https://danylaj.bandcamp.com/
Dany Laj’s heartfelt songs seamlessly meld together elements of rock, folk, and punk, without straying too far from the power-pop roots that give the tunes a certain joie de vivre, with nods to tunesmiths like Nick Lowe and Paul Westerberg. The narrative weaved together by Laj’s powerful yet unpretentious lyrics tells the tale of the Northern Ontario kid trying to find his way south.

https://www.moontan.net/
Energetic. Funky. Progressive. Rock n’ Roll. These are a just few elements that have been forged together to create a unique yet very familiar sound—one that is cleverly harnessed by Winnipeg's power trio known as Moon Tan. Born of three separate imaginations, their diverse influences seamlessly blend to form a new genre, or "anti-genre" of music and entertainment, which they refer to as "intergalactic space freak rock n' roll."
The band consists of three members: Adrian Dyer on bass and lead vocals, Brady Mitchell on guitar, and Nick Knock on drums. They began rehearsing together when the latter two were only fifteen years old and knew right away they wanted to create something unique and riveting. Drawing on a wide range of musical influences, Moon Tan's ability to blend genre, technique and style transformed them into a well-oiled, complex, music-making machine.
Very active in Winnipeg’s music scene, Moon Tan never fails to turn heads with their dynamic live performances. A visually stimulating show is always promised—and exceeded—as the trio each embodies their own thematic onstage avatar as a different phase of the moon—Adrian as the crescent, Brady as the half, and Nick as the full moon. Their unique stage attire immediately captivates the audience while the theatrical performance, driving rhythms, infectious melodies, and technical expertise leave you on the edge of your seat and wanting more. Captivating both musicians and music lovers alike, Moon Tan is known for providing their fans with an unforgettable show.
Moon Tan is determined to spread their mind-bending melodies and aggressive high-energy rhythms across the globe. Canadian tours from Montréal to Vancouver Island were met with rave reviews and sold out shows— and their sights are now set on Europe and the United States. The trio was crowned “Best of the Fest” out of over 300 acts in Toronto at Indie Music Week 2016, and since then have opened for notable acts such as Nazareth, Sebastian Bach, and Earthless in their hometown. They are currently working on a follow up full length to New Age Renegade with producer Ian Blurton at the helm of the project. If the rave reviews from past live performances are any measure, new audiences will drive this band to even greater heights.

Come one, come all! This Saturday, November 23rd, at The Apollo, there will be a night of live music featuring our friends in Evangelion, Escapist, Shatterhorn - and yours truly, Femur.
This musical gathering is being held for the express purpose of fundraising for our forthcoming sophomore LP, "??? ??? ???? ?? ??". We will be playing various new songs, as well as classic cuts from "Red Marks" for your enjoyment.
There will be an abundance of merchandise, old and new, for purchase as well.
Tell your friends, family, and spread the word!

