of Sorts) – Drive Thru Volume II – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Dreamer – Fools for the Radio – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Something to Say – Song & Dance, Man – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Keeping Time with the Telephone Poles – 8:30 Newfoundland – CDN Episode #334 Sunday, November 8, 2009 2:00-4:00 pm central time CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba www.umfm.com
It may be cooler outside, but the music scene in town is still hot, hot, hot, and this week proves it as we have upcoming shows to preview by the likes of Justin Rutledge, Melissa McClelland, David Wilcox, Matthew de Zoete, Amelia Curran, and one of our all-time faves, Skydiggers! To think, even on a week like that, we fit in some new & notable stuff. Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm NQ Arbuckle – Part of a Poem by Alden Nowlen called Ypres: 1915 – XOK – CDN
NQ Arbuckle & Carolyn Mark – Too Sober to Sleep – Let’s Just Stay Here – CDN
Jim Byrnes – Lay Me Down Sweet Jesus – House of Refuge – CDN
Justin Rutledge – I’m Your Man, You’re My Radio – The Devil on a Bench in Stanley Park – CDN
Justin Rutledge – Greenwich Time – Man Descending – CDN
Melissa McClelland – Blue Farewell – Stranded in Suburbia – CDN 2:30pm – 3:00pm Melissa McClelland – You Know I Love You Baby – Thumbelina’s Last Stand – CDN
Melissa McClelland – A Girl Can Dream – Victoria Day – CDN
David Wilcox – Modern World – Open Hand
David Wilcox – O Freedom – Thirteen Songs – CDN
David Wilcox – Ecstasy – The Collected Works: 1977-1993 – CDN
Steven Bowers & Christina Martin – Comfortably Sweet – Circadian Anthem EP – CDN 3:00pm – 3:30pm Christina Martin – You Come Home – live recording – CDN
Jay Farrar & Benjamin Gibbard – These Roads Don’t Move – One False Move or I’m Gone: Music from Kerouac’s Big Sur
The Damnwells – The Last Day of the New Age – our new record demo
Lucy Kaplansky – Life Threads – CD single
Jory Nash – Charlie – New Blue Day – CDN 3:30pm – 4:00pm Matthew De Zoete – Remembrance Day – Bottom of the World – CDN
Michael Johnston – Katie – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
Michael Johnston – Stars – Curious Heart – CDN
Amelia Curran – Hands on a Grain of Sand – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
Skydiggers – Monday Morning – Skydiggers – CDN
Skydiggers – Just Before the Rain – Restless – CDN
Skydiggers – 80 Odd Hours – Just Over this Mountain – CDN
Skydiggers – Radio Waves – Road Radio – CDN
Skydiggers – One Last Chance – City of Sirens – CDN Episode #335 Sunday, November 15, 2009 2:00-4:00 pm central time CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba www.umfm.com You know, as much as we like to complain about Winnipeg sometimes, it seems that the good shows just keep on coming. This week we feature the Michael Johnston concert at my house, Matthew de Zoete, Joshua Cockerill, Vic Chesnutt & Nathan, Sunparlour Players, and more! We previewed them all, and still had time for some classics and a little bit of the pop music. Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm Skydiggers – Even When You Fall – Road Radio – CDN
Dave Clark – Show Me a Sign – 14 Songs – CDN
Michael Johnston – My Curious Heart – Curious Heart – CDN
Michael Johnston – When You’re in Love – Curious Heart – CDN
Matthew de Zoete – Bottom of the World – Bottom of the World – CDN
Matthew de Zoete – Not on Fire – Bottom of the World – CDN 2:30pm – 3:00pm Shannon Lyon – Houses on the Hill – Dharma – CDN
Whiskeytown – Excuse Me If I Break My Own Heart Tonight – Strangers Almanac
Caitlyn Cary & Thad Cockrell – Second Option – Begonias
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – If I Am a Stranger – Cold Roses
Leeroy Stagger & the Wildflowers – Atlantic City – live recording – CDN 3:00pm – 3:30pm Joshua Cockerill – Dance with You – The Trick with your Heart I’m Learning to Do – CDN
Joshua Cockerill – Further West – The Trick with your Heart I’m Learning to Do – CDN
Joshua Cockerill – Blue Eyed Prairie Sky – The Trick with your Heart I’m Learning to Do – CDN
Nathan – Home with Me – Jimson Weed – CDN – WPG
Vic Chesnutt – When the Bottom Fell Out – At the Cut
Sunparlour Players – Nuclear – Wave North – CDN
Sunparlour Players – Point Pelee Is the Place to Be – Wave North – CDN 3:30pm – 4:00pm Sunparlour Players – Robbers Lullaby – Hymns for the Happy – CDN
