Blue Rodeo: 40th Anniversary Concert in Ottawa
byI have waxed poetic MANY times about this Toronto-based band approaching a decade’s worth of music blogging. An obscure, non-mainstream band (outside of Canada)…
Archive
I’m With Her: Live in York, PA
byFollowing the international success of their 2018 debut “See You Around” album, US folk trio I’m With Her returned to the spotlight this year, announcing their long-awaited sophomore album “Wild and Clear…
Video Release: Julie Neff, “fine!?”
by“Some songs write themselves. This one didn’t.” (Julie Neff) I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: while nothing beats the experience of enjoying live music, it is the fostering of…
Review: Jory Nash, “The Light Still Shines on the Main”
byReturning to the modern music world, after a seven-year hiatus, Jory Nash released “The Light Still Shines On The Main” to an appreciative audience at Hugh’s Room in Toronto, November…
Commonwealth Connections: Ruen Brothers, “Sitting at the Station”
byAnd now for something completely different… Surely, we’ve all had those moments where upon the discovery of a new tune from a previously unknown artist, it very…
Single Release: First Robin, “Spider Veins”
by“They’re crawling, creeping, weaving, getting bold / They’re crawling, creeping, eating, getting bold.” When Halloween officially lands on one of our regular GDW posting days (Tuesday and Friday),…
Essential New Releases: Rapid Fire Roundup
byWe found ourselves having to disable the ‘new email notification’ chime from the GDW inbox – because it’s worse than an overly sensitive smoke detector right now. New music requests and…
Video Vault: Mini Movies from Montréal (and one from Toronto too)
byWe’re sharing a bunch of recent videos from Canadian Indigenous artists all month long with our Wednesday social media features, but the Video Vault is still packed with…
Review: Rachel Cousins, “What Hasn’t Killed Me”
byRightfully dubbed a raw and vulnerable coming of age project, “What Hasn’t Killed Me” is the third studio album from Rachel Cousins – and…
Single Release: Katie Schurman, “The Next”
byReleasing your first single is like standing on the sidewalk and holding your underwear drawer open for the world to see. It’s like tattooing…
Review: Great Lake Swimmers, “Caught Light”
byFull disclosure: Great Lake Swimmers (GLS) is the reason that I’m on the Great Dark Wonder team of writers. Ever since I was introduced…
GDW Jukebox: Autumn Additions
byIt seems like it was just yesterday when we last updated the GDW Jukebox in time for the summer season. Yet here we are…
The Local Honeys: Live in Hagerstown, MD
byFor the second consecutive Thursday evening, we had tickets in hand to a live music event. Having spent the previous Thursday catching up with…
The Sadies: Live in State College, PA
bySeeds for this show were planted back in mid-July, thanks to a notification popping up in our social media feeds announcing that Toronto, ON…
Single Release: McKayla Daigle, “Hold My Head Up High”
byAs the whirlwind of summer fades – the late nights, the road trips, the festival haze – a quieter season takes its place. The…
Commonwealth Connections: The Paper Kites – Live in Vienna, VA
byWe shared our concert recap of the visit by Australian soul-rockers The Teskey Brothers to the Filene Center at Wolf Trap recently – but…
Single Release: Jacob Rose, “We Keep Trying (To Make Something New)”
bySome songs just have it – a certain traveling, almost cinematic quality that I can’t quite put my finger on. It reminds me of a live music…
Single Release: Larkk, “Caverns”
byWe receive a ton of new music press releases daily here at GDW, but given our very limited time and resources, only a small…
Rick Sparkes + the Enablers: Live in Quispamsis, NB
byI spent the last few weeks of August assigned to a work project in Saint John, New Brunswick. On a few of those days,…
Joel Plaskett: Live At Peterborough Folk Festival
byWe shared our recap of Joel Plaskett’s afternoon workshop with his good friend and collaborator Benj Rowland at the Peterborough Folk Festival earlier this…
Peterborough Folk Festival: Reunited (and It Feels So Good)
byFollowing our recent recap of one of the singer-songwriter workshops at the 2025 Peterborough Folk Festival, I made sure to acknowledge that bringing artists together…
Live, Local, and (sometimes) Loud: John Hollier and the Rêverie
byThe Covid-19 pandemic may be pretty much in the rearview mirror now (for the most part), but while we are happy to be rid…
Single Release: Justine Richardson “(What Doesn’t Kill Me) Better Run”
byIn a world where finding positive role models can feel like a daunting task, Justine Richardson’s latest single, “(What Doesn’t Kill Me) Better Run,”…
Peterborough Folk Festival: Saturday Afternoon Songwriter’s Workshop
byFestival promoters do a great job luring music fans to their events during the summer season with a list of must-see headliners, but truth…
