It’s been a long but steady climb since FATHEAD’s debut CD in 1995, and the band has been tearing it up on the North American festival circuit ever since - winning over new fans every time they play - making FATHEAD one of the country’s top roots acts. Signed to the world renowned ELECTRO-FI RECORDS’ imprint, their latest release “BUILDING FULL OF BLUES” garnered them a second coveted JUNO AWARD (Canada’s “GRAMMY”) in 2008 for “Blues Recording Of The Year”.

That they have been described as a Blues Tour De Force comes as no surprise. Georgia-raised lead singer JOHN MAYS has had a storied career that began in the Southern gospel tradition, crossing over into Doo-Wop, R&B and Blues, not to mention a stint with the Godfather Of Soul JAMES BROWN. Hooking up with band leader AL LERMAN (harp and saxophone) in Toronto some years later, FATHEAD’s core has remained constant since 1992, offering ace musicianship, soul stirring harmonies and incendiary live performances. The writing tandem of Lerman and bassist OMAR TUNNOCH have produced an impressive body of work that has enjoyed time on the US, European and Canadian music charts. Guitar ace TEDDY LEONARD (who left the band in 2006) is back and better than ever, along with iconic drummer BUCKY BERGER. Elements of funk, soul, and R&B are fused into the group’s strong blues backbone, creating a fresh sound that is immediately recognizable as their own.

Tom Savage

Tom Savage writes songs that make people stand up and take notice. Tales of love and loss lay the groundwork for many of his compositions, but Savage is not afraid to tackle social and political issues in his writing as well.” What I try to do when I’m writing a song is to leave it open-ended enough for the audience to interpret in their own way, but at the same time, get my point across on some level.”

Musically, Savage draws from a diverse range of influences. His early days covering Neil Young songs in the band Too Far Gone, and twanging out the Rockabilly sounds of Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent in The Cronies, have left an undeniable imprint on Savage’s style. “As an artist, I believe that my style is the cumulative result of everything I’ve ever heard or played.”

Savage’s singing style has drawn comparisons to a wide variety of artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Fred Eaglesmith, Warren Zevon, Steve Earle, etc.

Tom Savage has recorded two albums, Day-To-Day Truths (1999) and Brand Of Sympathy (2001), and has just released his latest effort, Never Shed No Tears.

Show starts at 9pm - $3 cover

The Brothers Chaffey have been singing together for just over 2 years as a group, but these two Ottawa based musicians are, in fact, actual brothers. Matthew Chaffey sings lead vocal and plays rhythm guitar, while his brother Curtis Chaffey plays lead guitar and sings vocals as well. The two have been writing songs for years, but it was not until 2005 that they moved forward with recording and releasing these songs.

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Come and celebrate St Patty’s day with us at O’Reilly’s!

Dave Balfour

It’s that time again. Jamming. You love it, I love it - we all love it.

Open jamming means that our host with the most, Dave Balfour, will play all night and will invite people up on stage to join in. It’s a great time for both audience and musicians!

Musicians: Bring your instrument of choice (including drums - small stage sized set please) and approach Dave to quickly let him know that you’re there and you would like to join in on the jam. He’ll do his best to rotate you in if at all possible. This is a great event and is catered to most levels of playing. Jamming is fun and helps build your skills. It’s great when it all gels together and it’s entertaining when it doesn’t (doesn’t happen to often!).

Audience: It’s a Wednesday night, it’s the middle of the week. You’re looking for something to do -maybe meet some friends or take in some entertainment. O’Reilly’s Pub in Perth has your answer. The Open Jamming experience with Dave Balfour is a night of amazing music and it’s all FREE. No cover. The music ranges from classic rock to folk to MILD country to blues to hits of today and beyond. It’s a night of fun and friends, music and mayhem.

The show starts at 8pm so both musicians and audience should arrive early for easier setup and best seating. There is a great food menu and drinks so don’t hesitate to come for supper or snacks and drinks prior to the show!

Thanks and see you there!

Mike

JW-Jones has played throughout the world (CANADA, USA, EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL) and has been invited to share the stage with some of the biggest names in blues today (to play with, not open for).

“One of this country’s top blues guitar stars” writes the Globe and Mail about 27-year old JW-Jones.

Come and listen to awesome Guthrie House!

Brock Zeman

Brock Zeman may only be twenty-five years old, but already he’s released three previous albums with his signature roots style, and been praised by critics for the maturity of his vocals, the depth of his storytelling and his impressive live performances – which he shares with audiences widely and regularly, across North America and Europe.

His fourth album, Welcome Home Ivy Jane, produced by Keith Glass of Prairie Oyster fame, along with Zeman and Steve Foley at Audio Valley, cements Zeman’s talent as a songwriter who balances the grit of everyday life with a lyrical heart. Sung in his deep, rich and twangy vocals and backed by a first rate band, Zeman is, as one reviewer has said, “certainly a rising star” (Atlantic Seabreeze).

