A new year, 2025, brings with it a sense of optimism to the great city of Oshawa and its burgeoning music scene. This year there are many reasons to visit Oshawa and treat yourself to a night out, or several nights out even, enjoying the music on offer in the music scene. And it's a music scene which has links across the globe. But before we get to that, here's a look at what's happening downtown in the various venues during the month of January.
The Regent Theatre has a full schedule of acts coming in, including a tribute to the modern Country Queens Carrie Underwood and the Chicks on Saturday, January 4; John Sheard's tribute to Simon and Garfunkel, Homeward Bound, on Saturday, January 11; the legendary Canadian prog rock band Saga on Saturday, January 25; Comedian Brent Butt of Corner Gas fame on Thursday, January 30; and a tribute to Linda Ronstadt on Friday, January 31.
High-energy Celtic act The Mudmen are at the Biltmore Theatre on Friday, January 17, with openers the
Emerson Ireland Band. Emerson Ireland also hosts the city’s longest-running open mic every Thursday at the newest venue on the downtown music scene, the BOND|ST Event Centre. The open mic is one of a series of weekly events at the Centre, which range from country acts to DJ nights.
Now, back to the global links this local scene has. There are many, of course, but there is one which is most relevant to an event taking place in the city’s downtown this month. On Saturday, January 25, at the Biltmore Theatre, Reggaddiction celebrates the birthday of reggae icon Bob Marley. Marley was born in Jamaica on February 6, 1945, but his music has travelled across the world, becoming the face and voice of reggae to many, including many here in Oshawa.
Oshawa has its own connections with the history of reggae music. John Folkes, considered by some to be the godfather of reggae, lived in the city, and there is even a connection to Bob Marley himself. Marley signed with Island Records founded by Chris Blackwell. Blackwell got a break through his mother’s relationship with James Bond author Ian Fleming, whose home, the infamous Goldeneye on the Jamaican coast, neighboured the Blackwells. Fleming’s James Bond character was inspired by Fleming’s time at Camp X in Oshawa, and he was a resident too of the Genosha Hotel, now called 70 King. Bob Marley even owned Goldeneye briefly before selling it on to Chris Blackwell.
Blackwell’s association with Oshawa has another link too as the Oshawa-based label Stone Records,
founded by the late Bob Stone, had a licensing deal with Island and its artists. Stone Records’ reputation was such that Jimi Hendrix came to the city to discuss signing with the label.
So yes, when one starts to follow the threads of Oshawa’s music history, there are many, many surprising connections and stories to discover.
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