ROSS NEILSEN COMING HOME FOR ONE SPECIAL NIGHT

Local blues lovers will be marking May 15th in their calendars. On that date Ross Neilsen will make his return to Fredericton performing a live show at Dolan’s Pub, his first in the city since 2022. The evening will take on an extra celebratory feel, considering the friends, fans and memories attached to Fredericton for Neilsen, who is now based in Saskatoon (SK).

Neilsen is a proven road warrior, who crossed the country and back many times, both as a solo artist, and with his backing band The Sufferin’ Bastards dating back to 2010. Neilsen’s music has not only traveled him all over Canada, but he’s also taken his distinct ‘finger-style’ of playing to Mexico, to the fabled blues grounds of the Hill Country region of Mississippi, the bayous of Louisiana and even to Macon, Georgia where he was awarded the privilege of playing the holy grail of blues, rock and soul: Duane Allman’s 1957 Les Paul Gold Top.
In 2012 Ross was chosen as a semi-finalist in the solo/duo category at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN and in 2014, he studied at Camp Copperhead under the tutelage of Steve Earle.

In early 2016, Neilsen returned to the studio to cut his sixth studio album with Juno winning team, producer Steve Marriner (MonkeyJunk) and ace engineer, Ken Friesen (Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo). Elemental was released in September of 2016 and received much critical appraise and airplay support from all over the world.

In more recent years, Neilsen had paused his career to start a family, and of course the pandemic played its part too, but now he is set to rekindle his career, and a trip home to ‘Freddy Beach’ as the weather starts to warm sounds like a great night out.

Tickets available online now – $20 in advance https://rb.gy/4wjern or $25 at the door. Show starts at 7:30PM.

2024-02-29T00:22:32-04:00February 29, 2024|News|

JAZZ RETURNS TO POPULAR FREDERICTON VENUE

For two nights over the coming months a local venue, once considered the local hub for Fredericton’s jazz scene, will once again come alive with two exciting artists passing through the city.  

The Bobak Room in The Delta Fredericton – formerly known as the popular, and scenic, DJ Purdy’s – will be hosting two vibrant evenings of jazz, its first in over two decades, as the MRTI Agency, in partnership with the Delta Fredericton, presents the ‘Jazz at Purdy’s’ series.  

On February 15th, Fredericton native Geordie Haley returns home for a triumphant performance of exciting improvisation and exploration to kick it off.  Haley will be joined by a seasoned combo of local talent, including Jason Flores (double bass), Karl Ganz (drums) and Mike Doherty (keys). The homecoming has allowed Haley a chance to reflect.

“Back in the day, I found myself lucky to have a gig that lasted three nights a week at DJ Purdy’s. That’s practically unheard of these days. We were able to work on our jazz playing in a friendly place with the beautiful Saint John River floating by,” added Haley.

Second up, on April 4th, Cuban jazz powerhouse Dee Hernandez adds her high-energy, global rhythms to the Jazz at Purdy’s series, and she has requested a dance floor! Hernandez was recently given the title of ‘the voice of Canadian-Cuban jazz’ by Maritime Edit magazine, and has been described as a ‘force of artistic innovation and musical freedom’ and her talents have been featured prominently on national specialty jazz programs and formats. 

The new layout of the room will be adorned with cabaret style seating and will be tastefully lit for the perfect ambience, making it ideal for a night of jazz.

Tickets for both shows are currently on sale through Ticket Tailor – http://tinyurl.com/cfdpry4j.
$20 advance or $25 at the door. Doors will open at 6:30 with shows starting at 7PM. Nice & early to allow for everyone to participate.

2024-01-26T14:45:36-04:00January 26, 2024|News|

2023 – An Exciting Year!

What an incredible year it has been. The Music Runs Through It (MRTI) community experienced remarkable growth, organizing and presenting 23 shows across 9 venues and 2 cities. The joy of sharing the live music experience with our music-loving friends remains the highlight of this journey, providing a unique opportunity for all of us to connect.

A particularly memorable moment was our collaboration with the well-established River Jam Fredericton committee for the 20th edition of the event in July. The success of the occasion, featuring a total of 22 bands (100 musicians) on 5 separate stages and raising $100,000 in donations for local music programs, was truly gratifying.

In October, we reached a significant milestone with the official launch of The MRTI Agency. In addition to our ongoing weekly live music listings and show presentations we are excited to introduce artist and venue services. As we wrap up 2023, we proudly represent four talented artists: Connor Fox, Karine Basque, Les Chanterelles, and The Hello Crows.

