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Music Biz Headlines, April 6, 2023

Music Biz Headlines, April 6, 2023

By Kerry Doole

Punk Rock Museum to open in Las Vegas with Canadian punk at the helm

The collection will have over 250 Canadian punk history artifacts, and a Canadian punk legend is at the helm. – Cara Nickerson, CBC News


Amanda Marshall leaves behind two decades of ordinary for a return to making music

Amanda Marshall is getting reacquainted with the spotlight. Two decades have passed since the smoky-voiced singer disappeared from the music scene with little explanation, leaving behind years of soulful Canadian hits including “Let It Rain,” “Believe in You” and “Birmingham. The big question obviously is what happened,” Marshall acknowledges. – David Friend, CP

Veteran concert promoter Rob Bennett earned artists’ trust

For more than 40 years, Mr. Bennett promoted carefully curated concerts in Toronto and up and down the corridor from Windsor to Montreal. He lived a dream, presenting the artists he loved to listen to himself: Bonnie Raitt, Jesse Cook, Harry Chapin, Peter Tosh, Van Morrison, Dire Straits, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, John Prine and many more.  –Brad Wheeler, The Globe and Mail

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Dallas Green on hope in the new City and Colour album

‘There was a time where I would have gone in the complete opposite direction,' says the Canadian singer-songwriter. He is back with his seventh solo album, “The Love Still Held Me Near.” – Justin Smirlies, Toronto Star

Maestro Rafael Payare aims to create music that doesn’t just ‘check a box’

The Venezuela-born maestro has officially been music director of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal since September, 2022, but has already embarked on two tours with the orchestra: to Europe last fall, and to the United States recently. – Catherine Kustanczy, Globe and Mail

For Grammy winner Alex Cuba, melodies are the gift of music 

It seems appropriate that our conversation with Alex Cuba comes exactly one year and one day after the acclaimed singer-songwriter from Smithers, BC, won his first-ever Grammy Award. That was in the Best Latin Pop Performance category, for the album Mendo. –  Kerry Doole, Words & Music

On Our Radar: Experimental alt-pop artist Mauvey keeps the vision alive

Hot on the heels of recent high-profile performances at JUNOFest, SXSW, and Treefort Music Fest, Mauvey is set to release a new mixtape, BEFORE THE ALBUM 2: a brief overview, on April 14 via 604 Records. – Yasmine Shemesh, Georgia Straight 

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Mark Howard’s new book a travelogue of recording studios

The Hamilton-raised sound engineer/producer’s new book ‘Recording Icons/Creative Spaces,’ is filled with candid photos of the artists and the environments in which they worked, Graham Rockingham writes.  – Hamilton Spectator

Chiiild doesn’t care if you think their music is uncool

Yonatan Ayal is happy his electro-soul outfit Chiiild has a catalogue of songs its core audience loves, including new album “Better Luck in the Next Life.”  –Ben Rayner, The Star

HPO fetes Franz Schubert everywhere all at once

Schubert’s oeuvre and the highs and lows of his life are the subject of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Composer Festival which runs from April 1 to 15. – Leonard Turnevicius, The Spectator

Terra Bruce Productions wants to rock the Canadian musical theatre status quo

Founded in Newfoundland and Labrador five years ago, the growing enterprise is “aggressively” – to use chief operating officer (and Great Big Sea co-founder) Bob Hallett’s word – pursuing plans to put itself on the musical-theatre map in this country, many of which will become clear over the next 12 months. – JK Nestruck, The Globe and Mail

Matt Andersen sells out three Halifax concerts this May, adds fourth show

Halifax just can't get enough of Matt Andersen and his band The Big Bottle of Joy—as proved by a trio of instantly sold out shows the band is mounting in the city this May. Andersen just announced he'll be adding a fourth Halifax show on May 3 at The Light House Arts Centre. – Morgan Mullin, The Coast

