It looks like I’ll be working for a new band-leader before too long! That’s my son, Aiden, leading his guitar teacher, Charles Urich, and I through a rousing performance of “I’ll Tell Me Ma.”

We were taking part in Andrea’s Music Studio‘s Ice Cream Social and Open Mic which took place on Sunday, June 2 at Christ Church Hall in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.  A special thanks goes out to James Crawford for snapping this photo and sending it along.

Come to the Company House on Tuesday, June 11th for a good ol’ variety show, featuring yours truly at 9:00pm.

Here’s the evening’s line-up:

8:00pm – Patrick Madden

8:30pm – FunTime Brigade

9:00pm – David Bradshaw

9:30pm –  Lucas Reeves

10:00pm – Jake McCloskey

10: 30pm –  Andrew Nicholson

 

See y’all there!

 

Hey, folks! I’ve spent the last few months enjoying the pubs of Halifax and Dartmouth, playing and listening to all of the music that keeps flowing therein. The fellows in the band and I have been continuing work on my second full length CD as well. We’re looking forward to sharing it with y’all, once we finish all of the fine-tuning and studio magic(courtesy of John Parker). There’s around a dozen new songs, recorded at Charles Austin’s Echo Chamber Studio and featuring some guest appearances by cousin Willie Stratton, songbirds Carmel Mikol and Wanda Rose, Grassmarket’s Dan MacCormack and the inscrutable Grant Mitchell.

This record will be a change of pace from my debut, No Place. Featuring my fantastic band-fellows, guitarist Chad Creaser, pianist and organist Paul Pottie, bassist Devin Small, and drum professor Drew Debay, we’ll be taking my songs in a decidedly vintage country-rock direction. Scheduled release date is October of 2013; stay tuned for details!

I’ve been having a good ol’ time hosting the Open Mic at Celtic Corner pub in the ever-more beautiful downtown of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for several years, now. The fun continues! Check out some of the folks that have been there recently, above. We were even treated to a set from Mo Kenney and her bandmates David Marsh and Chris Pennell back on the 30th of April, as they warmed up for her tour dates in the UK. I was too busy being a fan to take their picture, ‘though…

Keep the fun happening! If you’re around the Halifax/Dartmouth area on a Tuesday night, bring yourself and your best tunes, stories and jokes and jump onto stage at Celtic Corner.

 

Compassion Action has released a terrific CD to raise funds for their ongoing work in abuse and suicide prevention, and other mental health issues. They were kind enough to include a song of mine, called “Promise Aplenty”,  alongside the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Laura Smith, Jon Mullane, Shirley Jackson, and my good friends Wanda Rose and Keith McNeil. Check it out; it’s a bunch of great artists supporting a great cause.