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Music News

Ottawa's First-Ever Capital Music Week Will Feature The Halluci Nation, Skydiggers

An initiative of the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition, the event will focus on local and national music cultures, hosting an international nightlife summit as well as showcasing concerts, networking events and more.

The Halluci Nation

The Halluci Nation

Remi Theriault

Canada's capital city is getting a new national music event.

The first-ever Capital Music Week (CxMW) will take place in Ottawa from May 20-25, featuring concerts, networking activities and an international nightlife summit. Presented by the non-profit Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC), the initiative has local and national ambitions, seeking to promote Ottawa as a national music hub, as well as fostering industry connections across the country.


"CxMW is Ottawa’s invitation to Canada to witness the capital’s creative pulse,” says Melanie Brulée, executive director of OMIC.

One of CxMW's premiere events is the nightlife summit, Canada After Dark, hosted by Ottawa's nightlife commissioner Mathieu Grondin. Billed as the first Canadian forum of its kind, the summit on May 20-21 will bring together development representatives from major Canadian cities as well as Live Nation Canada for an exploration of how city planners and cultural actors can reimagine nightlife.

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That's a hot topic across the country, as organizations like the Canadian Live Music Association raise awareness about music venues closing down, while cities like Montreal are in the process of developing new nightlife policies to address issues ranging from noise complaints to liquor licenses.

As part of CxMW, Grondin has coordinated with the City of Ottawa to pilot a 4 AM last call for eligible venues during the event, marking a first for the nation's capital.

Beyond the nightlife focus, CxMW will also feature showcasing concerts, with initial headliners including roots rockers Skydiggers, electronic innovators The Halluci Nation, and alt-pop artist Elijah Woods. The week will host a fireside conversation between CBC Q's Tom Power and Nashville producer Jim Ed Norman at the National Arts Centre, as well as the sixth annual Capital Music Awards.

The Ottawa Music Industry Coalition is hoping to bring in 10,000 attendees to CxMW by 2027.

Find full information about ticketing and programming here.

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Kneecap Blasts Norwegian Government at Oslo Festival, Accusing It of Funding ‘Genocide’ Against Palestinians
Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Mo Chara, DJ Provaí and Móglaí Bap of Kneecap performs on the West Holts Stage during during day four of Glastonbury Festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 28, 2025 in Glastonbury, England.

Music News

Kneecap Blasts Norwegian Government at Oslo Festival, Accusing It of Funding ‘Genocide’ Against Palestinians

The Irish rap trio went after the Norwegian government over its investments, which are currently under scrutiny, at Øyafestivalen.

Irish rap group Kneecap – which has drawn a storm of criticism, support, attention and legal action over the past half-year – continued to speak out about the war in Gaza during an afternoon set at the Øyafestivalen in Oslo, Norway, on Friday (Aug. 8).

Right before the trio of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí took the stage, an English-language white-text-on-black-background message played on a video screen, accusing the Norwegian government of “enabling” the “genocide” against the Palestinian people via investments held in the county’s sovereign wealth fund (referenced as “oil pension fund” in the message). “Over 80,000 people have been murdered by Israel in 21 months,” the band’s message continued. “Free Palestine.” The message was greeted readily by a cheering audience. Most estimates (including those from health officials in the area) place the Palestinian death toll at more than 60,000. That number does not distinguish between civilians and Hamas militants. An estimated 18,500 of those killed were children.

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