The FYI News Bulletin

By David Farrell

Jann Arden’s pre-taped concert recorded at Bryan Adams’ Warehouse studio complex in Vancouver has its broadcast tonight on the Looped streaming platform. Included in the show are the expected biggest hits, and, first-time performances of of Paul McCartney’s Lavatory Lil  and a cover of The Cure’s Lovesong.

   In a media release she waxes: “I don’t know a single person that doesn’t have ‘going to see live music again’ on their list of things they’re going to do as soon as life gets back to a little bit of normal, but until that happens, I’m excited to announce this live stream event that I think you will absolutely love.”

   Tickets and more details here.

– In a new fundraising initiative for the famed Toronto music venue, fans can support the Massey Hall Revitalization project and dedicate a seat in their name or for a special someone. Donations start at $500 for gallery seating, $2500 for balcony level & $5000 for orchestra at masseyhall.com. You can also enter a contest for the chance to win & dedicate a pair of seats by writing MH and share who inspired your love of music here. The winner will choose two names to be engraved on plaques and installed on the armrests in the hall's newly named Allan Slaight Auditorium. Contest closes June 13.

– Advance, Canada's Black Music Business Collective, and Music Canada and its members, Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada, have announced a three-year partnership. The Black collective works with businesses to address racial inequality through four pillars: advocacy, mentorship, community outreach, business development and entrepreneurship. In making the announcement, Music Canada interim CEO Jackie Dean stated: "We remain committed to sustained action that supports the values of equity, diversity and inclusion at every level of the music industry."

– Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe, host of the Black music focussed CBC Music show The Block, and former Ryerson U’s Allan Slaight Distinguished Broadcaster-In-Residence, takes charge at the annual pre-Juno industry awards program that is to be held virtually on Friday, June 4.

    Reggae Recording of the Year nominees, Ammoye, Kirk Diamond and TÖME, will join forces in a special celebration of life. Performers will also include Oshawa rock duo Crown Lands (Breakthrough Group of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters and Rock Album of the Year), country music mavens Lindsay Ell and MacKenzie Porter (Country Album of the Year) and Nigerian-Canadian rapper and singer TOBi (Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year and Rap Recording of the Year). The alt-rock group from the 2020/2021 Allan Slaight Juno Master Class shortlist, Monowhales, will also give a performance. The event will be live streamed on June 4 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on cbcmusic.ca/junos, the free CBC Gem streaming service and CBC Music’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.  

– Due to the Ontario lockdown, tentatively to be lifted June 2, Live Nation has announced that Blue Rodeo's live stream from the Danforth Music Hall is now set for June 11, with an encore stream the night following.

– In another sign that a degree of normalcy is within sight, Live Nation has announced NYC popular retro jazz ensemble Postmodern Jukebox brings its Grand Reopening Tour to Canada later this year. Scheduled theatre dates include Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, Nov. 1-6.

– Cassells Brock & Blackwell partner and hotshot entertainment and sports lawyer Len Glickman has been fast making deals over the past 14 months and writes the column to put a few of the acts he’s been working with on our radar screen. "Lots of exciting stuff going on,” he enthuses, adding he’s also been busy in the NFT space as well.

Among the acts he’s helped place:

19-year-old Torontonian Renforshort - released two great tracks Virtual Reality and Exception and new EP Off Saint Dominique coming this summer from Interscope.

LØLØ, also from Toronto, signed a publishing deal with LA-based Mike Caren’s Artist Partner Group (APG) late last year. "We’re getting a lot of support on her tracks Lonely & Pathetic (below) and Death Wish."

Calgary-born TikTok phenom ElyOtto signed a record deal with RCA and just released a remix of his massive hyperpop hit SugarCrash! featuring Kim Petras and Curtis Waters.

Toronto YouTube star turned viral sensation AJA has her new single, Red Button, co-written and produced by Jimmy McGorman,, earning online and radio traction.

And then there’s 16-year-old Torontonian Sophie Powers – an exciting new artist whose debut single Lonely Army was released April 30 on Set Records.

– Music Nova Scotia is banking on a return to normalcy by Nov. 4 when it launches its NSMW summit. The 3-day annual is being staged in Truro this year, birthplace of Robert Stanfield, home to six sections of the Berlin Wall and, importantly, the Truro Bearcats Junior A ice hockey team.

– Sakamoto Agency’s Paul Biro updates us on the company’s 100 Homes: Concert Connections program that has delivered 230 virtual concerts to 35 care homes in the past six months. Writing to the column, he advises that “Sakamoto Agency would happily send concerts to even more care homes, and we want to reach out further through national coverage, in order to provide that bit of light and joy, even if temporarily, to those who need it most. Music is therapy, and we all need it badly these days.” Further info: joelle@sakamotoagency.com

– Employees at Bloomington, IND’s Secretly Group have formed the industry’s first-ever legally-recognized union. Remarkably, management is posturing an attitude of support for its staff. The Secretly Group