A Look at May's Music Scene

Oshawa’s music district is beginning to bloom, with some pretty major shows across the month of

May. One of the biggest names in hip-hop, Ice Cube, from the seminal group N.W.A., is at the Tribute

Communities Centre Thursday, May 9. Ice Cube is a legendary hip-hop artist who starred in movies such as Boyz In Da Hood, Three Kings, and Are We There Yet? Quite the range to this American icon. Opening the show is Oshawa native Peter Jackson.

Ice Cube makes his Oshawa debut on May 9. Tickets are still available for this once-in-a-lifetime show.

There's quite a range of music on May 9 with the American/Canadian singer-songwriter Marc Jordan and partner Amy Sky at the Regent Theatre and Peterborough-based country artist Nicholas Campbell at the TwoTwoTwo in the Bond|St Events Centre. Marc Jordan has had his work covered by such artists as Cher, Chicago, Kansas, and Rod Stewart. Amy Sky has written for Olivia Newton-John and Heart, among others. This is a great opportunity to spend time with one of Canada’s preeminent musical couples. Nicholas Campbell is no slouch, having shared a stage with Blue Rodeo and received the Peterborough Folk Festival 2023 Emerging Artist Award. Fellow London, Ontario music mates Single Mothers make their way down the 401 to the Biltmore Theatre on May 10, with the fabulous punks the Anti-Queens also on that bill.

The Anti-Queens are getting ready to melt faces at The Biltmore on May 10.

Country is the theme for May 17 at the Tribute Communities Centre with one of Nashville’s modern

singer-songwriters, Cole Swindell, a contemporary of and collaborator with Zach Bryan, as well as

Dierks Bentley is performing. Dylan Scott opens as does, of note to local country fans, Meghan Patrick,

who, although Nashville-based, grew up in Bowmanville, one town east of Oshawa. May 18 it's a rock out with Far From Infamy, Oceans in the Sky, Hialeah, and Connor Lin Frost at the

TwoTwoTwo.

May 22: Laura Jane Grace, founder of the American Punk Band Against Me, will be bringing it all to the

Biltmore Theatre.

Catch Laura Jane Grace when she returns to Oshawa on May 22

May 25, Willy Nilly is at the Local Lounge, the cocktail lounge inside Bond|St Events Centre, while

downstairs in the TwoTwoTwo, rapper Roney takes the stage.

A band that grew up one town west of Oshawa and is no stranger to the city’s music scene, Protest

The Hero from Whitby will be at the Main Stage at Bond|St Events Centre. The prog-metal

progenitors will perform on Thursday, May 30.

Protest The Hero returns to the venue where they started their musical career on May 30.

While PTH goes big and loud, a block south of Bond on the same night, May 30, Dan Raymond will perform at The Biltmore, one of the best bars in the city, up on the mezzanine, a very intimate setting indeed. Dan Raymond is releasing his latest album and will have his family members perform with him.

Friday, May 31, Oshawa metal outfit Vs The Borg are celebrating their tenth anniversary, ah they

grew up so quickly, at the Biltmore Theatre. Opening are Veinduze and Poison Fountains. At the

TwoTwoTwo May 31, Southport Live presents indie rockers Lost In Japan from London, On.

Heading over to the Regent Theatre, as well as those playing their own work, many shows are celebrating the work of other artists throughout the month. There is a tribute to the Electric Light Orchestra, Strange Magic, on May 4; May 10, All McCartney, a tribute to, you guessed it, Paul; May 11, a tribute to Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton; Simply Queen, May 12; Stories and Songs of Stompin’ Tom May 16; Legends featuring songs by Elvis, Buddy, Roy, and Patsy; The Last Waltz under the musical direction of Lance Anderson May 24; and a tribute to the Beach Boys May 31.

The Biltmore Theatre also has a lineup of tribute acts with Decades of Bond on May 11, Eyes of Alice and Sons of Sabbath tribute to Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath on May 18.

Juno Award winners, the Stampeders, appear live at the Regent Theatre on May 5.

But not done yet in ShwaRock City, the Stampeders, who recently lost bandmate Ronnie King, will be

at the Regent on May 5, and also on May 15, the late Gordon Lightfoot’s backup band, which featured

Rick Haynes, Barry Keane, Mike Heffernan, and Carter Lancaster will perform Gord’s Gold with

the newest member, Andy Mauck. And last but not least, in fact, maybe the best, the legendary Andy Kim, will rock us all gently with pal Dan Hill on May 30 at the Regent Theatre.

Keep in mind the many nightly open mics and performances at the cafes and bars throughout the

downtown, such as Cork & Bean and the Atria, and there is music almost every evening in May.