See you in the Spring: Juno nominees Dizzy to play Oshawa in April

By Will McGuirk

Juno nominees Dizzy, have had a head spinning ride since signing to Royal Mountain Records in 2015 and releasing their debut album ‘Baby Teeth’ last year. It has been a giddy giddy-up for Katie Munshaw and the Spencer brothers, Alex, Charlie and Mackenzie, taking them in a matter of months from their north Oshawa basement rehearsals to the international festival circuit and now two nominations in the 2019 Junos. It also means they have been busy touring Canada, the USA and Europe and away from playing any sort of homecoming gig for quite a while. But Munshaw has told me Dizzy will be home in the Spring, playing the Oshawa Music Hall Tuesday Apr 23 as part of their tour with fellow Juno nominees, Tokyo Police Club.

TPC are also named in the same Juno Alternative Album of the Year category as Dizzy but Munshaw isn’t thinking of awards or competitors as of yet. She is more just in awe of the opportunity to play with one of her fave bands she says.

“I've loved Tokyo Police Club before Dizzy existed,” she says. “To be nominated alongside them and to be going on tour with them through Ontario in April is a lot for me to wrap my head around. It gives you the sort of feeling of ‘How did we trick everyone into thinking we belong up there with people that we've looked up to for years?’”

Two nominations however indicates this is no trick; Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, as the all-knowing They say. Munshaw’s modesty may be honest but it is misplaced. The band have been gaining critical acclaim since the Royal Mountain record deal. Britain’s NME gave the ‘Baby Teeth’ record 3/5 Stars and they have been building fans the old-fashioned way, playing their indie aired bed-sit blues tunes live. Performing at Britain’s Great Escape fest, billed as Europe’s festival for new music, helps.

As well as the Alternative Album nod they have been nominated in the Breakthrough Album of the Year category. The awards will be handed out March 16 and 17 in London, ON. with Canadian superstar and founder of the all-female line-up Lilith Fair Sarah McLachlan hosting. For a young woman such as Munshaw working in the music business, McLachlan’s trail blazing career has been an inspiration.

“I think Sarah McLachlan is a huge part of any Canadian music lovers family. Her songs were played at every wedding, graduation, funeral I’ve ever been to,” says Munshaw. “I remember seeing her at a show in Toronto in 2003. I would have been 8 or 9 at the time. Getting to see a woman on stage slamming on the piano and singing words that came straight from her own brain- and not a group full of male writers- it flips a light switch in your head. Seeing that kind of representation confirms to the writer and to the listener that girls can write and perform their own stories and people will listen.”

Folks are clearly listening to Katie Munshaw and her band of brothers and one can expect we will continue to hear more and more from Dizzy. And fingers crossed they will have some hardware to share with their hometown fans come April.

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Cosmic Canadiana duo, Whitehorse at the Oshawa Music Hall Apr 21

There's a deep sonic seam running from one end of Canada to the other. It's termed American but its in reality its Canadiana and Whitehorse are one those acts which mine that sound. Think in terms of Gram Parson and Emmylou Harris sure but Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland are their own couple, one of Canada's great guitarist's and one of the country's great voices, all partnered up. They have moved the Cosmic American Music of the Flying Burrito Brothers deeper into the cosmos on their latest, "Panther in the Dollhouse," out on Six Shooter and nominated for Adult Alternative Album at the 2018 Junos. Whitehorse are touring, making at stop at the Oshawa Music Hall Saturday Apr 21. Dan Edmonds is opening, get there early.

Celebrate St. Pats day in Downtown Oshawa with wild local music

Oshawa digs deep into its own scene to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. If overpriced green beer, squeaky reels and sad songs about the old sod are not your bag step away from the bar and get to the clubs for some sounds of the city, Shwarock style.

Its been a while since the Standstills have rocked this town. They are in tonight for a hometown gig at the Oshawa Music Hall. They have a new single out at the end of the month. The next gen Crown Lands are also on the bill. Don't be fooled by each act only having two members - this is going to be loud.

We suggest you get to the Moustache Club early as the bad lads in Tijuana Jesus are quite likely to drink all of the beer tonight. Its a full bill with four acts; Fish Head Phil, Bad Waitress and Thrash Eater are also in the house. There will be a selection of local breweries onsite too so this one goes deep deep in to the culture of the D-Rock. 

There's a somewhat softer twanginess to the tunes from GT Harris and the Gunslingers who are playing at the Atria. There's a fiddle so if you are going to seek out fiddle music tonight then this is where you want to be. They shall be joined by Terry Savage and the Wonky Honkys so there's that. 

All venues are within walking distance of each, staggering if late in the evening. Enjoy and don't do stupid.

Dashboard Confessional's heart beats here Tuesday Mar 13 at Oshawa Music

Floridian pop-rockers Dashboard Confessional are coming to Oshawa for a gig Tuesday Mar 13 at the Music Hall. The band have just released their seventh album 'Crooked Shadows'. Dashboard Confessional has Chris Carrabba at its heart. He has been pouring out his heart onto his sleeve for almost two decades and are very much part of the 00s sound and style tagged Emo.

Its a sound rather than a scene, one based on a sonic connection and not geography. Grunge has its roots in Seattle but Emo may be the first post-Napster scene. On the Net music could be shared quickly and easily between people who shared more than a neighbourhood. They shared values, a sensibility, a worldview and a way of being in the world, they were a tribe without territory. Others in those early years would have been Saves The Day, New Found Glory, the Get Up Kids. Over the years others have joined the tribe and Emo has become a category, like punk.

Dashboard Confessional don't stray too far from their home territory on 'Crooked Shadows'. On the title track, album opener "We Fight" and the track "Be Alright" there's a smoothness to their pop-punk, like skaters who only use the bowl and never the street. Its not unpleasant and its not unlikeable, its pretty and there's room for pretty in this ugly city. There's also always room for a folk song and "Heart Beats Here" does it for me.