Hailing from a dairy farm in the heart of Saskatchewan, young folk singer Ellen Froese has swiftly made her presence known in the Canadian music scene. As a folk artist performing solo (sometimes with her rockin’ back-up band, the Hot Toddies), as well as a founding member of successful bluegrass/folk group In With The Old, Froese has balanced multiple projects for the last few years. Lately, it’s hard to tell if she should still be classified as ‘folk’, what with the direction of the new album leaning more towards 1970s pop grooves, ballads, and classic country. From a young age and over a short period of time, she has clearly proven herself to be a valued addition to the world of North American music through her poignant vocals and raw talent.
Growing up as a homeschooled only child on her grandparents’ Mennonite homestead, Ellen has a rich history of singing to the cows. Her passion for music started at an early age, beginning with a phase of non-stop adoration for rock ‘n’ roll (after hearing Elvis for the first time at age five in her dad’s truck) and culminating with a love for songwriting and folk/bluegrass music (after attending her first bluegrass festival). She started classical piano lessons at age four, but after eleven years of training she gave it up to teach herself guitar after discovering Neil Young. Soon after she started writing songs. This range of interests growing up has highly influenced her abilities and stylistic choices as an artist today. In 2012, Ellen and two friends formed the folk trio In With The Old as an outlet for their zeal for the genre, which soon led to them releasing two albums and touring extensively throughout North America. This brought Ellen to appearances at Merlefest, IBMA, Breakout West, and Folk Alliance International, as well as supporting acts such as the Steel Wheels, the Dead South, Jeff Scroggins & Colorado, and more. As Jim Lauderdale once noted, “In With the Old puts the sass in Saskatchewan”.
Since striking out on her own, Froese has quickly established herself as a sought-after solo act. 2018 proved to be a big year, securing main stage slots at festivals such as Regina Folk Fest, Gateway, and Ness Creek; opening for Valdy and The Crash Test Dummies; and appearing at Halifax Pop Explosion, Folk Music Ontario, Folk Alliance International, and BreakOut West (among others). 2019 has brought both Canadian and German ‘Youngbloods’ tours, booked through Germany’s DevilDuck Records. Her rotating back-up band, Saskatoon supergroup ‘the Hot Toddies’, are bringing Ellen back to her rock n’ roll roots - the members of the diverse band all come from varied musical backgrounds and include Emmett Fortosky (Minivandal), Matt Joyal (the Classy Chassys), and Dylan Cooper (Von Jumbo).
With a combined four albums behind her, as well as a Saskatchewan Music Award nomination for folk/roots artist of the year (2018), Froese is eagerly anticipating the November 1st release of her first album with her full band, 'Fightin' Words'. Whether performing a folk traditional, a rock 'n' roll classic, or her own compositions, Froese handles it with an air of authenticity – all tempered with a healthy dose of humour and self-deprecation.
“Ellen Froese is the real deal.”
— Laura Stanley, Greyowl Point
“Ellen Froese is one of the best of the best of this new folk renaissance hiding deep in the cold ass prairies.”
— Andy McNab, as incredible as i am allowed to be

http://danylaj.com/
https://twind.bandcamp.com/
Songwriter Laj (Lajeunesse), born and bred in Kirkland Lake, a rural gold-mining camp six hours north of Toronto, is no stranger to being a small town kid growing up in a secluded northern town. Having toured the country and playing any stage he can find, Laj is now in the position to work out his own musical vision, and so far the results have been very exciting. Laj’s heartfelt songs seamlessly meld together elements of rock, folk, and country, without straying too far from the power-pop roots that give the tunes a certain joie de vivre, with nods to tunesmiths like Nick Lowe and Paul Westerberg. The narrative weaved together by Laj’s powerful yet unpretentious lyrics tells the tale of the Northern Ontario kid trying to find his way south, ultimately to Montreal, by way of Sudbury, North Bay, Toronto, and everywhere in between, with stories of finding love, cross-country tours, and broken-down vehicles, but ultimately retaining a strong sense of humour and hope which lies within memorably catchy hooks and intertwining harmonies between Laj and bassist Jeanette Dowling. Dowling and drummer Lewis Handford as The Looks, Laj’s crack rhythm section, provide a rock-solid foundation and perfect complement to Laj’s quirky pop sensibilities, rendering Dany Laj and the Looks an unstoppable force just waiting to win your heart.
Born in the prairies, alternative folk duo Twin'd found their forlorn yet optimistic sound on the road, drawing inspiration from Galway to New Orleans before being called north to Dawson City, Yukon. Reminicent of the wild, Twin'd draws on traditional stylings led by striking vocal harmonies and multi-instrumentation.