Elliott BROOD: Live in Chelsea, QC
byYou all know what we do and why we do it here at Team GDW, and many of you share our sentiments that NOTHING…
Video Vault: Fresh Franco Female Finds
byWe made a commitment to include frequent French language music into our broader coverage here at GDW, and it was during the long drive…
Single Release: Alma Narrows, “Where Do We Go”
by“I dreamed we were leaving / In the dead of night / Guided by the quiet / Out of sight / This feels like…
Interview: Malia Rogers, “Chameleon”
byHaving performed and toured for many years in support of other artists’ music and theatre projects, including the folk-roots trio Jessica Pearson & The…
GDW Jukebox: Essential Summer Singles
byCrazy! If asked (once again) to summarize the amount of new music releases from across Canada this season, crazy is the first metaphor that…
Single Release: Rick Sparkes, “Presently Looking Back”
byWhat defines a “summer song?” Is it the energetic pulse mirroring the steady flow of vacation highway traffic? Or perhaps it’s an opening guitar…
Review: Emma Elena Grace, “Whole Years”
byNothing beats the joy in discovering new music – especially when you least expect it. Of course, I encounter new music all the time…
Dillon Ryan & The Grapes Of Wrath: Live At Fire Escape Wine Parlour
byWhen my friend (and occasional bandmate) Dillon Ryan invited me to photograph his show in Grand Falls, NB – opening for the great Canadian…
Single Release: The Real Shade, “Can We Wake”
by“More words we need more words / Paragraph and verse on billboards / Paragraph and verse healing indifference.” Wanna discover a get-rich-quick-scheme? Well, it…
Single Release: John Metza, “Sorry”
byI’m sure that I speak for not only all of us here at Team GDW, but for music bloggers everywhere – with the summer…
Single Release: Dana Sipos, “Soft Feeling”
byWe are excited to share that Victoria, BC-based singer-songwriter Dana Sipos has returned to the airwaves with new music. Released back in late May,…
Thierry Larose: Live at Francos de Montréal
byIn the name of transparency, I am not going to attempt to sugarcoat this following statement in any way: when discovering that Marieville, QC…
Living Roots Music Festival – 2025 Recap (Part 3)
byThe momentum of the festival carried seamlessly through the final three days, from Friday to Sunday, each packed with memorable performances. Choosing a single…
Video Vault: Summer Singles Restocked
byThe lure of favoritism: while we try hard to remain neutral in our coverage of great Canadian music, yes, there are going to be…
Single Release: Julianna Riolino, “On a Bluebird’s Wing”
byI love to hear those stories you sometimes encounter when someone describes meeting their future soulmate as ‘just knowing’ on first sight that they’d…
Living Roots Music Festival – 2025 Recap (Part 2)
byThursday, June 12th, marked the day the festival truly hit its stride. With a diverse array of shows and performances unfolding across five venues,…
Video Release: Dave Gunning, “Father’s Tools”
byWhen you think of what has formed you into the person you are today, it’s likely that there are significant touchstone moments, like a…
Marie-Pierre Arthur: Live at Francos de Montréal
byAfter an enjoyable festival experience last year at the Francos de Montréal – one we added due to a pair of our ‘regular’ Ontario-based…
Living Roots Music Festival – 2025 Recap (Part 1)
byThis year, I’m once again thrilled to share my experiences from Fredericton’s Living Roots Music Festival! While last year I focused on specific artists,…
Graven: Live in Burlington, ON
byWhile Team GDW have followed the social media pages of Nepean, ON singer-songwriter Graven for several years now, we have never had the pleasure…
Review: Suzie Ungerleider, “Among The Evergreens”
bySuzie Ungerleider has been carrying around a beautiful secret these past two years and the surprise is all the more sweeter for its telling. The secret, of course, is her…
Single Release: Great Lake Swimmers, “One More Dance Around the Sun”
byThe approach of summer brings a change of rhythm – certainly for my family, and perhaps also for yours. The late sunsets, the warmer…
GDW Jukebox: Spring Singles Overload
byOverwhelming! If asked to summarize the amount of new music releases from across Canada this spring, overwhelming would likely be my response. Collectively, the…
Stardust Duo: Live in Burlington, ON
byTaking an extended road trip to Southern Ontario over the US Memorial Day holiday weekend has kind of been ‘our thing’ for several years now,…
Single Release: Ken Yates, “Under the Cover of Light”
byThere’s a nice nudging energy that drives “Under the Cover of Light” along. Just enough percussion to keep propelling the song forward to provide…
Matt Andersen: Live in Vienna, VA
