Join us for a free concert presented as part of the conference Building Possibilities: Labour Arts and Labour Heritage in Canada.
Friday, June 9th, 2023 | 7:30 pm – 10 pm
Free. All are welcome.
Maria Dunn Set Time: 7:30 pm
A true preserver of the spirit of folk music, 2022 Juno Award Winner Maria Dunn is often compared to Woody Guthrie for her keen social awareness and unvarnished melodic songs about ordinary people. Her latest and seventh album Joyful Banner Blazing (2021) celebrates resilience, grace, gratitude, solidarity, joy and the love that fires our actions to make the world a better place. Produced by Shannon Johnson (of Juno-winning band The McDades).
Edmonton-based, Maria tours internationally. Accolades for her songwriting include publication in Sing Out! and Penguin Eggs magazines and the Rise Again songbook (2015). Other artists have recorded (Niamh Parsons, Bob Bossin) or performed (Archie Fisher, Andy Irvine, Nathan Rogers) her songs. www.mariadunn.com
The Special Interest Group Set Time: 8:10 pm
the SPECIAL INTEREST group brings a new rhythm to songs of hope & struggle ….
Infusing songs from civil rights, gospel, folk and protest movements with elements of folk, blues, rock, R&B, jazz, reggae & ska.
Always #conscious
- in the lyrics
- in the stories
- in the groove
… the SPECIAL INTEREST group is re-discovering and re-creating a repertoire which celebrates the power of song.
… soothe your soul … fire up your spirit … stand up for your rights!
Lee Reed with guests Mother Tareka and DJ !KrymeWon Set Time: 9:10 pm
Lee Reed is a Hamilton OG and a veteran of the Kanadian Indie music scene. For over 25 years he's been stomping stages and studios, spewing his unique brand of fiery, anti-capitalist rant-hop. From mouthpiece for the legendary Warsawpack, and throughout his solo work, Reed’s musical legacy has remained committed to revolutionary struggle, and the fight for a better world: voicing anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist politics through Hip-Hop; and soundtracking and signal-boosting the efforts of communities and organizers struggling on the frontline for social and environmental justice.
He's toured Canada and Europe, and warmed the stage for some serious industry heavyweights, including Bad Religion, Mos Def, Feist, Alexisonfire, Protest the Hero, Sage Francis, Death From Above, Saul Williams, Fishbone, Roots Manuva, K-OS, and The Sadies.
He's rocked pubs & nightclubs; house shows & rec centres; parades & blockades; reservations, demonstrations & occupations; and some of the nation's finest festivals including Hillside, Pop Montreal, Halifax Pop Explosion, Supercrawl, Harvest Picnic, Under the Volcano, Kazoo!, Scene, CMW and NXNE.
This concert is presented as part of Building Possibilities: Labour Arts and Labour Heritage in Canada, a conference co-presented by the Workers Arts & Heritage Centre, Laurier University, and McMaster School of Labour Studies. Building Possibilities is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
