Long Winter Nap.... zzzz....

It's been a whirlwind of autumn adventures on the road and at home... now it's time to curl up fireside and rest up for a busy 2012..!

To round out the year I'm playing my last show of 2011 at PHOG on December 22nd for a special JOE STRUMMER tribute show raising money for a local shelter helping out those in need at a tender time of year..!  

Tune in to my 'fireside' Christmas Hour on Border City Roots on CJAM 99.1fm December 19th for some festive tunes and stories by the glow of your radio tubes..!  

Reminding you that "Viper At The Virgin's Feet" makes a great gift, as do limited edition Allison Brown T-Shirts - I still have time to make custom shirts and send them out for the holidays so order now!
And you can get CDs at all the Independent Record Stores across Canada on the 'Shop For Music' section here on AllisonBrown.ca...




Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone - and see you in 2012...!


Allison

Six Nights In November!

November 13th at The Artbar In Hamilton

... Fall is coming to Souwesto and the air is crisp as the apples fall from the trees... looking forward to one more round of Ontario shows before I settle in for a winter touring nap.... "Uncle" Dan and I hit the road again in the faithful Jeep Cherokee for a ramble taking us to Hamilton for a show at the Artword Artbar on Sunday, November 13th, to Toronto for two shows at Not My Dog as part of the Ladies In Waiting Series on Monday, November 14th, and on the 15th we're back at The Local with our pals A Yellow Field.  We join up again with A Yellow Field and Richard Garvey the next night on November 16th for a show at Kitchener's L-Lounge, and Thursday the 17th I join Scott Wicken for his songwriters' series at the Princess Cafe.  We round out the week with a show at the London Music Club with east coast songbirds Kim Wempe and Gabrielle Papillon on November 18th...!

November 16th at The L-Lounge In Kitchener with A Yellow Field

Monday, November 7th is the very special CJAM PLEDGE DRIVE EXTRAVAGANZA episode of "Border City Roots", so be sure to tune in for some radio antics with my special guest Chris Crossroads as we raise some dough for campus community radio here in Windsor/Detroit...!  You can pledge online at www.cjam.ca, make sure to include "Border City Roots" as one of your favourite CJAM shows..!


And, I'm still doing features every Friday morning on CBC Radio Windsor's "Early Shift", tune in at about 8:15 every Friday for my report on all the great south coast sounds... and don't forget to check in on OurWindsor.ca for my music features, interviews and reviews.

PLEDGE DRIVE!!  DONATE AT www.cjam.ca !!

See you for Six Days On The Road, Six Nights In November for an autumn ramble...!

Antiques Freakshow Comes To Town October 28th!

A spooky wind is blowin' here in Souwesto as September eases us into October... I went up the creaky attic stairs here at the homestead and this is what I found in a dusty ol' trunk....

 

The Antiques Freakshow

… a one-time only…

… oldtyme goth revival …

Friday, October 28^th

At The FM Lounge (Fish Market)

Beginning at 9:30pm, Pay What You Can

            Exhumed from the attics of musical antiquity, a collection of long departed porch pickers and ancient warblers resurrect from their dusty old trunk this Halloween weekend for an oldtyme goth revival known as The Antiques Freakshow.  An entourage of roots, country, and folk musicians that could be hell’s own house band takes to the stage at Windsor’s FM Lounge (The Fish Market) on Friday, October 28^th beginning at 9:30pm. Banjo, Guitar, Accordion, Clarinet, and haunting harmonies rise through the night air telling classic country and roots music tales from beyond the grave; murder ballads, ill-fated outlaws, deathbed confessions, soul selling, phantom trains, dark dungeons, tragic bar-room brawls, and graveyard ghosts. 

Featuring: Allison Brown ~ Erin Gignac ~ Max Marshall ~ Chris Crossroads ~ Richard Dreiger ~ Tim Swaddling ~ Kate Romain and secret surprise special guests...


Artwork by Kate Romain


Highly appraised by expert collector Allison Brown, it would be grave indeed to miss this “PBS meets Day Of The Dead meets Oh Brother Where Art Thou” evening of music kicking off your Halloween weekend.  Wear your black lipstick, your long boots, top hats and black jackets and join us in the afterlife at the FM Lounge on October 28^th…!


