The Lost Angelos are a rock band formed in Waterdown, Ontario, in 2014. The group consists of Nik Hirst (keys, vocals, harp), Ryan Gaynor (drums, vocals), Max Boyko (guitar, vocals) and Dave Pearson (bass, vocals). The quartet began as a group of high-school friends, frequently playing bar gigs and recording demos at home. The band's unique blues/roots sound draws heavily from 1970s artists, including The Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. In the summer of 2016, the Lost Angelos recorded their debut EP at Helm Studios, and are set to release it late-winter 2017.

Proud mom of crazy talented girl #RachelFawn

If songs were grains of salt, Patrick Ballantyne is the salt shaker. Songs appear to flow from Patrick Ballantyne effortlessly.  A sought after co-writer with cuts on over 10 albums and 2 solo albums of his own, his catalogue is continually expanding. Playing it safe as a lawyer by day, Ballantyne reserves risk-taking for his music. Never content to replicate, Patrick is innovative and experimental. He blends and bends genres, while maintaining an emphasis on melodies and lyrics. His body of work spans multiple genres, yet every song contains a deeply personal and soulful aspect. His latest (sardonically titled) endeavour “Hit-a-month” showcases his “breath-taking range” and enables him to expose his music in an immediate and intimate way.

Creative catalyst &  concert host at Stanstead House Concerts Network - SHCN.

Be well. Practice big medicine.
Hal

Following the philosophy “Write what you know,” Luke Nicholson’s new single,“All Your Dresses”  fully displays his gifts for melody and poignant storytelling. The first single from the Toronto singer/songwriter’s forthcoming album, Shape and Sound, pays tribute to two significant relationships for Nicholson. Through the metaphor of clothes, the special moments shared between a husband and wife are beautifully illustrated, while the ideals his father instilled in him, to be a good man and father, are captured through the simple image of a tie.

This album’s journey not only inspired Luke to “find his sound” true artistic identity, but encouraged him to take the reins of the creative process. “Marty Skrzypczyk and I played every instrument and co-produced it from the beds up. Howie Beck did an amazing job mixing and Joao Carvalho did his usual excellent mastering work. I look at this track as my artistic fingerprint, instead of outsourcing parts or players it truly is one voice speaking and it’s really made making music exciting again.”

Nicholson points to his first trip to Nashville in the fall of 2015 as the catalyst to this intrepid approach. Although he had songwriting sessions lined up, his mission became to hit Music City with everything he had by playing every open stage and introducing himself to as many people as possible. “I was a complete stranger with only my guitar as a companion, it was so exciting and inspiring to start fresh in such a historic music city”. The results were instantaneous; he received invites to writer rounds and  was soon spending time with Canadian songwriting legend Eddie Schwartz who committed to championing “All Your Dresses” leading him to Bluewater Publishing President Brownlee Ferguson; who has since taken Luke under his wing, arranging co-writes with some of Nashville’s biggest songwriters further nurturing his songwriting  talents.

Originally from Lakefield, Ontario, Luke Nicholson had his first major breakthrough in 2008, when the track “Breathe” from the film Poor Boys Game earned a Genie nomination for Best Original Song. Nicholson’s debut album Mad Love, debuted on 2012, which spawned three CBC Radio 2 Top 20 singles and earned glowing reviews in Europe, most notably from Rolling Stone Germany who described Nicholson as a “young Elton John or Billy Joel.”

Shape and Sound is proof that pop music still has the capacity to be intelligent yet catchy, mature but fun, and above all, talk about experiences to which we can all relate.

Luke Nicholson is following