Well, Gordie Sampson has made a point of playing The Carleton while home on vacation for the past two years and promised to make it a tradition. Looks like that's happening. Gordie will play Sunday, August 1st. Tickets are $30 and show time is 9 PM.

We have fun when Gordie plays the room and so does he. He's now writing in both Nashville and L.A. so we're lucky he's found time to visit us again this year. There, or square, as they say!

This show was originally announced in our semi-regular Carleton newsletter. If you're coming across it and don't know why you didn't hear about it, it's because it sold out immediately. To avoid further disappointment, sign up for the newsletter on the "News" tab on this site. It'll save you a world of giref down the road...

Opening the show will be Nova Scotia's own, Hupman Brothers

The Hupman Brothers are an important Nova Scotia band to watch. Their original sound is played with superb musicianship and as brothers they play as if one, knowing where the music is heading and how to make it their own. Most often, Scott offers textured and percussive guitar and bass work and Ryan performs exciting and intricate guitar solos. The lead vocals are richly expressive and enhanced by clear and evocative back-up harmonies. This can be experienced by listening to their first CD, released in 2007, which is a self-titled collection of 16 original songs. Nominated by Music Nova Scotia for the Blues Album of the Year, this CD weaves lyrics, melody and harmony into a seamless expression of the everyday love, hurt and wonder we all share. Their stories are our stories.

Recent performances in Nova Scotia include the 2009 Dutch Mason Blues Festival (Truro), 2009 Riverfront Jubilee (New Glasgow), 2009 Kempt Shore Acoustic Music Festival, 2009 LaHave Folk Festival, the 2008 Lunenburg Folk Festival; 2006, 2007 and 2008 Deep Roots Music Festival (Wolfville);/p>

In addition to festivals, The Hupman Brothers perform regularly to sold out venues including the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville, The Osprey Arts Centre in Shelburne;and have shared the stage with musical friends including Matt Andersen, Ian Sherwood, Bruce Guthro, Coco Love Alcorn, and Sara Lee Guthrie.

Nominated for 2009 Music Nova Scotia Blues Album/Group Recording of the Year, their latest album "Countin' Quarters" was released in Wolfville, NS on May 30, 2009, and includes drummer, Mike Carroll, a well-known Nova Scotia musician. Besides capturing their acoustic excellence , this CD adds an electric edge and has guest musicians performing on many of the tracks. Be sure and listen for Caleb Miles, Bob Federer, Ian Sherwood and Ariana Nasr as they join in with The Hupman Brothers Band./p>

They are gifted Canadian musicians and generous performers, a class act.

The lovely folks in Twin Bridges have been very politely asking for a show at our place for the last year or so. I told them originally that they should get back to me when they were sure they'd be able to draw a crowd big enough to warrant a show. They got back to me and - to take some of the guess work out of the equation - have put together a bill with Michael Redden, which ought to be enough of an enticement to fill our room!

So, we're going to give them the show they've asked for on Sunday, August 8th. Show time is 9 PM and tickets are $15,

Michael Redden already sold our room out on his own, so we're looking for another full house for this show. Tickets are available by calling The Carleton at 902-422-6335. Dinner reservations are recommended for preferred seating!

NEeMA has just completed her second album, Watching You Think, a collection of twelve stories seamlessly melding elements of world music, folk, and jazz with a good measure of pop. Produced in association with Leonard Cohen and Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan, Ron Sexsmith), Watching You Think contains songs of love, life and simple observations that read like parables and sound instantly familiar to listeners who will find themselves singing along effortlessly by the second chorus.

NEeMA’s uninhibited and authentic style is complemented perfectly by some of Montreal's best musicians, who add nuance to every mood and emotion. The musicians include Howard Bilerman, Tim Kingsbury (Arcade Fire), Tom Mennier (Martha and Rufus Wainwright), Joe Grass and Miles Perkin (Lhasa de Sela), and Gurpreet Chana (Nelly Furtado). Also assisting with the album’s production are Haig V and Fred Bouchard. 

Since the successful independent release of NEeMA’s debut album Masì Cho in 2006, she has toured Canada, Ireland, Australia, England and the US. In the summer of 2007 she performed over 33 concerts including Nova Scotia’s Privateer Days Festival and the South Country Fair Festival in Alberta. Other highlights include her 2008 concert at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland, the 2008 Winterfolk Festival in Toronto and Canadian Music Week, and two sold-out shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2009. Receiving positive reviews and accolades, Masi Cho was nominated for a MIMI (Montreal International Music Initiative) in the World & Roots category and her song The Risk advanced to the second round of judging in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition out of Nashville.

