“We are a vibrant First World country but we have a humbling Third World memory.” Mary McAleese
“I was elected by the women of Ireland, who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.” Mary Robinson
Please listen below to some of The Best Female Vocalists of Ireland and remember – “I feel more and more the time wasted that is not spent in Ireland.”
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is thankful that President Biden signed into law today the American Rescue Plan. NIVA members are grateful that it includes Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Amendment to the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) provisions and supports its passage in the upcoming COVID Relief Bill.
The previous law forbade eligible entities to apply for both Payroll Protection Plan (PPP2) after Dec. 27, 2020 and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG, f.k.a. Save Our Stages Act). The revised provision enables eligible entities to apply for PPP2 starting now until March 31, 2021, and also seek SVOG when the applications are made available by the Small Business Administration. The SBA has yet to set a date to accept SVOG applications.
NIVA members, devastated by having no income and enormous overhead for a year, have been anxiously awaiting the SVOG application forms; many venues have gone under while waiting to access this program. “Now that independent venues and promoters can be eligible for both PPP2 and SVOG, we’re hoping Congress will extend the deadline for applying for PPP2, since it’s set to close March 31, or in just 14 business days,” say Adam Hartke, NIVA’s Advocay Cochair and owner of The Cotilian and WAVE in Wichita, Ks.
The PPP2 money can help eligible independent venues and promoters to hold on until SVOG funding starts being distributed. Any amount of PPP2 money taken by a recipient will be reduced from SVOG funds, i.e., if a venue is eligible for $100,000 SVOG and they have taken $25,000 in PPP2 funds, their SVOG cannot exceed $75,000.
“This change can save countless venues from bankruptcy, as the immediate PPP2 money will help them hold on until the SVOG funds flow,” said Dayna Frank, NIVA Board President and CEO of First Avenue Productions in Minneapolis. “This entire industry is grateful to President Biden for the relief the Majority Leader Senator Schumer for spearheading this provision and Senators Cornyn and Klobuchar for championing our cause with the Save Our Stages Act.”
Other important additions to the provision are an additional $1.25 billion added to the SVOG fund and $840,000 earmarked for the SBA staff to facilitate COVID-related programs. “The quicker the SBA can staff up and roll out this program, the better. To say our members are frantic and anxious is an understatement. The eviction notices have been coming at an even faster pace as time goes by without this emergency relief,” said Frank.
Lock-down has created a lot of misery and a lot of good. The Church of Trees‘ new single is part of the good.
Please listen below to my chat with the founder of The Church of Trees Bernard Frazer. Listen to ‘The World’s a Bitch’ and a couple of teases from the new album ‘Pause’.
Sunday evening, March 14th -the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards are taking place.
In front of a limited audience, the Grammys will broadcast from the Los Angeles Staples Center. The Premiere Ceremony, where winners in some of the 83 categories will be announced, is scheduled to take place Sunday, March 14, 2021, starting at 3 p.m. ET (noon PT). It will be streamed live on Grammy.com
Please listen below to some of the artists nominated for this year’s Grammys.
For the full list of 2021 JUNO Award nominees, tune in today at 11AM ET/8AM PT for the JUNO Awards Nominee Announcement Virtual Presentation.
The virtual event will live stream on CBC Music’s social channels and on cbcmusic.ca/junos.
“Music connects us all. It brings us together in times of celebration and sadness, and elevates us when we need inspiration or encouragement,”saysLisa Cooke, Vice President, Advertising, Shaw Communications.
“Right now, Canadians need to be connected more than ever, which is why Freedom Mobile is proud to unite music fans across the country and support Canada’s most iconic music event in its Golden Anniversary year with JUNO Fan Choice presented by Freedom Mobile.”
The 50th anniversary of the JUNO Awards will broadcast nationwide Sunday, May 16 on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music and globally on cbcmusic.ca/junos.
The weekend is here and all the negativity surrounding us day by – minute by minute, must be relinquished.
It is time to sit back or stand up, sway your feet, your spouse or your hips. Do the hip shake baby.
Please listen below to Your Weekend Playlist Part One and a tribute to Walter Gretzky. Part two will be here faster than a conversation under the cone of silence.
March 4th, 1977. The Rolling Stones surprised many fans and people alike by doing a small club act in Toronto. The performance was also to be part of a live album they were recording titled; Love You Live. For Montreal music fans, witnessing local favorites April Wine as the opening act; a double bill to drool over.
Just weeks earlier – Keith Richards was arrested for heroin possession with the intent of trafficking. A real threat to The Stones’ guitarist spending perhaps life in prison and in essence; the potential end of The Rolling Stones.
Thankfully with the help of Richards’ ‘blind angel’ ( a girl from Quebec city named Rita Bedard) and a fair judge, Richards was allowed to continue his work with the band and The El Mocambo show must go on.
Judge Graburn agreed, deeming: “No incarceration or fine would be appropriate because of Mr. Richards’ continuing treatment for drug addiction and his long-term benefit to the community.”
