Live music

Busker Mark Weston plays his accordion outside Munro’s Books along Government Street. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Buskers fill downtown Victoria with joy as pandemic subsides

Artists, musicians happy to perform again with increased foot traffic on Government Street

 

Local artist Gillian Redwood and avid local pianist Carl Ivey pose with a painted piano at Turkey Head during a past summer. (Courtesy of Oak Bay Parks, Recreation and Culture)

August to see return of community painted pianos in Oak Bay

Play your favourite tunes outdoors this summer, in five different locations

 

Scott McMillan and fellow volunteers with the Esquimalt Firefighters Charitable Foundation hope to resume their fundraising through the Esquimalt Ribfest, scheduled for Sept. 10 to 12 in Bullen Park. (Black Press Media file photo)

Esquimalt Ribfest organizers licking their lips for September festival

Event chair cautiously optimistic popular outdoor event will happen Sept. 10 to 12

 

Willows live music returns with a July 22 concert by Victoria favourite Soul Shakers. (Courtesy Soul Shakers)

Music returns to Willows in Oak Bay with Soul Shakers

Residents invited to shake off the dust with monthly outdoor concerts

Willows live music returns with a July 22 concert by Victoria favourite Soul Shakers. (Courtesy Soul Shakers)
The popular Music in the Park series, which kicks off this Sunday (July 11), is one of several live music events taking place at various locations in Langford throughout the summer. (Black Press Media file photo)

Hot tunes on tap at various sites this summer in Langford

Music in the Park, weeknight show and shines, bands in bike park all open to public

The popular Music in the Park series, which kicks off this Sunday (July 11), is one of several live music events taking place at various locations in Langford throughout the summer. (Black Press Media file photo)
A free concert happening July 9 next to the south campus of Lansdowne Middle School will feature Indigenous poet Tanisha Nuttall, jazzist David Santana and vocalist Myriam Parent. (Photo courtesy of Friends of Bowker Creek)

Free Friday concert: Saanich school hosts Bowker Creek friends event

Summer concert series starting July 9 serves as fundraiser, educational opportunity

A free concert happening July 9 next to the south campus of Lansdowne Middle School will feature Indigenous poet Tanisha Nuttall, jazzist David Santana and vocalist Myriam Parent. (Photo courtesy of Friends of Bowker Creek)
Johnny Cash, June Carter and others pictured on a page from “Memories From the Mountain,” a new book that documents the history of Merritt Mountain Music Festival in photographs by Surrey’s Dee Lippingwell. (Photos: Dee Lippingwell)

Merritt country music festival’s ‘crazy-ass scene’ recalled in photographer’s new book

Campground C party zone and more remembered in Dee Lippingwell’s third book

Johnny Cash, June Carter and others pictured on a page from “Memories From the Mountain,” a new book that documents the history of Merritt Mountain Music Festival in photographs by Surrey’s Dee Lippingwell. (Photos: Dee Lippingwell)
Artist Flo-Elle Watson displaying her painted white porcelain and flower hat at Sunday’s art show and sale on St. Ann St. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Artists showcase work on boulevards along Oak Bay street

St. Ann Street Boulevard Art Show and Sale features local designs in COVID-friendly outdoor space

Artist Flo-Elle Watson displaying her painted white porcelain and flower hat at Sunday’s art show and sale on St. Ann St. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
Helen Austin performing with Trent Freeman at the 2018 Vancouver Island MusicFest. Austin is one of the many performers listed for the 2021 event.

Vancouver Island MusicFest goes virtual for 2021

Black Press to stream 25 hours of programming July 9-11

Helen Austin performing with Trent Freeman at the 2018 Vancouver Island MusicFest. Austin is one of the many performers listed for the 2021 event.
Toronto alternative band July Talk will be performing at the Royal Theatre in December. (Courtesy of July Talk)

Victoria ticket sales begin Friday for live July Talk concert

Juno-winning band scheduled to perform at Royal Theatre at Christmastime

Toronto alternative band July Talk will be performing at the Royal Theatre in December. (Courtesy of July Talk)
The City of Victoria is hoping to ring in the summer by celebrating local art and offering some distanced, live music to surprise people in parks, plazas and other public spaces. (Photo courtesy of the City of Victoria)