Born of Egyptian and Lebanese decent, NEeMA’s presence on and off stage is powerful and charismatic, and her voice is honest and unique. She has traveled and experienced the world in ways that many wish they could. She has spent time with the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa; she has had the privilege of working with Tribal elders managing Wekweti, an isolated First Nation community in northern Canada. And with her journeys she has acquired an undeniable ability to communicate her stories through poetry and song, exploring those themes that are dear to the human heart.

www.neema.ca
www.myspace.com/neemaste

I probably don't have to tell you much about Don Ross, or shouldn't have to is likely a better way to put it... Don is simply one of the best guitarists on earth and, lucky for us, now lives in the Halifax area. You can see some footage of Don in action HERE.

The first time Don played our room, he generously offered to open for Antoine Dufour - a young player who considers Don his mentor. Well, the place sold out and the ensuing night of music was mind-blowing to say the least.

After the show was over, I talked to Don about maybe doing a series of shows each year where he could "introduce" players he considers to be extraordinary and, that way, we could have him do more shows than he might normally entertain for one venue. He thought it was a good idea and - presto! - he'll be playing on Wednesday, August 11th in the first of that very series. Tickets are only $25 and I expect them to go fast, fast, fast... maybe not as fast as Don's fingers, but pretty fast!

And the guy Don is "introducing" us to, this time around, is Jimmy Wahlsteen. Jimmy is from Sweden, was/is a hugely in-demand session player who's just released his first album. And that's all I know about him, except to say he's obviously a phenomenal player.

Take a gander at some video of Jimmy's playing, HERE and HERE...

If you're a guitar freak, or just someone who appreciates the instrument in the hands of a couple of masters, you should not miss this show!

They're back! Jane's Party, one of my favourite fun bands is here again this summer for Absolut Thursday, August 12th. Admission is FREE.

They've played our place a couple of times - the last time was a raucous Saturday night when I introduced them to Steve Poltz (who loved them), but that's another story - and their energy and cracking good tunes make for a 100% guaranteed great night out.

If you like Two Hours Traffic, as a for instance, you'll LOVE these guys. Oh, and they're cute, although I suspect they're a little naughty too. Girls? I'm talking to you...

As many of you know, we just had Jay Semko - the bassist from The Northern Pikes - at The Carleton for a very excellent solo show. During that show, Jay hauled out a few Pikes classics and I couldn't help thinking it would be great to see the band doing these songs again... The last time they were through town they played the late, great, Marquee Club - and it was a helluva show.

Well, last week Don Schmidt - the band's drummer - gave me call, saying the Pikes had a good festival offer in the province but wanted to do a show in Halifax and, because we're old friends, wanted to do something at The Carleton if possible.

Who was I to say "no?" Because the show is a full-on rock thing, we batted a couple of ideas around and decided to do it on Sunday, August 15th. It will be a later start - 10 PM - in deference to our good friends at The Press Gang downstairs (and you're still invited to make dinner reservations for our usual preferred seating) - but it'll still be an awesome Carleton experience! Tickets will be $20.

The band's Snow In June album is a Canadian classic and still one of my favourite albums ever.

The room will be set up to rock and our "no talking" policy will not be in effect on this night. Take the opportunity to this band in our intimate venue, it's unlikely you'll get the chance again!

This show is made possible by our sponsors The Delta Hotels Halifax & Barrington and we thank them!

As you probably know, we're big fans of classic stuff at The Carleton, and by "classic" I mean there are some things - and styles - that we miss. Like a good martini; a real martini. That's why we serve stuff like that at our place.

There were a bunch of photos I could have chosen for Daniel Matto but I decided to go with this one because he has a drink in his hand. When I listen to his stuff, I go for a drink too. He's a great interpreter of material. Some of it is old school and some of it, like "Message To My Girl" by Split Enz just makes me smile a big summer grin.

I'm looking forward to this show. I'm going to dress up and order adult drinks. Why don't you join us?

That would be Wednesday, August 25th at 9 PM. Tickets are a ridiculously cheap $10.