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Primary Wave
Bob Ezrin
FYI
Music News Digest: Bob Ezrin & Dennis Dunaway Remember The Colourful Rise of the Alice Cooper Group
Also this week: Big Valley Jamboree brings major country stars to Alberta, Bonsound signs Spaghatt and more..
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Organized by concert promoter Lou Molinaro, The Ballad of Dwight Fry: The Horror-ific Truth Behind The Alice Cooper Group was performed twice last week in Ontario, at the Biltmore Theatre in Oshawa and Bridgeworks in Hamilton.
It featured a look back at The Alice Cooper Group through the eyes of superstar Toronto rock producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Kiss) and original bassist Dennis Dunaway. For almost two hours, armed only with minimal but well-chosen projected photos, the two swapped stories and observations about the seminal work they did together in the 1970s on the albums by that band that helped change the sound and look of rock in that decade.
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The evening focused on the four albums, Love It To Death, Killer, School’s Out and Billion Dollar Babies, released between 1971 and 1973 and produced by Ezrin, who also contributed to the songwriting. That latter album topped both the U.S. and U.K. charts confirming the group as one of the biggest in rock. The detailed recall of Ezrin and Dunaway of events from over 50 years ago was impressive, and the capacity crowd at the Hamilton show eagerly devoured the colourful stories.
Spied in the sold-out crowd were plenty of notable local musicians and producers including Scott McCullough (Rusty), Mickey DeSadist (Forgotten Rebels), Steve Pitkin (Elliott Brood) and Darryl Gould. Toronto guitar hero/producer Ian Blurton trekked in to attend, as did members of The Kings, whose biggest hit ‘’This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ To Glide'' was produced by Ezrin.
Ezrin moved back home to Canada last year after renouncing his American citizenship.
Awards News
Music Nova Scotia presents the 2026 Music Nova Scotia Music & Industry Awards Brunch on Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Inn On Prince, Truro, from 11 am. This year’s ceremony will present awards in 16 music and 8 industry categories. The ceremony will be hosted by Katie Kelly, and will feature special performances by ADINA, Alan Syliboy Trio, Bill Ricky and Good Dear Good. Awards Brunch tickets are on sale now here.
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Festival News
Alberta country fest Big Valley Jamboree, set for the Camrose Regional Exhibition, July 29 to Aug. 1, 2027, has announced more than a dozen new artists joining previously announced headliners Jon Pardi, Alabama, Luke Bryan and Josh Ross. The new additions include three-time consecutive CCMA entertainer of the year Dallas Smith, No. 1 hitmaker Scotty McCreery, three-time CCMA female artist of the year Meghan Patrick, Kalsey Kulyk, Gord Bamford, American stars Montgomery Gentry ft. Eddie Montgomery and Shenandoah, Jackson Dean and Parmalee. Weekend passes and a limited number of single-day tickets are on sale now here.
Industry News
— Bonsound has announced the signing of Spaghatt, the project of country/Americana singer-songwriter Émile Touzin-Deschênes, to its management, label and booking rosters. Last April, he reached the semi-finals of Les Francouvertes and earlier this year the artist independently released his debut EP Perte totale. Spaghatt will perform at L’Esco in Montreal on November 28, accompanied by his band. Tickets here.
— The advance rate for the 39th annual Folk Alliance International Conference (FAI) expires on Nov. 6. The 2027 edition runs January 27–31 at the Hilton Chicago for five days of professional development, networking and music, including official showcases. This year's theme, Hands in Solidarity, celebrates folk music as a collective act and the communities that make it a movement. Register now here.
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— Amatish Music was a Toronto-based independent record label active in the '90s and respected for its roster of such acclaimed singer-songwriters as Kyp Harness, Bob Snider, Veda Hille, Kathleen Yearwood and Sam Larkin. It was founded and managed by Bill Monahan and its story is heavily featured in his recently-published book Two Dollar Cover – Under The Underground and Over The Hills. He describes it as ''a personal memoir of musical adventures spanning from Yorkville in the ‘60’s through to the present in a harbour town on Georgian Bay.'' Monahan is hosting a book launch event at Free Times Cafe in Toronto on Nov. 15, 4-7 pm. More info on the book here.
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Artists News
Veteran Canadian electronic duo Delerium (Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly) have joined forces with noted L.A. dreamwave duo Magic Wands on a new track, “Dream Palace.” It teases Delerium's highly anticipated 16th studio album, Exaudire, out in January 2027 via Metropolis Records, and follows the lead track "Into The Light" which featured iconic avant-garde vocalist Diamanda Galás.
— East Coast singer-songwriter and cult hero Al Tuck is teaming up with young rootsy songsmith JD Crosstown (a star at Folk Canada recently) for an Ontario tour. It begins on Nov. 5 at London's Richmond Tavern, followed by Phog Lounge in Windsor (Nov 7), Revival Art Store, Hamilton (Nov. 12), ZBTFD in Brantford, Nov. 13 and Lola, Toronto, Nov. 14, with more dates TBA.
— After extensive touring out West in Sept. and Oct. hard-working roots troubadour Zachary Lucky has six shows in Montreal and Ontario (Nov. 4-14) followed by eight shows in rural Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. Itinerary here. He is gigging in support of his current album, The Lost River Sessions.
— Formerly guitarist with Canadian country greats Prairie Oyster, Keith Glass now fronts his own group, The Keith Glass Band. They recently released a new album, The Last Resort, a live recording Glass describes as ‘’original rootsy rock&roll, with a dash of R&B, blues, North Americana.’’ It comprises 11 Glass originals, with folk star Lynn Miles adding guitar and harmony vocal on ''Louisiana Rain.’’ Glass plays with Miles at her Hugh's Room show in Toronto on Nov. 12, then headlines another CD release celebration at his home base, Nogo Coffee Co in Osgoode, Ontario, on Nov. 14.
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