Zeman’s vocals often illicit immediate comparisons to Americana greats; Country Music News has said that Zeman has “a voice that begs to be compared to Steve Earle” while Rootshighway claims that “Brock Zeman should have been born in Austin Texas.” But it is Zeman’s songwriting that makes the comparisons to the great singer-songwriters stick.

Vince Andrushko’s songs take you places. But, more than that, they give you a sense of all the history that went into making that place at that moment just so. He has an engaging voice overflowing with style and character that compels you to keep listening in a way that’s becoming rare in these days of instant communication. Vince was raised where the open prairie and the big sky meet the big city, on the outskirts of the indomitable underdog of Canadian culture, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. When he’s not treating you to one of his originals, it’s not unusual to hear him play songs by AC/DC and Jimmie Rodgers back-to-back. Listening to him perform gives you a sense that maybe time doesn’t behave exactly how you thought it did.

There’s a bit of Jay Aymar in all of us. Ordinary sort of guy, on one level; generous, warm-hearted, funny and kind on another, and — rather surprisingly — a inspired songwriter who can tell his story and tell yours at the same time. There’s no pretension whatsoever with this man; this is the fourth album of what he cheerfully calls “home-made songs” and it’s his best work yet. Not that it seems like “work” for this man from Sault St. Marie — just songs about the good times and the bad that he’s lived through, which are pretty well like the good and bad times we’ve ALL been through. Jay’s had crummy jobs, disappointments, and relationships which didn’t work out (sometimes badly). He’s also had close friends, a support network, and relationships that did work. Most of all he has a sense of humour about it all.
A must to hear.

TwoTwentyTwo

Formed in 2005, Two Twenty Two is the magical combination of two established solo singer songwriters. Amanda Brewer and Warren Muzak have brought very different songwriting styles together to create a sound which ranges from traditional country, to folk and blues, to modern rock and jazz. Brewer’s sweet melodies are paired with Muzak’s driving rhythms and their powerful voices weave together to draw listeners in to stories of love, loss and life on the road.

Dream Awake is an Acoustic Power Trio, their sound recently described as “…an acoustic Led Zeppelin with System of a Down vocals!”
Josh Wilkinson and Jill Krasnicki form the core of Dream Awake and approach their work with a fierce passion, focusing on creating music that’s brutal in its honesty and beautiful in its intention.

“The music moves dynamically with clever lyrics, flawless key changes and smooth time and tempo changes. I’d expect this level of production from Sony BMG, not an independently released record.”
From ‘Temporary Shore’ EP review by Vincent Giles

More Than Breathing was established several years ago on a whim. This accident turned out to be a long experiment that continues to improve every day. Soft and sometimes intricately expressed guitar melodies complimented by a sweet-tempered and rather whisper-y voice. This breed is definitely folky with elements of jazz and modern day hushed rock with a mellow twist.

The County Boys forged their sound years ago in a Peterborough kitchen. As a three piece; guitar, bass and banjo, they have created a sound that will make you get your dancin’ shoes on. Their three part harmonies are the main ingredient mixed with a sound that is somewhere between bacon and carrot. The band has many flavors as each member writes and sings their own songs. Together they have thrown hillbilly, country, punk, pop and some other ingredients in to the pot and come out with something they can call their own.

Members of The Shiners came together naturally after years of contributing to folk, Celtic and alt-rock bands from in and around the Cornwall-Ottawa area. With similar musical influences, the band quickly recognized their common desire to entertain. It was this appeal to perform that saw Eric Willison, Jay Collis and Joel Labrosse play their first live show on October 31st, 2003. Starting out as a bar band, they quickly developed a loyal and continually growing fan base. The trio found themselves being invited to numerous private functions and venues in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. As their reputation as a party band grew, the band began to settle into their own style and sound.

Blues vet and Nova Scotia import Morgan Davis releases a love letter to his adopted province.

“Nova Scotia hasn’t just been a way for Davis to escape Toronto’s decrepit public transit system and oppressively muggy summers. It’s also been his muse, and his guide, for his latest album, At Home in Nova Scotia - and is he ever. Everything about the album is Bluenose to the core - from the songs that proudly trumpet that ship’s presence on the Nova Scotian licence plate, to the photos of abandoned boats along the South Shore in the liner notes. And of course, there are the side players, a virtual who’s-who of the local blues cabal - everyone from John Campbelljohn and Matt Minglewood to longtime collaborator Geoff Arsenault and Davis’ 18-year-old daughter, Rosie.”

Tim Bastmeyer is a Canadian blues singer/songwriter. Tim started his musical career in 1986 and over the years has played and recorded with a number of different recording artists.
Playing mostly acoustic, Tim incorporates different styles of blues using finger picking, flat picking techniques, and multiple tunings with slide guitar. This allows Tim to have versatility in his playing. A black hat on his head and covered in tattoos, Tim’s hard edge blues styles are personified through his live performances.

The Sun Bleached Skulls are an Ottawa-based band offering the best in alt.country (or Rural Contemporary) music.

They are: Ray Harris - vocals/mandolin/guitars … many, many guitars — Good GOD! How many guitars does a man need, anyway? Rob Smith - vocals/guitars; Ken Workman - vocals/bass/guitars