While I'm not out on my usual haunts, I'm the new arts/music correspondent Friday mornings on CBC Radio's "Early Shift", here in Windsor on 97.5fm and 1550 am... and I'm still blogging on www.ourwindsor.ca, so be sure and stay tuned for all the great stuff happening here in the Windsor area.  I'm also still filling in on Mondays from 2:30 to 4pm on CJAM 99.1fm, as a guest host on "Deliverance", but hoping to have my own show "Border City Roots" on the CJAM airwaves soon....


Fire up your broomsticks and fly on down here for Halloween weekend and the ANTIQUES FREAKSHOW!


Allison

Southwestern Ontario September

Sleeping Giant ~ Thunder Bay

.. Howdy folks.. back home from our amazing "Wake The Sleeping Giant" Tour across the north shore of Lake Superior and on to Winnipeg.. finally washed the Manitoba road dust off the mighty Jeep Cherokee and been back at home in Windsor cookin' up some plans for the fall around Southern Ontario.  

... Huge thanks to all the new friends we made along the way, especially all the friends who opened their doors, couches and extra beds while we were on our journey... big thanks to all the volunteers and organizers of the Live From The Rock and Trout Forest Music Festivals... time of our lives!  And of course a huge thanks to the ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL for helping us fill the tank along our way.
... now that I'm back, stay tuned to www.Ourwindsor.ca for more blogs about music, arts and more here in on Canada's south coast, and to CJAM 99.1fm as I hope to be filling in for more shows on the Windsor-Detroit airwaves.  September gives me a little rest, with a House Concert show opening for Linda McRae on September 15th, and a special gospel music show at Taloola on September 16th.. I may be appearing on occasion with the one and only Lonesome Lefty and his Cryin' Shames so keep your ears open for some oldtyme country sounds here in the great Souwesto... 

Goodbye Manitoba Road Dust

 

 

On 'Vacation' after our last show in Sauble Beach

... also cookin' up a special Halloween show on Friday, October 28th at The FM Lounge with a collection of specters and ghouls known as the "Antiques Freakshow"... murder ballads, ghostly songs, beyond the grave roots music style.. stay tuned..
 
Back home....
Allison

Eastward Bound....

Vintage Truck Stage We Played on in Altona, Manitoba

Howdy Folks... greetings from Thunder Bay on our second spin through the Lakehead on our way back from adventures in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba last week.. had a blast up at the Trout Forest Music Festival in Ear Falls, some great gigs in Winnipeg at Times Change(d) and Le Garage and we're here for a stopover show opening a secret post-waterfront concert for The Sheepdogs at the Black Pirate... 


This week we head back south for a show on Friday, August 26th at Fanshawe Pioneer Village as part of their summer concert series, and round off our tour with a grande finale in Sauble Beach at Two Chicks Cafe on August 27th... 

You Know You've Made It When...

See you back in the semi-southlands... back in Windsor for some fall shows coming up!

Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club ~ Winnipeg

Allison

Across The North Shore - The Giant Wakes!

Howdy Folks... greetings from high atop The Apollo hanging out in the band room before our show tonight here in Thunder Bay.. the giant himself is still sleeping in our sights on the T-Bay waterfront.. will tonight's ruckus raise him to his feet..????  We've had a blast all along the north shore of Superior making great new friends along the way and sharing the stage with Will Gillespie in Sudbury, Cody McMillan, Brad Example, and Greg Callaghan in Sault Ste Marie, and on to Wawa at Naturally Superior Adventures, at the parking lot of Pizza Hut in Marathon and at Serendipity Gardens in Rossport (you can buy my CDs there!).  

Live From The Rock was incredible - big thanks to Jennifer Ives and Co. and all the volunteers on a fantastic festival.. sharing the stage with O My Darling, Harlan Pepper and Amanda Rheaume and Marc Charron ... check out Amanda & Marc's tour blog at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q10pxNCrIc..

We're off to Atikokan tomorrow and head for the Trout Forest Music Festival on Friday - onwards to Winnipeg from there..!

Here's some photos of our adventures so far - again big thanks to the ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL Ontario Touring Program for help along the highway!!