http://www.brockzeman.com/
When it comes to storytelling, Brock Zeman is a master craftsman. The Canada-based singer-songwriter has spent the past 12 years carving and chiseling Americana soundscapes, drawing from roots-rock and alternative country. But what separates Zeman from his contemporaries isn’t a willingness to speak truth – it’s his unwillingness to conform to the rules of Nashville and the traditional framework of genre. What gives Zeman’s stories force isn’t that he’s just singing a narrative – he’s living it.
Brock-Zeman-photo-by-Jamie-KronickOver the course of his career, Zeman has released 12 studio albums, one live record, toured North America extensively and received praise from numerous press outlets. “His songs have more depth than can be realized first time through, which only enhances with each listen,” wrote Penguin Eggs. Zeman has also won a slew of songwriting awards, including 2nd place at both 2016’s Unsigned Only Competition as well as the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) for his track “Pulling Your Sword Out Of The Devil’s Back.” In 2017 he returned to ISC as a finalist with his song “Dead Man’s Shoes.”
“I was inspired to write from the feeling I got when I listened to music,” Zeman recalls about his childhood. “I always hoped I could pass on the same overwhelming feeling to others.”
Beginning his career as a punk rocker, Zeman’s musical tastes gradually expanded to a love for country, bluegrass and roots. After years of experimentation, and with the help of longtime collaborator Blair Hogan, he carved a place for himself in the realm of Americana. His discography spans 12 albums – plus one live record – over 12 years, including his most recent releases: The Carnival is Back in Town (2017), Pulling Your Sword Out of the Devil’s Back (2015) and Rotten Tooth (2013).
With an acoustic guitar and rhaspy voice, à la Greg Brown, Tom Waits and Mickey Newbury, Zeman has managed to preserve the DIY ethos of his punk rock upbringing. He’s an engineer and producer who not only tracks his own material, but has recorded other artists in his Ontario studio (called The Big Muddy), including Nashville troubadour David Olney. He also does voice-over work for television, and created his own booking agency named Green Room Music Source Canada.
Brock Zeman’s 13th studio album is expected out in spring 2018. He’ll be out supporting the release on tour in North America and the UK throughout the year.

https://blackmastiff.bandcamp.com/
Edmonton’s Black Mastiff (Bob Yiannakoulias, Clay Shea, Allan Harding) is a band built around lifelong friendship and having fun, something they value above all else and extend to their audience in a porous, heavy, and vigorous live performance. Keeping it together has always characterized their stoner rock sound, that leads with a sly, moody, steady groove leaning into a blizzard of distortion, and borrows from a myriad of rock and soul influences from 70s metal to Stevie Wonder. When I write guitar riffs I usually imagine Stevie Wonder is singing the notes, says singer Yiannakoulias. If I can hear his voice in my notes then I’m keeping it. So is Stevie Wonder stoner rock!? Sure why not. With their third full-length album Loser Delusions (Fall 2019), keeping it together became a literal priority. During the four years since their well-received Music Machine (New Damage Records, 2015), recorded and beautifully produced at Thunder Underground Studio in the desert of Palm Springs with John Garcia (Kyuss, Vista Chino), the trio had to change their perception of how a band operates, meeting unforeseen professional challenges head on. Already Renaissance men and entrepreneurs in other life ventures, the band sharpened their production and business know-how by starting their own label, Grand Hand, with tour mates Chron Goblin. When drummer Allan moved to Vancouver, instead of giving up they decided to see how distance apart could add to, rather than take away from, their creative process and sound. The result is a determined continuation of what they do best, with a voyaging out into new sonic territory. -Thea Bowering-

