Well, there’s a curious mix of Canadian musicians in downtown Oshawa this March, from established artists to emerging artists to even one who can sum up all that Canadian music for us.
Known for his work at 102.1 The Edge, Q107, his Ongoing History of New Music Podcast, and the Journal of Musical Things series, legendary broadcaster and author Alan Cross will appear at the Bond|St Event Centre at the Local Lounge on March 14, as part of his ongoing speaker series. It will be interesting to see if, during his talk, Cross mentions Oshawa’s vital music scene and the city’s history, which includes Our Lady Peace, who are playing at the Tribute Communities Centre on Wednesday, March 5. The band was co-founded by Oshawa resident and guitarist Mike Turner, who left in 2001 after the first four albums. Raine Maida and company continued, of course, and are now celebrating 30 years of OLP with a two-volume greatest hits package and a tour with Collective Soul.
And if Alan Cross’s talk had a somewhat older music agenda with a Canadian slant, then maybe he might bring up 80s chart toppers, Juno winners and Grammy nominees, Glass Tiger, who plays the Regent Theatre on Sunday, March 16, as well as David Wilcox, owner of multiple gold and platinum albums, who is at the same venue Thursday, March 20. Wilcox has been playing since he was twelve. In 1970, he joined Great Speckled Bird alongside Ian and Sylvia Tyson. His debut solo album ‘Out of the Woods’ featured the hit single ‘Do the Bearcat.’ His second album, My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble, sealed the deal with hit songs ‘Downtown Came Uptown’ and ‘Riverboat Fantasy’. Glass Tiger had a global hit with ‘Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone,’ which came out almost 40 years ago and still sounds fresh and relevant.
Cross may also point out to his audience another important element of Oshawa’s vast and inclusive music community: the Ontario Philharmonic, which will perform at the Regent Theatre on the same night as his appearance. The Ontario Philharmonic performance is titled “Ontario Philharmonic Stars Take the Stage.” This is an evening popular with patrons, as several musicians perform solos on works by Handel, Mozart, Bach, Gershwin, and more.
Of course, Oshawa is not only about its past but also its future. The Biltmore Theatre has been presenting many shows, and local bands are filling out the bill. On Friday, March 21, Windsor, rockers Texas King and Kingston indie act Kasador will perform, along with Oshawa two-piece Mellohoney.
Also, at the Biltmore on Saturday, March 29, Excuses Excuses (who played Oshawa's Convergence Music & Art Festival 2024) will headline with The Crease Rule, Nitetime Drive, and Plz Respond.
The Atria has its own showcase of local acts with Far From Infamy, Jules McCool, plus Howling Gales, and Bad Friends with Black Cats on Friday, March 7.
Of course, Oshawa-based musicians are the focus of several other venues throughout the downtown, many of them booked by local promoters like Crosswalk Entertainment. Several open Mics, showcases, solo performers and duos perform regularly at Brew Wizards, Cork and Bean, the Atria Bar and Grill, King’s Crown, and Bond|St. Event Centre Snackbar. These venues are all within walking distance of each other and have easy access to hotels, so planning a night out show hopping is accessible and convenient for visitors and residents alike.
Brew Wizards has its monthly punk night on Saturday, March 22. This month, it features Nothing Serious, Moore Ave, and Monstrosa. The King’s Crown Friday night live music line-up for the month is Velvet Revolution on March 7, Jackson Begley on March 14, Dan Gravel on March 21, and Myke Pulito on March 28. Down the street from The King’s Crown, the Bond|St. Events Centre Snackbar 's March Friday night live music line-up includes Elliott Brown on March 7, Jon Kerr on March 14, Homestead Elite on March 21, and finally, Jay RK on March 28.
Perhaps Alan Cross should spend more than one night in the city and really explore the spectacular artists who are part of Oshawa’s ongoing history as a music city.
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