We aren’t even into January and already the new year is looking like it is going to be a great one for Metro Moncton music fans. While it remains to be seen as to who exactly (if anyone) will perform on Magnetic Hill this summer, there is no shortage of great shows to help you ease into the new year:
Blue Rodeo performs at Casino New Brunswick Monday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. Advance tickets start at $39.95 plus taxes and service charges. Tickets are available at the Casino Gift Shop, by phone at 1-866-943-8849 and online at ticketbreak.com/casionnb.
Speaking as someone who has seen Blue Rodeo live on no less than a dozen different occasions between Moncton and Toronto, I can say that they are arguably one of Canada’s finest bands and one of our country’s best live acts.
2012 marked the 25th anniversary of the group’s debut record Outskirts
. To celebrate such a momentous occasion, Blue Rodeo remastered and re-released each of their first five records ( Outskirts, Diamond Mine, Casino, Lost Together and Five Days In July ) and bundled them all up in their first box set.
Over the course of the past 25 years, Blue Rodeo has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, sold more than four million records, have been handed keys to the City of Toronto while also winning five Juno Awards as group of the year.
Be sure not to miss their upcoming show at Casino New Brunswick.
Stereophonic 10 takes place in various Sackville venues from Jan. 16-19. For complete ticket details and show information, visit stereophonicmusicfestival. wordpress.com.
If you’re looking for an exciting way to break the winter blahs, musical relief can be found in Sackville in mid-January. The Stereophonic Festival serves as a fundraiser for Mount Allison radio station CHMA while also playing host to some of the region’s best talent.
This year, the Stereophonic Festival lineup includes Moncton folk darlings Les Hay Babies, Nova Scotia’s Old Man Luedecke, Halifax electro-pop wizard Rich Aucoin and Saint John native Adam Mowery.
Christina Martin and Dale Murray perform at Parkindale Hall on Saturday, Jan. 26. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are available by contacting parkindalehall@gmail.com.
Christina Martin and her husband Dale Murray are arguably two of Canada’s most underappreciated musicians. The Nova Scotia-based couple make music under their respective names and boy, do they do it well.
Martin’s most recent record and her fifth overall, Sleeping With A Stranger , earned her a Music Nova Scotia Award for female recording of the year this past November. She found out news of her award win while on a 39-date European tour. With a voice that is powerful and soothing all at once, Martin is a true roots-folk inspired talent.
Martin’s husband Dale Murray is no slouch of a musician himself. A highly sought-after producer, Murray first gained notoriety as a member of Haligonian band the Guthries before going onto perform with Hayden and Cuff The Duke.
Over the course of the last two years, Murray has worked with Steven Bowers and Molly Thomason and was named producer of the year at the 2009 edition of the Music Nova Scotia Awards.
With the distinct influence of George Harrison and Brian Wilson lurking in the shadows, Murray’s latest recordDream Mountain Dream was released to much critical acclaim earlier this year.