ONLY EIGHT DAYS TILL HOME COUNTY!!!

Home County Music & Art & Folk Festival is coming up super soon in Victoria Park here in London on July 18th, 19th and 20th! 

I'm kicking off the festival with the first set of the whole weekend at 6:00pm sharp on the Bandshell Mainstage.  Joining me on the Mainstage is Jedd House on upright bass, Vera Colley on accordion and harmony vocals and the ultimately talented Uncle Dan Henshall on mandolin. Stick around for Trent Severn, Jenn Grant and headliners Whitehorse! I'll also be playing as part of the Bluegrass Bonanza tribute to Ken Palmer at 3:00pm on Saturday, leading the Gospel Workshop with Sweet Alibi, The Schotts, Cold Specks and more on Sunday at noon, and Sunday afternoon an all-gals song swap at 4:30.  This Tuesday, July 15th at 7pm on 94.9fm CHRW's Southern Ontario Comfort I'll be interviewing Saturday headliner Ashley MacIsaac! Check out the full mainstage and workshop schedule at:

http://www.homecounty.ca/schedule/

 

 

We Miss You Kenny! Ken Palmer Tribute 3:00pm Saturday July 19th Home County

COMING UP IN AUGUST!

August 2nd and 3rd;

Island Unplugged on Pelee Island - Book your ferry and campsite NOW!  Spots are filling up fast and the lineup is amazing; Ron Leary, Great Lake Swimmers, Fred Eaglesmith, New Country Rehab, Harlan Pepper... whew - I'm on Saturday afternoon at 2:30pm joined by Scotty "Shooz" Hughes on guitar and Uncle Dan on mandolin. Check it out:

http://theislandunplugged.org/

August 8th, 9th and 10th; KINGSVILLE FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL

Get your tickets and camping for this one NOW too folks - I'm on again 2:30 in the afternoon on Saturday and I'm in a Beatles Brunch with JP Cormier and more on Sunday!

Be there or be square - seriously - Bruce Cockburn is playing.

http://www.kingsvillefolkfest.org/Kingsville_Folk_Fest/HOME.html

 

And - I'll be singing some harmony with Carolyn Mark at this year's Fred Eaglesmith Charity Picnic on August 16th weekend in Aylmer and wrapping up the summer on August 29th with a show at Phog commemorating the official retirement of my beloved Jeep Cherokee.

See you out festivalling!!!
Allison

As of today we have only 33 days left until the Home County Music, Art (and Folk) Festival happening July 18th to 20th in Victoria Park in the heart of downtown London!  So excited to be part of a fantastic lineup; and honoured to be kicking off the festival with the first set on Friday, July 18th at 6:00pm.   Super excited!

Stay tuned to CHRW 94.9fm on Tuesday nights from 7:00pm to 8:30 on "Southern Ontario Comfort" for Home County features, live performances and interviews leading up to the festival weekend..!

Before July rolls around I'm part of a special double bill Saturday, June 28th at the House Of Harmony house concert series in Fingal... with Shawna Caspi! Email fingalfolk@gmail.com to reserve your spot and for location infomation.

 

Keep your eyes on August as there's tons cookin' for a whirlwind month of gigging - Island Unplugged on Pelee Island August 1st to 3rd, and Kingsville Folk Festival on August 8th -10th.  Get your tickets for both in advance!

Check out this sweet video featuring all the performers heading to Kingsville this August:

 

Lots on the go - see you at all these amazing summer festivals!
Allison

May turns into June soon - and I'll be in beautiful VICTORIA as the calendar turns..!  So excited to be back out west and in one of my favourite places, Vancouver Island.  I'm in Victoria from May 30th to June 9th for the National Campus Radio Conference presented by CFUV 101.9fm.  And - I'm doing two Victoria shows while I'm there and plan on making appearances at the Victoria Folk Society open stage and the infamous Hootenany at Logans. 