The Wawa Goose Lands atop the Cherokee

Dan cookin' some hobo beans on the campfire at Pukaskwa National Park

Backed up by a truck rollover on #17 between the Sault and Wawa

Me, Dan & Will road stop in Parry Sound

Lake Superior from Rossport Campground

"Wake The Sleeping Giant" Heads North!

 

... It's been a hot mid-July as Uncle Dan and myself have been traveling across the escarpment's silver spine for a week of shows in Kitchener, Oakville, Hamilton, Brantford and Port Stanley following the Home County Folk Festival weekend in London... and happy to announce that our "Wake The Sleeping Giant" Tour has been granted some funding to help fill the Jeep Cherokee gas tank on our way across the north shore of Superior to Winnipeg and back...!  Thanks OAC..!
       This week we're at THE LOCAL in Toronto on Tuesday, July 26th, reuniting with songster WILL GILLESPIE, and we head north to Sudbury for a show at the TOWNEHOUSE on Thursday, July 28th... after a stop at Cosmic Dave's Guitar Emporium..!  Can't wait to see the T-Ho renovations!


We're at LopLops in Sault Ste Marie on Friday, July 29th and in Wawa at Naturally Superior Adventures on Saturday, July 30th.. we take a camping break until we hit Marathon on August 2nd, Rossport on August 3rd and head to Red Rock for the Live From The Rock Festival from August 5th to 7th!  We'll be sharing the stage with a lot of amazing artists so be sure to check it out!


Here's a couple photos from the last week of touring - enjoy!
Allison

Will's Leftover Quinoa Slider from the APK.. was delicious even days later in Goderich

Finally visited the legendary Ethel's Lounge in Waterloo 

Pow-Wow Group at Home County

"Viper" now available at Dr.Disc in Hamilton - celebrating 20 years in the business!

Wake The Sleeping Giant Starts July 14th ..!

Allison Brown & Uncle Dan go NORTHWEST!

Howdy Folks.. it's been a busier June than I expected hanging out down here in the steamy south of Ontario getting ready to head out on the road with "Uncle" Dan Henshall for our WAKE THE SLEEPING GIANT TOUR taking us from all the way down here in the Southwest to the Northwest, over Lake Superior and onto Winnipeg... the sweetcorn will only be knee-high when we take off on July 14th for our first show in London, we cross the escarpment's silver spine for shows in Kitchener, Oakville, Hamilton, Brantford, Port Stanley and Toronto before we start across the vast Precambrian Shield traversing the rugged north shore of Lake Superior, in Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie, Wawa, Marathon, Rossport, Thunder Bay, Atikokan, and Ear Falls..! All the dates and destinations are listed below...  We're playing at the Live From The Rock Festival in Red Rock, and the Trout Forest Music Festival in Ear Falls (100kms North of Hwy#17), and when we get to Winnipeg we'll be doing a few shows in town at Times Change(d) and Le Garage.  The trusty Jeep Cherokee won’t be tiptoeing past the trickster Nanabijou, the rocky giant that sleeps silently in the mighty Gitchee Gumee off the shore of Thunder Bay; we'll be raising a roots music ruckus along Highway #17 that shakes him to his stony feet to dance along…! 

JULY 14th at APK LIVE

The tour starts in London with a ROOTS MUSIC REVUE unofficially kicking off the HOME COUNTY FOLK FESTIVAL at the APK Live on Thursday, July 14th.. we're rejoined by Toronto songster WILL GILLESPIE as well as London duo BETH PRYSNUK and GRAHAM NICHOLAS for a night of roots ruckus raisin'..!  

Will and I are having a special T-SHIRT RELEASE PARTY at Grooves Records on Sunday, July 17th with a free in-store concert at 3pm... the T-Shirts look great ( they are all hand-screened by me!) and if you'd like to pre-order one, they are $20.00 if you'd like it delivered on our travels,  or $25.00 if you'd like it mailed to you directly.  Send your T-Shirt money in to our Kapipal Fund at http://www.kapipal.com/allisonbrowngasfund . 
Tank tops are also available...!