To close out the year, we presented two sold-out performances at the Playhouse. The iconic Kenny & Dolly’s Christmas Tribute, featuring Kylie Fox & Josh Bravener, supported by an exceptional local band, delivered truly memorable performances. The experience was phenomenal and has us thinking maybe we should make it an annual event.

We are deeply grateful for the incredible response as we continue to evolve and explore new ways to support the local and regional music scene. THANK YOU for your unwavering support and for sharing your enthusiasm with us. #TogetherWeAreBetter

Our heartfelt appreciation also extends to the 21 community businesses that partnered and sponsored our events throughout the year. We eagerly anticipate the possibilities and achievements that 2024 holds for us.

Wishing everyone a very happy & healthy new year as we invite the music to run through everything we do. 

Emma, Krista & Rob
The MRTI Agency

PS: Did you know that you can subscribe to the MRTI calendar as the easiest way to keep up to date with the list of upcoming events? Simply click HERE and scroll down to the ‘Subscribe to calendar’ button. Easy-peasy!

2023-12-30T19:42:33-04:00December 30, 2023|News|

JUNO AWARD WINNING FOLK SINGER STOPS IN FREDERICTON THIS MAY

“David Francey’s clear, simple songs speak volumes to his followers. David is known as one of Canada’s finest tunesmiths and a champion of the ‘Everyman’, admired for his less is more approach to writing. It’s amazing how he manages to address the deep stuff with such spare ingredients.” –The Edmonton Journal

David Francey makes a return to Fredericton for his first stop in the capital city in over 10 years on May 1st 2024, for a much anticipated performance at The Charlotte Street Arts Centre.

Francey is a folk singer in the truest form. Born in Scotland, but arriving in Canada at the age of 12, Francey’s life was very much shaped by the experiences of living, travelling and eventually working in the adopted country he now called his home. His style, although on the surface coming off as simple and minimal, packs a great deal of depth.

A traveller, an observer, and a man of the people, Francey’s songs are crafted through experience and his natural gift for storytelling. In his younger years, Francey worked farms, rail yards and the wilds of Canada’s north as a journeyman laborer, all the while collecting the experiences and characters that make up the backbone of his extensive body of work.

In terms of writing music, Francey arrived on the scene a little later in life than many of his contemporaries did. David’s debut Torn Screen Door came out in 1999, while he was in his 40’s, but since then he has wasted little time, releasing 12 albums, picking up three JUNO awards and having his music covered by the likes of The Rankin Family and the Del McCourey Band among others. Francey also picked up the prestigious SOCAN Folk Music Award, as well as taking home the grand prize in both the International Acoustic Music Award and in the folk category for the John Lennon Songwriting Award.

Ticket ($40) available online now at TicketTailor.com

2023-12-29T19:51:32-04:00December 9, 2023|News|

The Hypochondriacs invite you to be a part of their LIVE ALBUM RECORDING

TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY, DECEMBER 11TH AT 10AM (AST)

Fredericton’s favourite live band, The Hypochondriacs, have set aside two nights in January for a live recording and they are inviting friends and fans to be a part of it.

January 11 and 12, 2024, ‘The Hypos’ will set up in the Charlotte Street Arts Centre to do what they do best: perform for packed and appreciative rooms. However, making this cabaret-style event unique will be the added excitement of being part of a live recording.

“It’s about evolution. These songs have evolved. The band has evolved. Things are a lot different now, from when we started. We want to document that,” explained band leader Josh Bravener. “I mean, first off, we’re not even a country band anymore.”

Since forming in 2015, The Hypochondriacs have released two albums of material ranging from country, 50s doo-wop, soul, Americana, and alternative music, and their travels have landed them on festival stages throughout North America, including SXSW (Austin), Breakout West (Calgary), and of course appearances at The Harvest Music Festival in their beloved hometown of Fredericton. While both records have been met with critical applause, live shows are a true thrill ride, converting many fans.  

The live album is an offering to a fevered fanbase, waiting patiently for an anticipated third album. It is an attempt to capture the magic of these six tremendously accomplished musicians working together for a greater good, transforming fan favourites, and leaving it all on the stage. 

“We simply want to capture the strength and energy of our live performances. The band has a lot to do with this. We want to highlight each of their unique influences,” added Bravener. 

Tickets are limited and are predicted to sell quickly.  They are $20 advance, $25 at the door.  VIP bundles are also available for $60 to include tickets for both performances, VIP seating with table service, a Hypochondriacs T-shirt, and the digital download when available.  

Tickets go on sale Monday, December 11th at 10AM at www.tickettailor.com.

2023-12-09T23:49:45-04:00December 8, 2023|News|
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