Sunparlour Players – If the Creeks Don’t Rise – Hymns for the Happy – CDN
Scouting for Girls – Elvis Isn’t Dead – Scouting for Girls
Two Hours Traffic – Weightless One – Territory – CDN
Dar Williams – It’s Alright – Promised Land
Liam Titcomb – 11:30 – Can’t Let Go – CDN Episode #336 Sunday, November 22, 2009 2:00-4:00 pm central time CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba www.umfm.com Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm Ron Hawkins – The Devil Went Down – 10 Kinds of Lonely – CDN Ron Hawkins interview Ron Hawkins – D.F.W. – 10 Kinds of Lonely – CDN 2:30pm – 3:00pm Ron Hawkins & The Rusty Nails – Small Victories – Crackstatic – CDN The Lowest of the Low – Bleed a Little While Tonight – Shakespeare My Butt – CDN Geoff Berner – Honey, I’m a Big Boy Now – recorded live on UMFM – CDN Billy Bragg & Wilco – Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key – Mermaid Avenue Billy Bragg – St. Monday – England, Half English Rose Cousins – White Daisies – The Send Off – CDN Royal Wood – Juliet – A Good Enough Day – CDN 3:00pm – 3:30pm Royal Wood – Thinking About – The Lost and Found EP – CDN Rose Cousins – The Dancers – The Send Off – CDN Sunparlour Players – Point Pelee Is the Place to Be – Wave North – CDN Sunparlour Players interview Sunparlour Players – Battle of 77 – live performance – CDN 3:30pm – 4:00pm Sunparlour Players – North – live performance – CDN Sunparlour Players – O’Captain – Wave North – CDN Sunparlour Players – Wood Dress – Wave North – CDN Sunparlour Players – Wall Sisters – Wave North – CDN The Good Lovelies – Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Under the Mistletoe – CDN The Good Lovelies – Down Down Down – The Good Lovelies – CDN Madison Violet – Lauralee – No Fool for Trying – CDN Episode #337 Sunday, November 29, 2009 2:00-4:00 pm central time CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba www.umfm.com Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm Billy Bragg – NWPA – England, Half English Ryan Adams – Oh My Sweet Carolina – Heartbreaker Ron Hawkins – Turned Around – 10 Kinds of Lonely – CDN The Lowest of the Low – Rosy and Grey – Shakespeare My Butt – CDN 2:30pm – 3:00pm Silver Creek – Stay – About Time – CDN Fred Eaglesmith – Crazier – 50 Odd Dollars – CDN Todd Snider – Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues – Songs for the Daily Planet Todd Snider – Corpus Christi Bay – The Excitement Plan The Dustin Bentall Outfit – Railroad – Six Shooter – CDN Leeroy Stagger – Stormy – Everything Is Real – CDN 3:00pm – 3:30pm NQ Arbuckle – The Autumn Leaves – The Last Supper in a Cheap Town – CDN Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Jackson Hole – Rattlin’ Bones Danny Michel – Fireworks – In the Belly of a Whale – CDN Gretchen Peters – Christmas Time Is Here – Northern Lights Gretchen Peters & Tom Russell – Snowin’ on Raton – One to the Heart, One to the Head Gretchen Peters – Sunday Morning (Way Down My Street) – Burnt Toast & Offerings 3:30pm – 4:00pm Good Lovelies – Santa Baby – Under the Mistletoe – CDN Rose Cousins – The Dancers – The Send Off – CDN Nathan – Cigarette Song – CKUW Fundrive 2009: Uncovered – CDN – WPG Nathan – Australia – Stranger – CDN – WPG Jaxon Haldane – French Toast – Jaxon Haldane – CDN – WPG Fish & Bird – My Head My Heart My Gut – Left Brain Blues – CDN
A few of our favourites playing upcoming in town this week filled up most of the show. It’s hard not to get excited about a week where Matt Epp releases his new disc, Vance Gilbert makes his long-awaited return to the West End, and Mr. Mike Plume returns to town with his band! Still, we had time for some great new music and a dip into the mail bag for some new submissions. Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm Mike Plume Band – 8:30 Newfoundland – 8:30 Newfoundland – CDN
Matt Epp – Working Holiday – Safe or Free – CDN – WPG
Matt Epp – You’ll Find Me Alone – You’ll Find Me Alone – CDN – WPG
Matt Epp – She’s High Water – Orphan Horse – CDN – WPG
Heather Masse – I Don’t Wanna Wake up Today – Bird Song
Pieta Brown – Lovin’ You Still – Shimmer
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family – Take Me to Show-and-tell – Go Waggaloo 2:30pm – 3:00pm Jay Linden – What’s the Matter with You – Under the Radar – CDN