Here's the list of tour dates:

Thursday, July 14^th ~ London ~ Roots Music Revue at APK Live

Sunday, July 17th ~ London ~ Free In-Store Concert at GROOVES

Wednesday, July 20^th ~ Kitchener ~ Café Pyrus

Thursday, July 21^st, 2011 ~ Oakville  ~ Moonshine Café

Friday, July 21^st ~ Hamilton ~ The Lionshead Pub

Saturday, July 23^rd ~ Brantford ~ The Station Coffeehouse and Gallery

Sunday, July 24^th ~ Port Stanley ~ The Windjammer Inn

Tuesday, July 26^th ~ Toronto ~ The Local Pub

Thursday, July 28^th ~ Sudbury ~The Townehouse Tavern

Friday, July 29^th ~ Sault Ste Marie ~LopLops

Saturday, July 30^th ~ Wawa ~Naturally Superior Adventures Rock Island Lodge

Tuesday, August 2^nd ~ Marathon ~ Concerts In The Parking Lot

Wednesday, August 3^rd ~ Rossport ~ Serendipity Gardens Café

Friday, August 5^th to Sunday, August 7^th ~ Red Rock

Live From The Rock Folk Festival ~ www.livefromtherock.com

Tuesday, August 9^th ~ Thunder Bay ~The Apollo

Wednesday, August 10^th ~ Atikokan ~ Little Darlings Bakery

Friday, August 12^th to Sunday, August 14^th ~ Ear Falls

Trout Forest Music Festival ~ www.troutfest.com

Thursday, August 18^th ~ Winnipeg ~ Into The Music In-Store Concert

Thursday,  August 18^th ~ Winnipeg ~ Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club

With Dan Frechette & The Dylanaires

Friday, August 19^th ~ Winnipeg ~ Le Garage Café

Wednesday, August 24^th ~ Thunder Bay ~ Black Pirate’s Pub ~ Opening for The Sheepdogs

Friday, August 26^th ~ London ~ Fanshawe Pioneer Village Café

Here's a couple photos of the T-Shirts ...
...more info in the "& TShirts" section above

Airwaves and Highways; June in Souwesto

27 Foot Toonie in Campbellford

Howdy Folks.. writing from my Garage Sale front desk here in Paquette Corners this long weekend… made about $20.00 for my tour fund so far, relaxing after a whirlwind of shows that took me across the entirety of the 401 from Windsor to Montreal… big thanks to tour pals Will Gillespie, “Uncle” Dan Henshall, Nancy Dutra and Willow Rutherford and all our special guests for some amazing adventures including a free-style breakout of West Side Story songs, champagne at 5am, two hot tubs, foot massages, a giant Toonie, some amazing Churchkey Brewery beer, and lots of wonderful friends old and new..!

Seven weeks to go before I head up north enroute to Winnipeg for the Live From The Rock Festival in Red Rock and the Trout Forest Music Festival way up in Ear Falls..!  Still trying to come up with a catchy name for my tour up north with “Uncle” Dan; “Magical Moose-tery Tour” and “Aurora-bori-Allison” have both been rejected.. if you think of anything please let me know..

Spending the rest of May and June working on booking more shows in Northern Ontario – still looking for concerts in KENORA, FORT FRANCES, DRYDEN and points around Winnipeg for the August 20^th-21^st.. hoping to fill those holes in my calendar soon.. 

I’ve also started doing some fundraising with a KAPIPAL account raising some money for gas, and in the hopes of making some cool tour T-Shirts to help us fill the Jeep Cherokee tank along our way.  Every little bit helps out:  http://www.kapipal.com/allisonbrowngasfund

 

I’m also back on the airwaves, this time here in Windsor/Detroit on CJAM 99.1fm filling in for Chris Crossroads on “Deliverance”; the show that delivers you from evil with the power of good music, Wednesdays from 1:00pm to 2:30… stream it live or download the show archive at http://cjamlog3.cjam.ca/

May and June keeps me in Southern Ontario; this Friday, May 27^th I’ll be part of a lineup of songwriters at the Last Friday Coffeehouse in Leamington at the Cup2Mug Lounge, and Saturday, May 28^th I’m back for a solo concert at Taloola in Windsor…

Friday, June 10^th I join up with some all-star country players for a dance at the Merlin Community Hall – stay tuned for details…!

