| Evening Concert | Afternoon Concert | |||
| The Tragically Hip | The Sheepdogs | Jann Arden | Arkells | Northern Cree |
The Tragically Hip
“Without music, life would be a mistake”
- Friedrich Nietzsche
The Tragically Hip were formed in 1983 by five friends from Kingston ON – Rob Baker, Gordon Downie, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair.
The Hip have sold millions of records worldwide, managing to enjoy both mass popularity and critical acclaim.
The group released their first album, The Tragically Hip, in 1987 and have since released twelve studio albums, earning two diamond certifications and twenty #1 hits. They have won 14 Juno awards and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2005. The Tragically Hip have also received honorary degrees from the Royal Conservatory of Music, and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.
Known for their powerful, energetic live performances, The Hip have established a demanding concert itinerary, touring extensively in Canada, the U.S., and Europe.
The Sheepdogs
The Sheepdogs built their name on hard work and determination. Having funded their first three albums and early years of touring on their own, this rock and roll band’s momentum began to build exponentially with the release of the 2010 album, Learn & Burn. The band would go on to win three 2012 JUNO Awards (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy): New Group of the Year, Single of the Year and Rock Album of the Year. With a list of accolades this impressive the band is on the brink of engaging fans on a wider scale.
“The Sheepdogs,” the self-titled album produced by The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney and Austin Scaggs released in 2012, introduced the band to the U.S. and beyond. The album earned the band three more JUNO nominations for Best Album, Best Single, and Best Group.
Hailing from the small Canadian town of Saskatoon, SK, The Sheepdogs won an international competition in 2011 securing them the cover of Rolling Stone, making the group the first unsigned band to appear on its front page. The win, decided by 1.5 million public votes, also scored them a record deal with Atlantic, which offered up a new EP from the band, Five Easy Pieces, in August 2011.
After the band was introduced to Carney at Petty Fest in New York following the contest, he immediately began offering ideas for The Sheepdogs next album (“He seemed strangely passionate about it,” Currie notes). The hope was that Carney could actually produce the album. In January 2012, Carney invited the band to the studio, where they culled together old material and quickly began laying down new ideas.
In the end it all ties back to the group’s goals, which essentially involve making really good rock songs, and you don’t need a crazy origin story to do that.
“Our goal is two-fold. We want to make killer albums that people really want to listen to, but we also want to have a really reputable live show. When we come through town we want to be the hottest ticket there. Those two elements are what make a truly great rock and roll band. Really, though, we just want to play to anyone who is willing to give us a shot and who wants to have a good time.”
Jann Arden
Jann Arden is a Canadian born, singer, songwriter, broadcaster and author. The much celebrated multi-platinum, award winning artist catapulted onto the Canadian music scene in 1993 with the release of her debut album “Time For Mercy” featuring the hit single, I Would Die For You. A year later with “Living Under June”, she would have her career break out hit Insensitive that would solidify her position in the music world.
To date, Arden has released 11 albums with 19 top ten singles. Her most recent recording is Uncover Me2 - a broad spectrum collection of songs, produced by award-winning Hall of Fame inductee, Bob Rock (Metallica, Michael Bublé, Ron Sexsmith).
Arden’s critically acclaimed 10th, album “Free” was followed in November of 2010 with a live CD/DVD entitled “Spotlight”. Jann has received 8 Juno Awards including Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. She is also the recipient of 10 SOCAN Awards, 4 Western Canadian Music Awards, a Much Music Video Award, 3 Prairie Music Awards and an Alberta Recording Industry Association Award.
Jann is the proud recipient of a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame; she has been inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and has been given the Vantage Women of Originality Award.
In addition to being a singer/songwriter, Arden is an author of note. She has written two books - If I Knew, Don’t You Think I’d tell You and I’ll Tell You One Damn Thing, and That’s All I Know. Jann also wrote a monthly advice column for Elle Canada – a feature that ran for a year. In the fall of 2011, Jann released her much-anticipated self-penned memoir, Falling Backwards, which became a national best seller which will be released in paperback form in February.
In 2010, Jann took on broadcast duties as the host of Being Jann an hour- long talk show on CBC Radio and this year she will sit in the judge’s chair for Canada Sings (Global TV). Arden is also the narrator behind the popular program, ER Vets and she has produced two Documentaries – Free and Jann Takes Manhattan, both of which were met with favourable reviews.
Never one to settle into one discipline, Jann has made appearances in television sitcoms (Ellen - 1997, Corner Gas - 2005) and has made several guest appearances on the CBC’s Rick Mercer Report. In 2000, she took part in The Vagina Monologues when it toured Canada. In April she will grace the front cover of Zoomer.
Arden’s philanthropic work includes World Vision, she performed in Live 8 and MAC Cosmetics Fashion Cares AIDS benefit. In recent years Jann has also supported Gilda’s Club in Toronto.
Whether she is captivating audiences with her heartfelt music, entertaining them with her quick wit or sharing her written word in a boldly honest voice – Jann Arden is a Canadian original – a brilliant multi-dimensional talent who in many ways is just now, hitting her stride.
Arkells
After relentlessly touring their debut record Jackson Square, which garnered the band a top 10 Canadian rock radio hit with ‘Oh, the Boss is Coming!” and a Juno Award for ‘New Band of the Year”, the Arkells retreated to the legendary Bathouse Studios in Kingston, Ontario to record their sophomore record, “Michigan Left”. Looking to capture their energetic live show without compromise, the band combined the spontaneity of live-off-the-floor recordings with more complex sonic details made possible by the meticulous production work of Arkells keyboardist Dan Griffin. While Michigan Left combines the bombast of Bruce Springsteen, the infectious 80′s R&B sounds of Hall & Oates and the delicate studio touches of Spoon, the sound that results is undeniably that of the Arkells. In the short time since it’s release on October 18th, 2011, the first single ‘Whistleblower’ has already broken the top ten at Canadian rock radio, with the second single ‘Michigan Left’ to be serviced to radio in early 2012.
In the fall of 2011, the Arkells embarked on a Canadian tour in support of Michigan Left that culminated in a sold-out performance at the Sound Academy in Toronto, where the band was joined on stage by Kathleen Edwards and members of Born Ruffians and Tokyo Police Club. On December 7th of 2011, the Arkells were named “best live act” by CBC Radio 3 for their foot stomping, sing-along inducing live performances. Throughout the summer the Arkells will be playing festivals across Canada, including Osheaga, Ottawa BluesFest and Hillside.
Northern Cree
6-time Grammy nominee Northern Cree are the world’s premier Pow-Wow and Round Dance singing group. The group began drumming and singing together in 1982.
Though the group originates from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, it is currently made up of members from the Treaty 6 area, most notably the Frog Lake Cree Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Samson Cree Nation, Louis Bull Cree Nation, and the Poundmaker Cree Nation.
In 1998 they provided music and appeared in the major theatrical film, Grey Owl, starring Pierce Brosnan.
They have released 36 recordings spanning 22 years with Phoenix-based Canyon Records. Their recordings have won numerous awards including multiple Nammys (Native American Music Awards), Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, Aboriginal Peoples’ Music Choice Awards and Indian Summer Music Awards. In addition their recordings have earned them dozens of nominations over the years including 6 Grammy nominations.
Northern Cree are role models for all First Nations people and live by their founder’s motto: “If you believe in yourself, who you are, where you come from, your culture and more importantly your language, it will take you to places you have never even dreamed of.”