Vance Gilbert – Times Two – Fugitives
Vance Gilbert – Icarus by Night – Shaking Off Gravity
Vance Gilbert – Don’t Leave a Trace – One Thru Fourteen
Vance Gilbert – Whatever Louise Wants – Up on Rockfield
Vance Gilbert – Country Western Rap – Edgewise 3:00pm – 3:30pm Kev Corbett – Uncle – Son of a Rudderless Boat – CDN
The Undesirables – Northern Girl – Travelling Show – CDN
Acres and Acres – Money – All Nations – CDN
Bob Schneider – Trash – Lovely Creatures
Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons – Curious Thing – Death Won’t Send a Letter 3:30pm – 4:00pm Mike Plume – Ride – Rock and Roll Recordings Volume 1 – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Straight Back Home – Simplify – CDN
Mike Plume Band – If There Ever Was a Fool – Song & Dance, Man – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Promise Me You’ll Never Tell – Fools for the Radio – CDN
Mike Plume – Looking for You (A Travelogue of Sorts) – Drive Thru Volume II – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Dreamer – Fools for the Radio – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Something to Say – Song & Dance, Man – CDN
Mike Plume Band – Keeping Time with the Telephone Poles – 8:30 Newfoundland – CDN Episode #334 Sunday, November 8, 2009 2:00-4:00 pm central time CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba www.umfm.com
It may be cooler outside, but the music scene in town is still hot, hot, hot, and this week proves it as we have upcoming shows to preview by the likes of Justin Rutledge, Melissa McClelland, David Wilcox, Matthew de Zoete, Amelia Curran, and one of our all-time faves, Skydiggers! To think, even on a week like that, we fit in some new & notable stuff. Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm NQ Arbuckle – Part of a Poem by Alden Nowlen called Ypres: 1915 – XOK – CDN
NQ Arbuckle & Carolyn Mark – Too Sober to Sleep – Let’s Just Stay Here – CDN
Jim Byrnes – Lay Me Down Sweet Jesus – House of Refuge – CDN
Justin Rutledge – I’m Your Man, You’re My Radio – The Devil on a Bench in Stanley Park – CDN
Justin Rutledge – Greenwich Time – Man Descending – CDN
Melissa McClelland – Blue Farewell – Stranded in Suburbia – CDN 2:30pm – 3:00pm Melissa McClelland – You Know I Love You Baby – Thumbelina’s Last Stand – CDN
Melissa McClelland – A Girl Can Dream – Victoria Day – CDN
David Wilcox – Modern World – Open Hand
David Wilcox – O Freedom – Thirteen Songs – CDN
David Wilcox – Ecstasy – The Collected Works: 1977-1993 – CDN
Steven Bowers & Christina Martin – Comfortably Sweet – Circadian Anthem EP – CDN 3:00pm – 3:30pm Christina Martin – You Come Home – live recording – CDN
Jay Farrar & Benjamin Gibbard – These Roads Don’t Move – One False Move or I’m Gone: Music from Kerouac’s Big Sur
The Damnwells – The Last Day of the New Age – our new record demo
Lucy Kaplansky – Life Threads – CD single
Jory Nash – Charlie – New Blue Day – CDN 3:30pm – 4:00pm Matthew De Zoete – Remembrance Day – Bottom of the World – CDN
Michael Johnston – Katie – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
Michael Johnston – Stars – Curious Heart – CDN
Amelia Curran – Hands on a Grain of Sand – recorded live on UMFM – CDN
Skydiggers – Monday Morning – Skydiggers – CDN
Skydiggers – Just Before the Rain – Restless – CDN
Skydiggers – 80 Odd Hours – Just Over this Mountain – CDN
Skydiggers – Radio Waves – Road Radio – CDN
Skydiggers – One Last Chance – City of Sirens – CDN Episode #335 Sunday, November 15, 2009 2:00-4:00 pm central time CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba www.umfm.com You know, as much as we like to complain about Winnipeg sometimes, it seems that the good shows just keep on coming. This week we feature the Michael Johnston concert at my house, Matthew de Zoete, Joshua Cockerill, Vic Chesnutt & Nathan, Sunparlour Players, and more! We previewed them all, and still had time for some classics and a little bit of the pop music. Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm Skydiggers – Even When You Fall – Road Radio – CDN
Dave Clark – Show Me a Sign – 14 Songs – CDN
Michael Johnston – My Curious Heart – Curious Heart – CDN
Michael Johnston – When You’re in Love – Curious Heart – CDN
Matthew de Zoete – Bottom of the World – Bottom of the World – CDN