Richards was given a one-year suspended sentence, one years’ probation, and was ordered to give a special performance at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. There was some speculation that the court’s leniency amounted to preferential treatment, but Prosecutor, Paul Kennedy, didn’t seem to object: “If you get a member of the Rolling Stones off heroin” he said, “you’ve done some good.”
Bedard and Keith – 2015
Gary Moffett of April Wine fame came away from the entire experience with a new found respect for Keith Richards.
” We finished sound check and were back in our dressing room when I realized I had forgot my jacket on stage.’ Recalls Gary. “The door was closed and I heard a guitar being played from inside the room.Whoever it was – I did not want to disturb them so I quietly opened the door to peak in.’
Gary Moffet ( April Wine).
‘Keith was sitting on top of his amp and playing this beautiful arrangement. It was one of the most beautiful sounds I have heard. It was coming directly from the man’s heart. I stood there as quiet as could be and watched and listened for about five minutes. I closed the door just as quietly and walked away with the utmost respect for Keith as a musician and as a man.’
Please listen below to LIVE songs from The Rolling Stones’ 1977 El Mocambo gig.
MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, presented in collaboration with Casino de Montréal, is starting today!
This year’s edition offers a panoramic view of local gastronomy – shining more light than ever on the producers and artisans of the Quebecois terroir.
In keeping with tradition, the festival will enliven its site on Place des Festivals with original luminous and interactive works.
Furthermore, the details of the virtual programming of Nuit Blanche will be unveiled on March 8.
For the first time, MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE presents 4 web series, comprised of 22 episodes, available to watch for free as of 4pm today.Please note that the web series are available with English subtitles.
Every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the outdoor site of Place des Festivals will offer a free tour of 5 luminous and interactive works (Chimes, Îlot de chaleur, Les Amuses-Gueules, Splinter and Passage) created as part of the festival. We definitely cannot forget about the popular Ferris wheel which can accommodate young and old alike, while adhering to a strict sanitary protocol.
If radio wanted you to hear a song in the seventies – you heard that song. Whether you loved it or not, it became part of your everyday life. Years later, those songs remain part of your youthful (or not so youthful) walk down memory lane.
What about all the great songs radio did not play very often? Like a tree falling in the forest without anyone around to hear – did the song’s distinctive sounds exist?
Please listen below to some great music from 1979.
Have a listen below to some of the best new tunes and find out what it’s like to hang out backstage with The Rolling Stones. You just may get a song lyric from the experience.
Why listen to your spouse when you could be listening to the birds sing?
Have a listen below, away from your troubles and the troubles of the world. Comedy and news. New and old tunes. One stop shopping without a corporate gift card.
Dolly Parton took time to let fans know that since we can’t get together for concerts during the pandemic, local independent venues like the ones where she got her start are at risk.
Ms. Parton is encouraging people to learn more about how they can help by going to SaveOurStages.com.
More than 1,000 artists have supported the National Independent Venue Association’s efforts, including writing letters to Congress and encouraging fans to learn more about the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund which is raising money for our most vulnerable venues, to keep them afloat while they await federal financial relief as part of the Shuttered Venue Operator Grants.
Since it could take many weeks, even months for the funding to flow, the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund continues to raise money. The fund has made a total $3 million in grants so far, assisting more than 150 venues and promoters. $11 million more needs to be raised to fulfill all of the requests received.
Formed at the onset of the COVID-19 shutdown, National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), now represents more than 3,000 members in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. NIVA created and led the #SaveOurStages campaign, resulting in landmark legislation establishing the “Shuttered Venue Operators” Grant program to be administered by the Small Business Administration.
NIVA’s mission is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live venues, promoters and festivals throughout the United States. The National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) was founded to further this mission by also seeking to support a transparent, competitive marketplace serving a diverse and inclusive community of artists, fans, and industry workers.
Featuring virtual concerts from March 14 to April 10 of performances in the West Island (venues in Lachine, Dorval, Beaconsfield, Pointe-Claire, Lachine and Hudson), Festival de la Voix brings communities and all ages together to enjoy music and the power of the human voice, now available to be appreciated around the world.
This 8th edition offers four eclectic concerts, as well as three exceptional workshops. The mix of styles and voices includes The Best of Broadway (belt it out at home), Roots, Blues and Spirituals (Rob Lutes, Dr. Floydd Ricketts, Alexander Asher) and QUARTOM (male vocal quartet).
Rest in Peace Chick Corea
February 28: Special webcast performance, excerpt from Handel’s Messiah from Maison symphonique (Place des Arts), available until March 14. Presented by Ensemble Caprice, Ensemble vocal Arts-Québec and Festival de la Voix
Workshops include Dr. Claudel Callender (vocal technique), Connie Kaldor (songwriting), and Natalie Choquette (soloists master class)
Festival de la Voix 8th edition, March 14-April 10, 2021
Tickets by donation
For information about artists, concerts, workshops and venues: festivaldelavoix.com
Rick Keene Music Scene 