Saturday, May 31st I'm at Merlin's Sun Home Concerts with my pals Kaya Fraser and The Blackwood Two!  **advance reservations required**
Suggested $15.00, doors at 7:30pm, show at 8:00pm email timgosley@telus.net or phone (250)598-7488 for reservations and location information 

And the following weekend on Friday, June 6th, The Blackwood Two and I are doing a double bill concert at Solstice Cafe in downtown Victoria presented by CFUV, the NCRC and CHRW. 

And just a reminder that my radio show "Southern Ontario Comfort" is now on Tuesday evenings from 7:00pm to 8:30pm on CHRW Radio 94.9fm in London - you can stream it online at www.chrwradio.ca and download podcasts of the previous two shows.  Tune in for tons of interviews, special guests and features leading up to summer festivals!

Coming up Friday, June 20th I'll be hosting a patio-concert featuring my pal Ian Foster from Newfoundland... it'll be a cozy night on the rooftop so only 20 seats are available. Email me if you'd like to attend. And on Saturday, June 28th I'll be performing in Fingal at the House Of Harmony house concert series in a double bill with Shawna Caspi - if you'd like a ticket, get in touch and I'll send you the info.

And of course HOME COUNTY is coming up July 18th, 19th and 20th - my set starts the whole show on Friday evening! 

See you in Victoria!
Allison

.. May is on the horizon..got four May shows in the works; at EVAC with Chris Crossroads, and two shows in VICTORIA, BC while I'm there for the National Campus Radio Conference. And - a song of mine and Uncle Dan's was featured in a short film! Check it out here:
Ingelbert Lievaart II: Model Railroad Town from Graeme Bachiu on Vimeo.
and you can download the full song "Model Railroad Town" for only a Toonie! May 1st at EVAC (East Village Arts Collective) Uncle Dan and I join up with the infamous CHRIS CROSSROADS for a performance experience like none other - check it out!

 

Saturday, May 10th I head up the road to Kitchener for a show at Cafe Pyrus with Uncle Dan and Josh Penslar..!  Haven't been up to Kitchener for a while -looking forward to being back! 

And... really excited about heading out to Victoria for TWO SHOWS, and a couple of appearances at some open stages while I'm around for the National Campus Radio Conference.  May 31st I'm at Merlin's Sun House Concert with Kaya Fraser and The Blackwood Two, (timgosley@telus.net for reservations and location information) and the following weekend I re-unite with The Blackwood Two for a show at Solstice Cafe as part of the conference programming - thanks to the fine folks at CFUV for helping us out with this acoustic, all-ages show downtown Victoria!

"Southern Ontario Comfort" has changed timeslots for the summer - you can now tune in CHRW 94.9fm at 7:00pm on Tuesday evenings for the smallest names in the roots folk scene.  "Underground Currents" will return in the fall! 

Lots cookin' as we head towards summer !

Allison

April arrives and spring is finally here in London... springing with tons of gigs and news that's for sure!
Saturday, April 5th brings me to the 'prestigious' St Regis Tavern for Musical Chairs! along with my good pals Uncle Dan Henshall and Will Gillespie for some songs in the round.  We haven't played all together in a while - so excited for this 'reunion'..!  Starts about 9:00, Pay What You Can and yes, there will be a baked goods raffle (if all goes well, ginger cookies baked by me!)

 

Next up we make your Good Friday a little bad in the goodest of ways down in Windsor at Villains Beastro.. Friday, April 18th I take the stage again along with Will Gillespie, Uncle Dan and Vera Colley.. starts about 10pm, Pay What You Can

 

April 24th I'm back for my second time at Call The Office with Uncle Dan opening up for Black N' Bluegrass and the Slocan Ramblers, $5 dollars in advance $7 at the door, starts about 9 or so... Robocop loves Bluegrass so be sure and stop by.

 I'm also thrilled to report I've been awarded a songwriting grant from the Ontario Arts Council's Popular Music program... so yes, that means there will be new songs this year.  Lots of songs.  Way more than ever before.