Matthew de Zoete – Not on Fire – Bottom of the World – CDN 2:30pm – 3:00pm Shannon Lyon – Houses on the Hill – Dharma – CDN
Whiskeytown – Excuse Me If I Break My Own Heart Tonight – Strangers Almanac
Caitlyn Cary & Thad Cockrell – Second Option – Begonias
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – If I Am a Stranger – Cold Roses
Leeroy Stagger & the Wildflowers – Atlantic City – live recording – CDN 3:00pm – 3:30pm Joshua Cockerill – Dance with You – The Trick with your Heart I’m Learning to Do – CDN
Joshua Cockerill – Further West – The Trick with your Heart I’m Learning to Do – CDN
Joshua Cockerill – Blue Eyed Prairie Sky – The Trick with your Heart I’m Learning to Do – CDN
Nathan – Home with Me – Jimson Weed – CDN – WPG
Vic Chesnutt – When the Bottom Fell Out – At the Cut
Sunparlour Players – Nuclear – Wave North – CDN
Sunparlour Players – Point Pelee Is the Place to Be – Wave North – CDN 3:30pm – 4:00pm Sunparlour Players – Robbers Lullaby – Hymns for the Happy – CDN
Sunparlour Players – If the Creeks Don’t Rise – Hymns for the Happy – CDN
Scouting for Girls – Elvis Isn’t Dead – Scouting for Girls
Two Hours Traffic – Weightless One – Territory – CDN
Dar Williams – It’s Alright – Promised Land
Liam Titcomb – 11:30 – Can’t Let Go – CDN Episode #336 Sunday, November 22, 2009 2:00-4:00 pm central time CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba www.umfm.com Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm Ron Hawkins – The Devil Went Down – 10 Kinds of Lonely – CDN Ron Hawkins interview Ron Hawkins – D.F.W. – 10 Kinds of Lonely – CDN 2:30pm – 3:00pm Ron Hawkins & The Rusty Nails – Small Victories – Crackstatic – CDN The Lowest of the Low – Bleed a Little While Tonight – Shakespeare My Butt – CDN Geoff Berner – Honey, I’m a Big Boy Now – recorded live on UMFM – CDN Billy Bragg & Wilco – Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key – Mermaid Avenue Billy Bragg – St. Monday – England, Half English Rose Cousins – White Daisies – The Send Off – CDN Royal Wood – Juliet – A Good Enough Day – CDN 3:00pm – 3:30pm Royal Wood – Thinking About – The Lost and Found EP – CDN Rose Cousins – The Dancers – The Send Off – CDN Sunparlour Players – Point Pelee Is the Place to Be – Wave North – CDN Sunparlour Players interview Sunparlour Players – Battle of 77 – live performance – CDN 3:30pm – 4:00pm Sunparlour Players – North – live performance – CDN Sunparlour Players – O’Captain – Wave North – CDN Sunparlour Players – Wood Dress – Wave North – CDN Sunparlour Players – Wall Sisters – Wave North – CDN The Good Lovelies – Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Under the Mistletoe – CDN The Good Lovelies – Down Down Down – The Good Lovelies – CDN Madison Violet – Lauralee – No Fool for Trying – CDN Episode #337 Sunday, November 29, 2009 2:00-4:00 pm central time CJUM 101.5 UMFM in Winnipeg, Manitoba www.umfm.com Artist – Song title – Album Title – CDN=Canadian – WPG=Winnipeg artist 2:00pm – 2:30pm Billy Bragg – NWPA – England, Half English Ryan Adams – Oh My Sweet Carolina – Heartbreaker Ron Hawkins – Turned Around – 10 Kinds of Lonely – CDN The Lowest of the Low – Rosy and Grey – Shakespeare My Butt – CDN 2:30pm – 3:00pm Silver Creek – Stay – About Time – CDN Fred Eaglesmith – Crazier – 50 Odd Dollars – CDN Todd Snider – Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues – Songs for the Daily Planet Todd Snider – Corpus Christi Bay – The Excitement Plan The Dustin Bentall Outfit – Railroad – Six Shooter – CDN Leeroy Stagger – Stormy – Everything Is Real – CDN 3:00pm – 3:30pm NQ Arbuckle – The Autumn Leaves – The Last Supper in a Cheap Town – CDN Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson – Jackson Hole – Rattlin’ Bones Danny Michel – Fireworks – In the Belly of a Whale – CDN Gretchen Peters – Christmas Time Is Here – Northern Lights Gretchen Peters & Tom Russell – Snowin’ on Raton – One to the Heart, One to the Head Gretchen Peters – Sunday Morning (Way Down My Street) – Burnt Toast & Offerings 3:30pm – 4:00pm Good Lovelies – Santa Baby – Under the Mistletoe – CDN Rose Cousins – The Dancers – The Send Off – CDN Nathan – Cigarette Song – CKUW Fundrive 2009: Uncovered – CDN – WPG Nathan – Australia – Stranger – CDN – WPG Jaxon Haldane – French Toast – Jaxon Haldane – CDN – WPG Fish & Bird – My Head My Heart My Gut – Left Brain Blues – CDN
