Music News Digest, March 12, 2018

By Kerry Doole

Details of Juno Fan Fare in Vancouver have been announced. The fun happens at Metropolis at Metrotown on March 24 (12-3pm) and it features live performances by Jess Moskaluke, High Valley, Ria Mae, Scott Helman, and Tim Hicks.

Appearing for Selfie Sessions are Aaron Pritchett, Arkells, Chad Brownlee, Dallas Smith, Dan Davidson, Daniel Caesar, High Valley, James Barker Band, Jess Moskaluke, Lights, Marianas Trench, Ria Mae, Ruth B., Scott Helman, Shawn Hook, Theory, Tim Hicks and Virginia to Vegas. Tickets are free via junofanfare.ca

– Royal Mountain Records, in partnership with Lower Level, has announced the lineup for its all-label curated festival at Rasberry Farm, in Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, ON. The single-day all-ages event on September 2 will feature a headline performance by Mac DeMarco, plus Calpurnia (fronted by Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things), U.S. Girls, Ought, Dizzy, TUNS, Little Junior, and Everett Bird sharing the stage in the secluded outdoor grounds. Tix are now on sale

–Paradox, the Daryl Hannah-directed Neil Young movie premiering at SXSW 2018 this week, has been picked up by Netflix. The film is described as a cowboy flick with Young starring with his band Promise of the Real featuring Lukas Nelson. Lukas’ father Willie Nelson is also in the movie. The Paradox soundtrack, featuring original music by Neil Young + Promise of the Real, will be released on April 20. Source: Noise11.com

– Tomorrow (March 13), at The Drake in Toronto, the Polaris Prize unveils its one-of-a-kind screenprint tribute posters commissioned to honour the eight most recent albums that received Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize designation. The albums celebrated are by The Band, The Tragically Hip, Feist, Glenn Gould, Harmonium, Eric's Trip, Gordon Lightfoot, and k-os. Posters will be available for sale. More info here

– Juno-winning blues singer/guitarslinger Sue Foley launched her new album The Ice Queen with two shows at Toronto's Cadillac Lounge on the weekend. She sure delivered the goods in the set we caught on Friday, delivering fluent and varied licks with relaxed ease. Her ace band comprised horn players Carrie Chesnutt and Rebecca Hennessy, guitarist Emily Burgess, and the tight rhythm section of Leo Valvassori and Tom Bona. Standout numbers (all original) included the title cut, "Fool's Gold," and "Gaslight."

The Toronto Chapter of global songwriting initiative The Acoustic Guitar Project is presenting its Year 2 concert on March 14, at Live @ The Dairy, hosted by the chapter's curator, singer/songwriter Rosanne Baker Thornley (RBT). The participating and performing songwriters this year are Fergus Hambleton, Lyric Dubee, Angela Saini, Ken Yates, and Arlene Bishop. Back and also playing their AGP songs from Year 1 will be a few of last year's songwriters - Thornley, Keith McKie, and Julian Taylor. Tickets and info here

– Loreena McKennitt has announced May 11 as the release date for her new album Lost Souls, out via Universal Music Canada and her first recording of original music since the 2006 An Ancient Muse. The nine-track album was recorded from May through October 2017 in Hamilton, Ontario, at Catherine North Studios and Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios near Bath, in England. McKennitt has sold over 14 million albums worldwide. She has twice been nominated for a Grammy Award and has won two Juno Awards, as well as a Billboard International Achievement Award. 

– As a solo artist and member of Coney Hatch, April Wine and The Guess Who, Carl Dixon has made a mark on the Canadian rock scene. A horrific car crash in Australia in 2008 derailed his career, but he has re-emerged, both as a motivational speaker and a country artist. His debut country album, Whole ‘Nother Thing, was released recently, along with a first single, "Line Drive." Most of the songs on Whole 'Nother Thing are written, played sung and produced by Dixon, with guests including  Garry Peterson, Andy Curran, and Sean Kelly.

– The SOCAN Foundation recently presented a total of $25K to five aspiring songwriters at its Toronto offices, in the inaugural edition of the Young Canadian Songwriters Awards (YCSAs). The awards, created in partnership with Sirius XM Canada Inc, help identify and celebrate the next generation of talented songwriters in Canada. Five prizes of $5K each went to Hannah Bussiere, Phoenix Emery, Nicolas Gémus, Madeline Jay Lough, and Ava Wild.

– WorkInCulture and CIMA are co-presenting a Lunch and Learn session in Toronto on March 21 (12-2pm). The topic is The Business of Budgeting! Financial Management in Music and the event is being held at Artscape Youngplace, 180 Shaw Street. More info and tickets here

RIP

Gary Burden, who designed album covers for Neil Young for almost 50 years, has died at the age of 84. In a statement Young said, “My friend for life, Gary was my art director, creating album covers with me for almost 50 years, beginning with After The Gold Rush and ending with Paradox and Roxy, my next two albums. We probably made 40 covers. My heart is heavy."

Burden also designed the covers for such famed albums as The Doors' Morrison Hotel, The Eagles Eagles and One Of These Nights, Jackson Browne's The Pretender, and Joni Mitchell's Blue. Source: Noise11.com