 Mystery Location

June 17^th and 18^th I’m reunited with longtime friend and collaborator, London chanteuse LEAH MORISE for two coffeehouse concerts!  Friday, June 17^th brings us to a mystery location, and Saturday, June 18^th we share the stage at Taloola in Windsor..!

Anna Atkinson CD Release June 24th

Friday, June 24th, Erin Gignac and I are both special guests celebrating the release of ANNA ATKINSON'S debut recording "Mooniture" at Mackenzie Hall in Windsor..! 

See you in Souwesto for the next couple weeks – looking ahead to touring and festival season!

Allison

Spring Touring - Southern and Eastern Ontario!

Allison Brown & Erin Gignac

... spent a cozy first slice of April in my new-old digs here at the Souwesto Homestead and getting hip to the Windsor scene.. spent my first weekend in town doing some Kareoke at Lauzon Landing and tripping out to Harrow to join Lonesome Lefty's Cryin' Shames for the annual Roast Beef Dinner Fair Fundraiser, but my first official performance as a new local is at TALOOLA with ERIN GIGNAC on SATURDAY, APRIL 16th at 9pm.

Will Gillespie

"Uncle" Dan Henshall

... May brings me back to the highway for a 401 tear with songman WILL GILLESPIE and our brave accompanist "UNCLE" DAN HENSHALL (who just got his own radio show on  SoundFM 100.3 in Waterloo) as we hit Not My Dog in Toronto on Tuesday, May 3rd, Maxwell's Music House in Waterloo on Wednesday, May 4th with special guest Anthony Damaio (May The Fourth Be With You!), The London Music Club on Thursday, May 5th with special guest Leah Morise, and grande finale on Friday, May 6th at the FM Lounge in Windsor (The Fish Market) with special guests Erin Gignac and Paul.  Don't miss this Southern spring of travelin' songsters...!

Willow Rutherford

Nancy Dutra

... four days later I'm back on the road again for a Spring Songstress Showcase with NANCY DUTRA and WILLOW RUTHERFORD as we wagon east to Montreal... we make stops in Toronto at The Press Club on Wednesday, May 11th, The Stinking Rose Pub in Campbellford on May 12th, spend a spooky Friday the 13th at the Music Market Cafe in Napanee, head up to the Yellow Door in Montreal for May 14th, and The Elmdale House Tavern in Ottawa on Sunday, May 15th.  Then I drive back to Windsor... I'll need lotsa gas for my Jeep Cherokee for these gigs.. cmon' out and buy a CD or two - makes an excellent gift!

"This Is Paradise: Corin Raymond At The Cameron House"

I'm also really excited that the first episode of my podcast "The Small Time Radio Hour" is now available online at Roots Music Canada..! "This Is Paradise: Corin Raymond At The Cameron House" is the 'pilot' episode for the Small Time Radio series I hope to continue on some online or airwave format in future; I hope to put one together once every couple of months so stay tuned.... On snowy January 20^th, I sauntered down to the Cameron House in downtown Toronto to interview Corin Raymond and capture some of the sounds of the evening with his band, The Sundowners.  It was Corin’s last Thursday residency show before heading out on the road for ten weeks, returning to his home stage in April.  Corin enlightens us with his thoughts on Small Time philosophy and model for independent music business, as well as shares his love for his songwriter friends, favourite venues and how the Small Time provides an opportunity for him to live out loud through his music.  “This Is Paradise” includes cameos by Dave Quanbury and Treasa Levasseur, and music from Manitoba Hal, New Country Rehab, Fish & Bird, The Unseen Strangers, Ann Vriend, and Scott Nolan.  “This Is Paradise” was edited by Kevin Zarnett, hosted and produced by Allison Brown, with production assistance from David Newland.  Sit back and listen as you join us at The Cameron House for an unforgettable night of music in the heart of the Small Time.  

Stay tuned for more updates about my tour to Northern Ontario and Winnipeg this summer for the Red Rock and Trout Forest Music Festivals..!

Farewell Tour-Onto...!

Well Folks… it’s been a great six month “vacation” here in the big smoke; and it’s time for me to head back down to the Motor City to hang out in Windsor for a few months before I hit the road again this summer…. 

