Sam Roberts Band, The Strumbellas, Chantal Kreviazuk, The Trews, Big Wreck, The Jim Cuddy Band, Dwayne Gretzky, Colin James Trio, Practically Hip, 54-40, Matthew Good, The Tenors, Dallas Smith, Wild Rivers, July Talk, Alan Doyle, and Choir! Choir! Choir!

Sometimes with live music as the band gets bigger, you lose a bit of something. It becomes less raw, less spontaneous and often in the case of rock music, a bit more boring really. Luckily Sam Roberts is able to guide his band confidently through their sets, utilising the added texture of the larger ensemble without losing any of the raw energy. This is why their live shows are an absolute smash.

Sam Roberts and his band are air tight and play with a precision that could only come from experience. They excite audiences with up tempo rock numbers, always controlled by Sam’s enigmatic stage performance. He manages to keep a suave composure as he leads with his voice, as smooth as it is gnarly it is the perfect voice for rock. But there’s a maturity to the set that stops it being just a throwaway rock show. The songs are well written and are likely to make a lasting impression, an emotional connection that will continue well after the music has stopped. So that’s what you get with the Sam Roberts Band, a mature, polished rock show that will charm you whilst getting your adrenaline pumped – go see them soon!

I saw The Stumbellasat the 97x BBQ in St Petes, Vinoy Park. What can I say, they were fabulous! The majority of the set was from their new album Hope, with a couple of older tunes thrown in. Great atmosphere and the sound was pretty good too !

Canadian singer-songwriter, Chantal Kreviazuk walks out on stage in this dimly lit theatre and sits at her beautiful Steinway Piano on which she will accompany herself for this set. Immediately, I can tell that this songstress has been doing what she’s doing for a pretty long time, almost twenty years to be precise. Her voice is big and versatile, possessing a real honesty that makes this audience hang on her every word. Her vibrato is subtle and her piano skills match her transparent ability to carry any song that she plays. There are imperfections throughout, but they are what makes this performance perfect, and completely memorable. “Feels Like Home” is one of the songs that makes the audience stop what they’re doing and simply listen. She plays her song “Before You” which has a similar effect on the audience as “Feels Like Home”. “Invincible” is the final song of the night, Kreviazuk explains the story behind it and how it holds a special place in her heart every time she plays it, again, making this audience completely quiet – cue the pin drops.

After fifteen years together, it’s clear that The Trews really know how to make a rock hit. These are guys who took their time on their journey, not releasing their first single until 2002 despite playing together since 1997. This slow start is reflected in their music: this band knows their genre inside and out, and are totally at one with their sound. More than this, the guys are also totally at one with each other, which makes seeing these friends perform live a real pleasure. This band is always really excited to share their new material – and audiences at their gigs are always pumped to hear it – but the band isn’t afraid to include firm favourites such as What’s Fair Is Fair, Hold Me in Your Arms and Not Ready to Go in their sets. Hearing everyone sing along to these with the band is always so much fun, and you can tell all the guys of The Trews love it too. I don’t expect this band to slow down any time soon, and, to be honest, I wouldn’t want them to. Their following is strong for a reason: these guys are all about the music. If you like hard rock and you’ve enjoyed their music, you have to see them live. Every performance they have, they rock out like it’s their last.

Once you Big Wreck, you can never go back. Every fan of Big Wreck knows what I mean. There is something special that happens after you've seen them live. You find yourself playing their music over and over and over again without thinking for one second, "Im over this song" or "I think I'll give it a break listening to them" because once you've been bitten by the Big Wreck bug that just isn't an option. I'm not a musician, nor do I have extensive knowledge in the art of music. I do however have a serious passion for music and I know great musicians when I see them. This band isn't for surface music lovers. The deeper the connection you have with music, the more you will understand. Each one of these guys is a master at their craft and it shine's at every show. You will never tire from the words of Ian Thornley set into song. The way in which the words are put into lyrcis is exquisite. When you listen there is a feeling you can see. You're left thinking damn, why can't I describe my feelings like that. There is no faultering in any live performance. Each show is full of energy and sounds amazing. I've seen them many times in one week and I can't say any show was better than the last. They are confident, consistent, and always deliver. If you are a true music lover, don't pass up an opportunity to see these guys live. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Very good show, got to get a photo with Jim afterwards. The venue was amazing, there was great seating. Setlist was really good, They played some great Blue Rodeo covers. Great performances from the rest of the band members, also loved the acoustic performance of “Try”.