Thanks OAC!

 

And yep - summer is exploding with festivals; Home County in London, Island Unplugged on Pelee Island and the very first Kingsville Folk Festival in Kingsville - more dates to be announced!

Talk about a springboard into the hot part of the year... see you out there!

Allison

 

Marching on...

The snow is still falling outside my window here in London, but springtime is on the horizon as we slide into March... Played some really fun shows through February at Villains down in Windsor, and at the St.Regis and EVAC in London... cooking up lots of great gigs across Ontario for the spring and summer.

Things have been going well at my new job at CHRW Radio 94.9fm where I've been learning the ropes in my new role as Program Director.  And - happy to announce a new roots/folk program I'm hosting Friday afternoons at 12:30... "Southern Ontario Comfort" hit the airwaves February 21st and will bring you the best in roots music every week, so tune in at 94.9fm in London, or online at www.chrwradio.ca.

I'm really thrilled about being part of a tribute concert to the music of CAROLE KING at HUGH's ROOM in Toronto!!  Presented by award winning artist and presenter Michael Wrycraft, "Two Sides Of Carole King" reflects Ms. King's early compositions, as well as her beloved album "Tapestry".  I get two numbers plus joining up with everyone for the finale - will be a fantastic show and a stellar lineup including Treasa Lavasseur, Jory Nash, Kim Beggs, Graydon James and more..!

And - the next night I join up with Shawna Caspi, Vera Colley, and new mama Nancy Dutra for a song-swap at the Tranzac March 15th at 7:30pm... c'mon by and check it out..!

Wednesday night of that week on March 19th I'm helping kick off the Lineup Launch for this year's HOME COUNTY (Folk) Music and Art Festival..! The big reveal happens at the London Music Club and I'll be opening for Doghouse Rose; "Uncle" Dan joins up on mandolin!

Here's a fun video of Me and Dan from the St. Regis taken by Dennis Siren... enjoy!
Allison

2013 was an amazing year of gigging and adventures - more on the horizon for 2014.. lots of news for the new year!

I'm moving back up to London to take on the role of Program Director at CHRW Radio 94.9fm broadcasting on campus at Western University...!  I'll miss Windsor but certainly London feels like home too, great to be back and with such an exciting job ahead of me helping shape the CHRW airwaves and working with all the fantastic volunteers.  Be sure to tune in!

But bittersweetly, the move up to London ends my Jammy-Award winning program "Border City Roots" on CJAM, you can still download some show podcasts including the Fireside Christmas Radio Hour and my show finale featuring my top ten albums of the year on www.cjam.ca.
Plans are in the works to perhaps return to co-host CHRW's "For The Folk" or perhaps a new adventure in radio that may be syndicated to CJAM... I'll keep you posted here on www.allisonbrown.ca.

Also new for January launched Volume 3 of the Walkerville Mix Tape!  Really thrilled to have my song "All Our Emergencies" , inspired by the Grace Hospital site, as the lead track of this compilation album of all Windsor artists - you can download the full comp at http://betruewindsor.com/

Got a few shows cookin' in the next while - coming up, a Birthday return to Windsor with a show featuring my traveling pals Brendan J Stephens & Willow Walker otherwise known as "The Vaudevillian"- you've seen the stickers, you heard them busking on Ouelette this summer and dropping in on some open stages... now hear them in a real ruckus show at Villians Beastro on Friday, February 7th - I'll be opening the show along with some surprise special guests!

original poster concept by Minnie Heart

On the horizon - I'll be up in Toronto for a really special show at Hugh's Room as part of A Man Called Wrycraft's tribute concert to the music of Carole King...!  I'll have some guests joining me for my two songs showcasing Carole King's "Brill Building" years as well as a classic song from "Tapestry" - March 14th!  And on the 15th, I'll be hosting another stellar songster showcase at the Tranzac.

Stay tuned here for more updates... 2014 is off to an amazing start!
Allison