https://billdurst.com/
Bill Durst is an award winning Canadian Blues Rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, entertainer who has written and recorded over 125 songs on 12 albums with 7 national radio hits. The Jack Richardson Hall of Famer has opened for Areosmith, Rush, BTO, Yardbirds, Johnny Winter, Burton Cummings, Loverboy, George Thorogood, Bad Company, Edgar Winter Group, Jeff Healey, John Mayall, Downchild, David Wilcox, Little Feat and more. Mr. Durst has toured across North America and in Europe and tours extensively in Canada
Born in Wingham and growing up in London, Ontario, Bill was heavily influenced by Motown R&B, Toronto Psychedelic Soul, British Blues, Hendrix and BBKing. Durst entered the national/international stage with his classic rock band Thundermug who had a number one hit in 1972. Thundermug recorded 5 albums, (3 albums in the 1970s, two CDs in the 1990s), releasing records in the US and Europe. Bill's first two solo albums came in the eighties but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Durst got some real career momentum.
In 2004 Bill formed a “fuzzy, little, smokin' blues band”and since then Durst and co-writer/bassist Joe DeAngelis have produced 5 full length CDs; The Wharncliffe Sessions (’05), The Great Willy Mammoth (’09), Bill Durst Live (‘12), Hard And Heavy (’13), Good Good Lovin ('15).

https://mayhemingways.wordpress.com/
Mayhemingways emerge within a region ripe with musical reputation in Ontario Canada. Benj Rowland executes lead vocals and employs a mixed bag of folk instruments like banjo, mandolin, accordion, and acoustic guitar. Josh Fewings anchors the tunes on the drums and elevates the melody with harmony vocals. They are a strong musical duo that converges with “Mind-bending and original music with deep roots in the tradition of dark North American folk” (Tom Wilson, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings & Lee Harvey Osmond).
Mayhemingways have experienced a full and fulfilling five years to bring them to present day. The duo released their first EP engineered by James McKenty (Blue Rodeo, Cuff The Duke, The Weber Brothers) in 2013, and followed it up with a full length “Hunter St Blues” produced and engineered by Steve Loree (Ian Tyson, Corb Lund, Petunia). They have voyaged across Canada and back again, and again, and set off for Europe gathering touring miles adding up to more than 600 shows together. Their most recent tour was with acclaimed Canadian rock figure Joel Plaskett and his father Bill on their “Solidarity” release tour which had the Mayhemingways employed as opening act, as well as backing band for the Plasketts each night.
The duo returned to Steve Loree’s Nanton, Alberta studio during a welcome February Chinook in 2017 to have him produce a new collection of their brand of folk songs. The new album “Skip Land” will be released February 23rd, 2018.
The opening and title track of “Skip Land” plays out like a soundtrack to a drive along the Otonabee River on a humid summers day. Fuzzy highway radio-dial stations coming in and out below a mid-tempo snare drum march and a claw hand banjo line weaving together to guide the listener down the road.
East coast folk reels imagining Canadian highways and the mornings after kitchen party’s (Frances The Truck Driver, Troubles in The Basement), and dark floating folk dirges ruminating on memory and everyday scenes from the life of a newborn (Bad Old Days, The Baby) make up the first half of this rich collection of tunes. The songs continue with up-tempo winter tinged vocal narratives about staying put due to the cold outside, and another snare drum anchored instrumental that feels like a cold march from one pub to another on the East Coast waterfront (Haybales, 14th of January). Deeper down the track list, Better Of You evokes what might be the perfect soundtrack for tracing a journey from the zydeco influenced bayou of Louisiana north east to the Blueridge Mountains of Tennessee that seem to become visible within the sound of the trad banjo picking in Hillbilly Heroin. The duo concludes the album with lush and layered harmonies on the mid-tempo folk rocker Into The Ground. On this last track, The Mayhemingways impart sobering commentary on listeners that we should expect some things to break down, as they’ve only got so many trips around the sun; things like tube amps, gasoline vans, and as bleak as it is true, our bodies.
“Skip Land” places The Mayhemingways firmly in line with the heritage of their home town of Peterborough; dark folk drenched melodies delivered with an electricity and veneer that shimmers within the space between the duo.

https://screamingattrafficmusic.bandcamp.com/
Screaming at Traffic is a punk-rock band from Winnipeg, MB. Gnarled, noisy riffage, and visceral, sweaty shows.