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TIFF plans ‘rejuvenation’ of Bell Lightbox headquarters, inside and out

Step outside the TIFF Bell Lightbox in downtown Toronto, and you’re likely to hear the steady, clanging drone of construction. But as annoying as that hum might be, it represents opportunity for the Toronto International Film Festival. – Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail

$7-million Queen-Anne-style house boasts space for entertaining: Home of the Week

Generous, light-filled spaces; classic heritage details; large living room and dining room; two separate apartments. Oh, and a dreamy walk-in closet. These are features of the house wned by hit songwriters Amy Sky and Marc Jordan that is now on the market. – Allison Harness, Toronto Star

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On opening night of the ‘Rock of Ages’ revival, here’s who came to party

The glam-rock musical runs at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto until May 20. – George Pimentel, Toronto Star

International

BMG annual revenues jumped 30.6% to over $900M in 2022, as it spent $400M on catalog acquisitions

BMG‘s annual revenues hit EUR €866 million (USD $911m) in 2022 – climbing by €203 million, or 30.6%, year-on-year. Results showed that BMG’s annual operating EBITDA rose by over €50 million (+35.4%) YoY in 2022 to reach €195 million ($205m). – Tim Ingham, MBW

Believe blasts into publishing, buying $51M-valued Sentric

Believe has acquired UK-born music publishing platform Sentric. Paris-based Believe says that its acquisition of Sentric acts as “a first step for Believe in rolling out a global and comprehensive publishing business”. – Murray Stassen, MBW

5 best indie rock albums of 2023 so far

The column Modern Rock In Motion went through the many indie rock artist releases this year and picked albums by The Church, Eyelids, Lucero, Ivan Julian and Robert Forster as the best (so far). Read the reviews and sample the music!  –Peter Lindblad,  Goldmine

SXSW 2023: How immersive experiences ruled at the Austin fest

Brands like TikTok, Roku, HBO Max, and more flexed their experiential muscles at Austin’s massive 10-day festival. Check out the 20 activations that caught our eye. – Shannon Thaler, BizBash

Spinning Gold profiles a complicated and legendary music biz mogul

In a music industry full of larger-than-life characters, Casablanca Records’ late Neil Bogart stood out. He was a successful record industry executive, and a colourful character whose career spanned several key decades in 20th century pop music. – Karen Gordon, Original-Cin

Review: boygenius is cohesive and powerful in 'The Record'

The supergroup, consisting of best friends Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, formed and released their critically well-received self-titled EP in 2018. – Nardos Haile, AP

Lily Allen recorded new music after joining Olivia Rodrigo onstage at Glastonbury

“It sparked something in me.” – Ali Shutler, NME

The lingering beauty of Elliott Smith

Twenty years after his death, the singer-songwriter still isn’t particularly well known, or well understood, but he is terribly loved. – The New Yorker

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Olivia Rodrigo performs at the Olivia Rodrigo "GUTS" World Tour at the Intuit Dome on August 20, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Polk

Olivia Rodrigo performs at the Olivia Rodrigo "GUTS" World Tour at the Intuit Dome on August 20, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Music News

Olivia Rodrigo Donates All Ticket Profits From First Concert in the Philippines to Women’s Health Charity

"It was the most special show and the most meaningful trip," the star wrote.

Olivia Rodrigo‘s first-ever concert in the Philippines was anything but sour on Saturday (Oct. 5), especially after the 21-year-old pop star donated all the net profits from her ticket sales to a charity supporting women’s health.

Shortly after the Guts World Tour stop in Bocaue’s Philippine Arena concluded, Rodrigo — who is half Filipina — announced her partnership with Jhpiego on Instagram. “been dreaming of this show for a whileeeee,” the “Vampire” singer wrote, sharing a video of herself waving to her fans on stage at the show. “my first time in the Philippines and also my biggest venue ever!!!!! thank you to everyone Manila for welcoming me so generously and making me feel so loved.”

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