Ambre McLean

I’m marking the occasion with a FAREWELL TOUR-ONTO happening in various venues across the city through the month of March…March 1st I'm at the Aspetta Cafe in Kensington Market as part of  the Tumultuous Tuesdays series..

 

Jeff Kahl

Then I take a short spin back to London for a show as part of the Fast Feet Turn Left tour with Ambre McLean and Gabrielle Papillon on SATURDAY, MARCH 5th at the London Music Club..!

Myke Mazzei

I head back to Toronto for more shows at THE LOCAL with JEFF KAHL and MYKE MAZZEI on March 22nd, and a reunion of sorts with ERIN GIGNAC and ANNA ATKINSON formerly of The Rusty Halos on March 27th at NOT MY DOG...

Formerly The Rusty Halos

....still looking to fill as many dates as possible, so keep me in mind for special guest spots, as part of acoustic lineups and more dates may be added so stay tuned….! 

In other news; "Viper At The Virgin's Feet" got a stellar review in the Billings Gazette, from Billings, Montana...   Stay tuned for updates on when ROOTS MUSIC CANADA will be broadcasting online a new radio series called "THE SMALL TIME RADIO HOUR", the first episode is called "This Is Paradise" and features a night with Corin Raymond and The Sundowners at The Cameron House...!


April will bring me to the Motor City for more adventures, and touring with Nancy Dutra and Willow Rutherford this May..!

PS - ** JUST ADDED ** more shows on the Tour-Onto!

MONDAY, MARCH 14th ~ Not My Dog ~ 1510 Queen West
part of LES CATHERINETTES Monday night gals music series

Andrea Ramolo

with ANDREA RAMOLO
www.andrearamolo.com
and SAMANTHA MARTIN
www.samanthamartin.com
with ANNA ATKINSON on Violin
www.annaatkinson.ca
Starts around 10pm, PWYC

Samantha Martin

SUNDAY, MARCH 20th ~ CKLN 88.1fm ~ 7pm
Special Guest on ACOUSTIC ROUTES with Noah Zacharin
http://www.ckln.fm/

The Legendary Cameron House

MONDAY, MARCH 21st ~ THE CAMERON HOUSE
as part of Pat Phillip's Monday Night showcase
with a surprise backup band!!
408 Queen Street West
10pm ~ PWYC
www.thecameron.com

See ya's on the Tour-Onto!
Allison 

February's Sweet Spectacle!

 February greetings folks!  January had me hibernating after a great holiday touring with Ox and nesting down in the Souwesto homestead for a couple weeks.   Nice to take a breather from gigging to plan for a busy 2011..! 

… my first show of the new year brings me to the exotic far East end of Toronto for a songwriter’s night at Feather’s Pub on February 12^th featuring a whole night of sweet songsters on your Valentine’s weekend..

.. then I’m off to Stratford and London to be part of the GIRLS WITH GLASSES tour, doing special opening for spectacled songstresses Eve Goldberg, Karyn Ellis and Evalyn Parry; we’re at Foster’s Inn on Thursday, February 17^th and Friday, February 18^th at the London Music Club.  I’m playing a special afternoon show with some special guests including “Uncle” Dan Henshall on Sunday, February 20^th as part of the Old East Studios Sunday Concert Series.. 2pm, $10.00.  I’m back in London again on March 5^th at the LMC with Ambre McLean and Gabrielle Papillion..!

… in all this nesting time I’ve been working on a secret radio project that I’ve already told about a hundred people about, but not to worry the reveal will be coming soon to a radio or internet near you, stay tuned!  "Viper At The Virgin's Feet" has generated some excellent CBC airplay recently on "Here And Now" and was reviewed on No Depression!

I’m also still hanging out in Toronto looking for JOBS so if you hear about anything that would be up my alley let me know.  Soon enough though I’ll be back in my Jeep Cherokee hitting the road for an Ontario tour with Nancy Dutra and Willow Rutherford, (anyone in East or Southern O wants to do a house concert..?), and booking up August for a tour to Winnipeg and back enroute to the Live From The Rock Festival in Red Rock..!

Summer Dreams… Winter Sleeps…

See you sweeties in Toronto, Stratford and London this February!

Allison