FAR #123
FAR #123
Jeff Robson
Tell the Band to Go Home
CJUM 101.5 UMFM
Winnipeg, Manitoba
www.tellthebandtogohome.com
Artist: Album (Label) *JR
1. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle: Let’s Just Stay Here (Mint) *JR
2. Jory Nash: New Blue Day (self)
3. Joshua Cockerill: The Trick with your Heart I’m Learning to Do (self)
4. James Keelaghan: House of Cards (Borealis)
5. Lucero: 1372 Overton Park (Universal Republic)
6. Bob Schneider: Lovely Creatures (Shockorama)
TTBTGH presents: Michael Johnston, live @ Sunset Saloon, Nov. 15!
On November 15, 2009, TTBTGH & SBFRR are proud to present the return of pianist/singer/songwriter/Skydigger/all around good guy Michael Johnston (http://www.michaeljohnston.ca), live in my living room!
Johnston’s shows are wildly entertaining, moving, and memorable (I know, I’ve seen a lot of them!). His debut album, Curious Heart, came out in 2005, not long after he’d moved to Winnipeg. That album landed atop every list I made that year for statistics (most played song, album, artist, etc.) and he was unilaterally named my Artist of the Year. That album is a magnificent debut, filled with memorable melodies, touching lyrics, and some stellar special guests. Some artists get special guests to come in and do backups or play an instrument, but Johnston wrote the songs and then turned some of them over to the likes of Reid Jamieson, Oh Susanna, and Andy Maize of Skydiggers to sing. The results are magical collaborations that show that Johnston, early into his promising career, could stand alongside seasoned veterans.
In the past couple of years, Johnston has been a full member of Skydiggers, a now-legendary roots-rock combo (http://skydiggers.com), breathing new life into a band that has stood the test of time after more than 20 years atop the Canadian music industry (such as it is!) His writing, playing, and singing is a huge part of Skydiggers’ successful 2008 album, City of Sirens, and Michael will be at the piano when the band makes its long-awaited return to the West End Cultural Centre (a venue that the band almost destroyed when its exhuberent fans came frighteningly close to plunging through the floor in the 90s! We’ve been assured that the new building faces no fear of destruction, although an exciting, energetic show is guaranteed!)
In the meantime, he’s been hard at work on many new songs, including co-writes with the likes of Andy Maize, Stephen Fearing, Chris Difford (of legendary band Squeeze) and many more, some of which we will hear for the first time on November 15! I’m hoping to convince him to put out a second record featuring some of those great songs one of these days, and I’m hoping that you will come help with my efforts.
Although he spent years in Winnipeg, Michael Johnston hasn’t played his songs to a Winnipeg audience in quite some time. Whenever he does, people leave raving, smiling, and looking forward to seeing him again. I promise you, friends, this will be a night you will enjoy.
It will be an EARLY show, as it is a Sunday night. Show will start at 7 and you should be safely in your bed (or living room or whatever location you prefer) around 10. We enjoy having folks over for dinner, so anyone interested in a pot-luck style pre-show meal is welcome to join us around 5:30 (or anywhere thereafter). Admission is by donation, with all funds going directly to this talented performer. $15-20 is suggested and appreciated. We are very family friendly (bring the kids), very welcoming (if you don’t know us well or haven’t been here before, you are indeed welcome), and your company is much appreciated.
Please get back to me to confirm a seat as soon as possible. Feel free to forward this email to anyone who might be interested in attending, and do let me know if you have any questions.
Hope you can join us!
Steel Belted Radio – October 29, 2009
October 25, 2009
Part 1 of this show was a rerun of the April visit by Dan Mangan on SBFRR, in honour of his return to town this week. Check out that interview if you haven’t already (podcast or on the website).
The show proper, and thereby this podcast, began around 2:30, shortly after my return from Toronto. I’m back, baby, with great new music (including the rock & roll song of the year) and tales to tell.