Latest news with #Michalczuk
Hamilton Spectator
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Inspiring force': Royal Canoe bassist remembered after crash in Manitoba kills 3
WINNIPEG - Staples in Winnipeg's music scene and beyond offered condolences and tributes Thursday after learning the bassist in a beloved band died in a highway crash with two others. Indie pop band Royal Canoe, on social media, said Brendan Berg died in the crash Tuesday, a day before his 43rd birthday, along with his partner, Olivia Michalczuk. Berg's death has left an 'enormous and sudden hole in the lives of everyone who knew him,' the post said. 'Over the last 15 years of cross-country tours, late studio nights — through the high highs and low lows, Brendan's relentless positivity, big smile, and considerate nature were a stabilizing and inspiring force for us,' the band posted Wednesday. 'He was always the first to volunteer his time to pick up the trailer from the shop or load gear after tour. His generosity and selflessness were legendary.' Mounties responded to the crash north of Swan River in western Manitoba, where two vehicles were found in a ditch. RCMP said a vehicle crossed the centre line and hit a vehicle parked on the edge of the road. They said a 42-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman in the parked vehicle were taken to hospital, where they died. A 29-year-old man who was a passenger in the first vehicle later died of his injuries. The 36-year-old male driver was listed in stable condition. Royal Canoe has been a Winnipeg favourite for more than a decade and has played shows with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. In 2014, the group received a Juno Award nomination for alternative album of the year for 'Today We're Believers.' The same year, they won best independent album at the Western Canadian Music Awards. The band has toured with English rockers Alt-J and Bombay Bicycle Club and played major festivals, including Iceland Airwaves, Bonnaroo in Tennessee and Osheaga in Montreal. 'So sad and sorry to hear this news. Much love to you all,' the Sam Roberts Band said in a response the band's announcement. Songwriter Dan Mangan called the crash 'absolutely tragic and devastating.' 'It's all so fleeting. Love you, guys,' he posted. The Park Theatre said Berg was a fixture at the popular Winnipeg live music venue. 'Whether on stage or in the crowd, he was always present, always smiling and always showing love for the music and community around him,' it said on social media. Not-for-profit promoter Manitoba Music said the deaths of Berg and Michalczuk are a 'deep loss.' 'Both have left an immeasurable mark on the music community and have meant so much to so many for their creativity, kindness and generosity.' Michalczuk, also well-known in the local music scene, was a juror for the Polaris Music Prize, an annual music award that recognizes the best full-length Canadian album. '(Michalczuk) was a strong voice in the Polaris community, having served on the jury since 2019,' said the award group. Royal Canoe said her energy and enthusiasm brought out the best in Berg. 'Her passing is equally as devastating to try to understand.' RCMP spokeswoman Michelle Lissel said charges could be laid against the lone survivor. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Head-on crash kills Royal Canoe bassist, partner in western Manitoba on Canada Day
The bassist in Winnipeg indie-pop band Royal Canoe and his partner died on Canada Day after the vehicle they were in was struck along a highway in western Manitoba, RCMP say. Brendan Berg and his partner, Olivia Michalczuk, died Tuesday, Royal Canoe said in a statement on Instagram. Berg would have turned 43 Wednesday, the band said. Michalczuk was 31. "We are all in a state of shock trying to process this tragic news. Brendan was the kindest, sweetest man you could ever know, and his passing has left an enormous and sudden hole in the lives of everyone who knew him," the band stated on Instagram. In a statement, Manitoba RCMP said they responded to a head-on collision at about 3:30 p.m. on Canada Day on Highway 10, about three kilometres north of Bowsman, a community north of Duck Mountain Provincial Park. The site of the accident was approximately 280 kilometres northwest of Brandon. The two vehicles were in a ditch and one was overturned when police got there. Paramedics and firefighters were helping the occupants of the cars, the RCMP stated. Investigators believe one of the vehicles was headed south on Highway 10 when it veered over the centre line and crashed into a parked vehicle sitting on the eastern edge of the highway, causing it to roll into the ditch, RCMP stated. Berg and Michalczuk were in the vehicle that rolled over. They were both taken to hospital and later succumbed to their injuries, the Mounties said. The driver of the other vehicle, a 36-year-old Winnipeg man, and a 29-year-old passenger from Swan River were both taken to hospital with critical injuries. RCMP continue to investigate the crash. Royal Canoe said in its statement Berg's positivity and considerate nature stabilized the band during 15 years of touring and recording. "He was always the first to volunteer his time to pick up the trailer from the shop our load gear out after tour," the band said. "His generosity and selflessness were legendary."
