Music News Digest: Coldplay's Chris Martin to Perform at Vancouver's Invictus Games, Blue Rodeo Doc A Hit
In this week's compendium of Canadian music industry news: Four Chords & The Truth fundraises for Unison Fund's new Natural Disaster Relief Program, Montreal country festival LASSO announces lineup, and much more.
Awards News
The 28th Opus Awards Gala was held at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’ Bourgie Hall on Feb. 2. The event celebrated the musical achievements of Québec’s concert music community for the 2023–2024 artistic season, honouring 32 winners.
Nine Opus Awards were accompanied by a prize in cash or services. The Hommage award was presented to Michel Levasseur, founder and executive and artistic director of the Festival international de musique actuelle de Victoriaville (FIMAV). Notable names on the winners list included Marianne Trudel, Alain Bédard, Orchestre Métropolitain, Molinari Quartet, Bon Débarras and Hugo Blouin. Check the full list here.
Festivals News
– Country-themed fest LASSO Montrealhas announced the lineup for its 2025 edition, taking place on August 15-16 at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Montreal's Île Sainte-Hélène and preceded by LASSO in the City on August 14. Joining the previously announced headliners Bailey Zimmerman and Jelly Roll are popular rocker Sheryl Crow (a 9x Grammy winner), current chart-topping sensation Shaboozey, Alabama country hitmaker Riley Green and storyteller Tucker Wetmore. Canadian content includes bluegrass stars The Dead South, fast-rising stars Cameron Whitcomb, Teigen Gayse and Sacha, Madeline Merlo and the Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project. More info here.
– The full lineup for the 2nd edition of Our Music Festival, held on Friday, March 7, at the Great Hall in Toronto, has been announced. The impressive list comprises Kinnie Starr, CJ Wiley, Irene Torres, Semiah, Lala Noel, R. Flex, Cris Derksen and Sarah MacDougall plus Honey Jam alumni, Kiza and Earth 2 Tiffany. The host is artistic director and festival founder Andrea Ramolo, who launched the event to help address the gender disparity issue within the music industry. Tickets here.
– Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has been added to the lineup for the opening ceremonies of the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver. Games organizers recently announced Friday that the English vocalist will perform at B.C. Place Stadium on Feb. 8, joining a star-studded lineup that includes Katy Perry, Noah Kahan and Nelly Furtado.
Martin has been involved with the Games since they were founded by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in 2014, and composed the Invictus Anthem, used in the medal ceremonies at every Games. Up to 550 athletes from 23 nations will compete at the Games in Vancouver and Whistler from Feb. 8-16.
Industry News
– It's a hit! The just released feature film documentaryBlue Rodeo: Lost Together has begun screening across the country and a sold out response has already earned it the status of No. 1 Canadian film at the box office. A celebration of the 40-year-long career of Blue Rodeo, Canada's leading roots-rockers, it is directed by Dale Heslip, produced by Cream Productions in association with documentary Channel and distributed by Blue Ice Docs. The doc premiered at the Whistler Film Festival, earning the Audience Award, and its theatrical run began last weekend at Hot Docs Cinema in Toronto, followed by a limited rollout to Cineplex Cinemas nationwide, February 2 and 3. It begins streaming on CBC Gem starting February 19.
– The popular singer-songwriter series Four Chords And The Truth returns to TD Hall (inside Massey Hall) in Toronto on Feb. 10. This edition has a special focus, as 100% of all funds raised will go to Fire Relief for Canadian Music Workers in L.A. through Unison Fund's new Natural Disaster Relief Program. The full lineup is TBA. Ticket info here
– 40 years as a performing arts company is a milestone worth celebrating, and Toronto's Opera Atelier plans to do just that. They just announced two major upcoming productions, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, coming to the Elgin Theatre October 15, 16, 18 and 19, 2025, and the Canadian premiere of Debussy’s surrealist opera, Pelléas et Mélisande, on stage April 15, 16, 18 and 19, 2026 at Koerner Hall. More info here
Artists News
– Fast-emerging singer-songwriter Bells Larsen recently signed to top indie label Royal Mountain Records (Wolf Parade, Mac DeMarco, Hollerado) and will release a new album, Blurring Time, on April 25. He will support it with dates throughout May and June in Canada and the U.S., starting with a record release show at The Great Hall in Toronto on May 1. Tickets for all shows are available now here. Here's his new single.
– An international cult hero as leader of proto-punk outfit Simply Saucer (still a going concern), Hamiltonian Edgar Breau maintains a healthy solo career. His new album, Acadian Drifter, came out last week and was launched last Saturday with a sold-out hometown matinee show at The Capitol. First solo and then accompanied by Simply Saucer bassist Kevin Christoff and drummer Paul Panchezak, Breau premiered his new material alongside favourites from both his solo and Simply Saucer catalogues. As ever, Breau impressed with his stylistic range (from Anglo-style folk to blues to guitar-driven psychedelia) and literate material. No surprise to see fellow local musicians Champagne James Robertson, Martin Verrall (who opened), Darryl Gould, Mickey DeSadist, Pip Kummel and Scott McCullough in the audience. Check out this killer new cut, "Cornpone the King of Jive."
– Hard-working and acclaimed Toronto roots songsmith Julian Taylor headlines an Acoustic Harvest concert on Feb. 15 at St Paul's United Church, 200 McIntosh St. Scarborough, ON. Joining Taylor in what is billed as An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories with Friends are Robert Priest, Rosanne Baker Thornley, and Tyler Ellis, with an opening performance by Quote the Raven. Tickets here
In partnership with Zula Presents Something Else!, the Hamilton Public Library presents a Celebration of Thelonious Monk and His Music at the Central Library on Feb. 8 (noon-4p.m.) The free event features a screening of the Clint Eastwood-produced documentary Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser and live performances by New York soprano saxophonist and composer Sam Newsome and Hamilton-Toronto-based jazz duo Daniel Fortin (double bass) and Michael Davidson (vibraphone).