by“I’m going to keep things pretty simple tonight. I’m gonna play a bunch of songs. After a while, I’m gonna stop playing songs and…
Julian Taylor: Live in Vienna, VA
byGiven that life as we know it is pretty much back to normal now (thankfully), I really don’t like to toss around words such…
Single Release: Joel Manchester, “Suddenly Violently”
by“A picture is worth a thousand words”—we’ve all heard the saying. At first glance, it might seem that painters and photographers have an unfair…
Maya de Vitry: Live in Harrisonburg, VA
byWhen you buy tickets to see one of your favorite bands, but have no familiarity with the venue, sometimes you are left wondering just…
Review: Skydiggers, “Dreams & Second Chances”
by“Wisdom comes slowly / Look for the signs / Valour is fading / One day at a time / One day at a time” sings Josh…
Single Release: Ambre Ciel, “eau miroir”
byLike a good story, music can transport you. As J.R.R. Tolkien masterfully built worlds in his epic novels including “The Lord of the Rings,”…
Single Release: Leif Vollebekk (ft. Angie McMahon), “Take It To The Limit”
byCanadian singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Leif Vollebekk and Australian singer-songwriter/musician Angie McMahon team up once again (GDW featured their previous collaboration from Angie’s 2020 “Piano Salt” album)…
Miss Emily: Live in Cumberland, MD
byNo matter how diligent you are with your concert planning adventures, sometimes all it takes is for a last-minute notification dropping into your social…
Jim Lauderdale & The Game Changers: Live in Hagerstown, MD
byWhile our primary focus remains Canadian folk-roots music here at GDW, when Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale is in the neighborhood, it would be foolish…
Single Release: Jacob Rose, “Hold Your Head Up”
byI first encountered Jacob Rose at a holiday fundraiser last December. What immediately struck me was his rare combination of humility and quiet confidence…
Elisapie: Live in Ottawa
byWith the exposure to new music that travels with us in life, I’m sure that most of us cannot always recall exactly when and…
Review: Matt Andersen, “The Hammer & The Rose”
by“I’ve taken some chances,” sighs Matt Andersen on his opening lyrics, from the title song to his latest album release, “The Hammer & The…
Stephen Stanley Band: Live in Chelsea, QC
byFolks often say that it’s the little things that can be the most rewarding in life. For Team GDW, just making plans to visit…
Dead Root Revival: Live in Chelsea, QC
byOne of the greatest pleasures we have here at Team GDW is the discovery of new bands and new music. It does not matter…
Single Release: Foxwarren, “Listen2me”
by“I know I’m not some movie star / Reciting some big script / But if you open your mind / I might be able…
2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards: Songs & Stories Songwriter Concert
byWith plans to be back in Ottawa during the latter half of the first week in April (tickets purchased back in July for a…
Video Vault: April Showers
byAnother return from a Canadian road trip means needing time to recharge and catch up with all things GDW-related. A quick glance into the…
Single Release: The Good Brothers (ft. The Sadies), “Now That You’re Gone”
byImagine losing a son! Then imagine writing a song and singing that song about it. It’s a monumental ask. How do you set about…
Single Release: Georgia Harmer, “Little Light”
byWe live in such a loud world – the high volume of obligations, advertisements, and information make for a cacophony. The fact that Bob…
Single Release: Levi Richard, “Being Used”
byI typically gravitate towards reviewing full albums rather than singles, as I find a complete body of work more compelling. However, Levi Richard’s “Being…
Single Release: Two Hours Traffic, “On The Spot” & “Keep It Coming”
bySpring is finally here, as is the return of the Polaris Music Prize nominated band Two Hours Traffic! It’s been a long decade since…
Les Hay Babies: Live at Azrieli Studio
byFor us self-professed music junkies, it’s hard to comprehend that our first concert on Canadian soil this year did not take place until mid-March…
Video Vault: Spring Arrivals
byAs Team GDW settle back into the daily routine following our first Canadian adventure of the year this past weekend, while we take time…
Single Release: Georgia Harmer, “Can We Be Still”
byWhether your view on the current state of global affairs is one of renewal and hope, or one of fearing a pending apocalypse, rest…
Sam Roberts Band & Matt Mays: Live at Niagara Falls
byWe made the trip to Niagara Falls, ON to see the Sam Roberts Band (with opener Matt Mays) at the OLG Stage at Fallsview…
February Francophone Finds
byWe have devoted our recurring Wednesday social media video features to Francophone music throughout February, offering a mixture of new tunes and some not-so-new…
Video Vault: Fabulous February Finds