Live, pop-up concerts and local art being showcased in Victoria this summer

People will see surprise serenades at 16 locations throughout the summer

The City of Victoria is hoping to ring in the summer by celebrating local art and offering some distanced, live music to surprise people in parks, plazas and other public spaces. (Photo courtesy of the City of Victoria)
The Victoria Symphony Orchestra, shown here in a past concert at the University of Victoria, and Pacific Opera Victoria are teaming up for performances June 10 and 11. (Black Press Media file photo)

Pacific Opera Victoria, Victoria Symphony collaborate for free online performances

Britten’s Phaedra and Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings streaming June 10 and 11

The Victoria Symphony Orchestra, shown here in a past concert at the University of Victoria, and Pacific Opera Victoria are teaming up for performances June 10 and 11. (Black Press Media file photo)
Michael Demers, performing here as a member of The Lonely, died May 1 after a year-long battle with leukemia. (Photo by Benji Duke)

Victoria music community mourning Michael Demers

Veteran singer-songwriter, co-founder of The Lonely dies at 63 due to leukemia

Michael Demers, performing here as a member of The Lonely, died May 1 after a year-long battle with leukemia. (Photo by Benji Duke)
Live concerts could return to venues such as Blue Frog Studios in White Rock by year’s end - provided immunizations make a diference and COVID variants are held in check - according to a recent round table including provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry and reprsentatives of performing arts groups. (Submitted photo)

B.C. performing arts groups could see gradual return of live events

Round table between Dr. Bonnie Henry and arts groups gives rise to cautious optimism

Live concerts could return to venues such as Blue Frog Studios in White Rock by year’s end - provided immunizations make a diference and COVID variants are held in check - according to a recent round table including provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry and reprsentatives of performing arts groups. (Submitted photo)
Frequent buskers Johnny Bomblast, left, and Dave Harris perform in front of Munro’s Books on Government Street. The roommates recently completed a new album of original material entitled Clouds. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

VIDEO: Victoria buskers keep making music despite effects of COVID

Dave Harris and Johnny Bomblast team up to record pandemic-inspired album

Frequent buskers Johnny Bomblast, left, and Dave Harris perform in front of Munro’s Books on Government Street. The roommates recently completed a new album of original material entitled Clouds. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
The late Hermann Nieweler, centre, founder of Hermann’s Jazz Club, poses with the Tom Vickery Trio on stage at the club (from left, Vickery at piano, Josh Dixon, Sean Drabbitt). Vickery and his current trio headline a March 31 show that is a fundraiser for the B.C./Yukon Kidney Foundation. Nieweler was a kidney transplant recipient in 2010. (Courtesy Hermann’s Jazz Club)

Kidney Month show at Hermann’s honours memory of Victoria jazz club owner

Tom Vickery Trio headlining fundraiser being livestreamed online March 31

The late Hermann Nieweler, centre, founder of Hermann’s Jazz Club, poses with the Tom Vickery Trio on stage at the club (from left, Vickery at piano, Josh Dixon, Sean Drabbitt). Vickery and his current trio headline a March 31 show that is a fundraiser for the B.C./Yukon Kidney Foundation. Nieweler was a kidney transplant recipient in 2010. (Courtesy Hermann’s Jazz Club)
Vancouver’s Blonde Diamond is one of dozens of B.C. bands who received a SoundON grant during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Lauren Zbarsky photo)

$500,000 more funds available to struggling B.C. musicians amid COVID pandemic

Successful applicants will receive $5,000 SoundOn grants in as early as a month

Vancouver’s Blonde Diamond is one of dozens of B.C. bands who received a SoundON grant during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Lauren Zbarsky photo)
Singer Ken Lavigne will perform by live-stream from Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River on Feb. 7, starting at 7:30, playing romantic ballads and love songs. (Ken Lavigne/Submitted)

Get into the mood for Valentine’s Day with Vancouver Island’s Ken Lavigne

Singer will perform romantic ballads and love songs by livestream from Campbell River on Feb. 7

Singer Ken Lavigne will perform by live-stream from Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River on Feb. 7, starting at 7:30, playing romantic ballads and love songs. (Ken Lavigne/Submitted)
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’90s rock band resurfaces with songs never properly recorded or released

Underwater Sunshine’s online reunion involves four guys who lost contact for years

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Drummer Kelby MacNayr and friends play a Nov. 11 show at Hermann’s Jazz Club, part of its Community Nights series of free concerts. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

Musical connections feed the soul at Victoria venue

Hermann’s does its part to put performers in front of live audiences, with free community concerts

Drummer Kelby MacNayr and friends play a Nov. 11 show at Hermann’s Jazz Club, part of its Community Nights series of free concerts. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)