byWe have not unlocked the GDW Video Vault for a few months now – and can’t even toss out lame excuses such as forgetting…
Single Release: Matthew Holtby, “Give Me A Reason”
by“We don’t have any boundaries / But there’s something that I need to know / You said that you’d never doubt me / But it’s time…
Essential New Releases: Rapid Fire Roundup
byPress releases and new music notifications took a while to get going as we progressed out of the holiday season and into 2025, but…
Single Release: Rachel Kane, “Never Said Goodbye”
byIt is certainly fair to state that most of us will experience loss, especially of loved and dear ones, over the course of our…
Review: Neil Little, “Little Light”
byIn a world where fires rage across California, political turmoil brews on both sides of the border, and the cost of living threatens the…
Review: Kailan McGee, “The Songstress’ Empire”
by“Oh, if ever you could hear me / Like winds sweep through the valleys / Like rain on the willow trees / Your voice,…
Single Release: Julianna Riolino & Adrian Underhill, “Against the Grain”
byI’m sure that most folks would agree that nothing beats hearing an amazing tune burst from the airwaves when watching a movie or television…
The Honey Dewdrops: Live in Harrisonburg, VA
byFor Team GDW, being based here in the US northeast, our concert-going season typically wraps up for the year around the US Thanksgiving holiday,…
Single Release: Desiree Dorion, “Remember Your Name”
byWhen my daughter was in 8th grade, she had an assignment where she asked a parent for advice to be passed down to them. I recall expressing to her…
Single Release: Amanda Keeley, “Better Days”
bySpending the last few weeks of the year (2024) scrambling frantically to fulfil deadlines for our year-end features often means temporarily losing track of…
Martin’s Favorite Four Canadian Albums Of 2024
byFollowing the feature last week that chronicled what I consider to be my 20 favorite Canadian albums released across 2024, it was an incredible challenge…
A Special Experience At The Scene Presents: BIG Battle Of The Bands
byWhile running errands on a quiet Wednesday afternoon, I received a message from Zack Ingles, whom I’ve previously featured here at Great Dark Wonder….
Martin Noakes: 2024 Fave 20 Albums List
byAs 2024 winds down, I am happy to share what I consider to be 20 of the finest Canadian album releases over the last…
A Few Thoughts on Canadian Music in 2024 (Douglas McLean)
byAs 2024 comes to a close, it is customary to reflect on the songs and music that for various reasons stand out and remain…
2024 Year-End Roundup: 10 Memorable Live Moments
byAs another year winds to a close, it’s always fun to look back at the GDW concert-going adventures over the last twelve months to…
Cuff The Duke: Live At Warehouse Concert Hall
byWe’ve lost count of how many references have been made over the years here at GDW about the popular radio channel CBC Music Sonica…
Review: Rick Sparkes + The Enablers, “There Is Nothing To Be Won but Distance”
byGreat artists don’t need to reinvent the wheel to connect with their audience. Often, listeners rely on a certain degree of familiarity to form…
Commonwealth Connections: Festive Finds
byHaving just featured an abundance of holiday themed music from artists across Canada, we could not fail to notice a pair of tunes being…
(Very) Snappy Sleigh Bells: Festive Frolics
byWhile there were no plans in place to compile a holiday-themed feature this year with this final Snappy Singles article, we very quickly became…
Julian Taylor Band: A Triumphant Return To Mills Hardware
bySince discovering the music of Toronto, ON artist Julian Taylor back in the summer of 2017, we’ve been huge fans – and have more…
Bob Sumner: Live at Mills Hardware
byOscar Wilde once wrote of the importance of being earnest. For this music fan, we’re adapting the line to the importance of being early!…
Cassie Noble: Live at the Abbey Café and Gallery
byAttending a Cassie Noble performance is a lot like driving through a snowstorm at night, where the falling snowflakes create a mesmerizing, almost hypnotic…
Lynne Hanson: Live in Washington, DC
byThe last time we caught up with Ottawa, ON singer-songwriter Lynne Hanson was just prior to the release of her 2022 “Ice Cream In…
Terra Spencer: Live at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre
byA great musical performance balances content and showmanship. Much like cooking, the right ingredients make a good meal, but the presentation is what takes…
Snappy Singles: Catching Up With Some GDW Pals
byFor many years now, this monthly recurring Snappy Singles feature has focused on four (mostly) freshly released singles – covering many genres and artists…
Single Release: Matthew Ryan Jacobs, “Where Are You Now?”
byChange can be really hard! It can be disruptive, and at times it may feel like it is the only constant. But it is…