Latest news with #TheReklaws
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Mattawa Voyageur Days a rocking success
Downtown Mattawa was bustling this past weekend as festival fans descended on Main Street from near and far. The weather cooperated, and folks didn't seem to mind the scorching heat, especially while enjoying a cold drink or ice cream. The town always has an in-depth review of the festival at a future council meeting. Councillors and Mayor Raymond Bélanger go over the numbers and hear the feedback and provide a full report on the event. However, by all accounts, the 26th Mattawa Voyageur Days was a success. One of the big changes this year was swapping rock and country nights. Since the beginning, country night was on Friday and rock night fell on Saturday. Bob Taylor, who has volunteered with the festival for 25 years, mentioned some people didn't get the memo. He said 'A lot of people were coming in their cowboy hats on Friday night.' Taylor's wife, Francoise, also volunteers with the fest. Both work the gate, and Taylor also handles security. He's been with the fest almost from the beginning, and he's proud of the event and what it means for Mattawa. His favourite part of the festival? 'The people you meet. It's fun working here. We always have good people to work with,' Taylor said. Overall, he's happy with the direction the festival is taking, and he's happy to see more events take place downtown. However, he would like to see more. Taylor recalled, 'We used to have the lumberjack competitions, log rolling, we used to have everything here. The kids would build go-karts and have races down Main Street, and every road was blocked up. The town was closed during the festival and every street seemed to have events happening.' See: Default and The Reklaws headline next Voyageur Days Annie's Park is still rocking, with a second stage for local and regional acts, and vendors, including Whiskeyjacks, a brewery from Haileybury with a special Mattawa pilsner on offer. The stage at Annie's Park is a great casual venue for the afternoon crowds, and about 10 bands played throughout the weekend. Jennifer Plummer, of Roamy Only, told BayToday, 'Offering Annie's Park as a side stage, gives local and regional artists a chance to be seen and heard as part of the main event. It's a simple, grounded space that reflects the spirit of the North and keeps the festival connected to its community.' Keith Benard, who has served as the festival's official photographer for the past 15 years, told BayToday, 'I love it, it's always been so much fun and I get to meet so many people.' He mentioned he 'has so many memories of great bands' coming through Voyageur Days, but one that really stood out was Cheap Trick. 'Rick Nielson was the coolest to work with,' Benard said. Pop Mach!ne, a Sudbury-based band, opened the Friday night rock show, which included Royal Tusk, Fefe Dobson, and Default. The band told BayToday, 'It was an honour to share the stage with so many amazing Canadian acts, and to be able to perform our original music for a new audience!' Having a spot on the main stage at Explorer's Point means a lot to up-and-coming bands, a point well-understood by Pop Mach!ne, 'It's definitely a pleasure to play on the rock night at Mattawa Voyageur Days. The beautiful scenic waterfront view and the enthusiasm of the audience makes it one of our favourite places to perform.' The stage has become a favourite for many. As MPP Vic Fedeli said, 'This year's festival truly embodied the pride and spirit of Northeastern Ontario.' 'What an incredible turnout at the 26th Annual Mattawa Voyageur Days Festival, where over 5,000 visitors enjoyed exciting new attractions and an unforgettable music lineup that included the Reklaws,' Fedeli said. David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CTV News
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Rock the Park went longer and younger and it paid off with 40,000 fans
Five nights, 24 musical acts, 40,000 music fans and hours of entertainment. Cleanup is underway at Harris Park after the 21st annual Rock the Park concluded Saturday night. 'It's the first time we've gone to five nights and the only reason we added the Tuesday was because when you get a stadium-sized artist like Hozier, you take advantage of it,' said Brad Jones of Jones Entertainment Group (JEG), the festival's founder and organizer. 'What a magical week of music overall. We experimented in the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) space and it worked really well. We tried to carve a different genre of music each night and I think we absolutely accomplished that goal.' The cleanup is much easier this year than a year ago when they had their worst night in two decades with 100mm of rain in 24 hours. ROCK THE PARK 2025 Canadian Country music duo The Reklaws perform at Rock the Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025. (Source: RTP/Bill Woodcock) The weather only provided one hiccup the entire week, and that was a small evacuation Saturday due to lightning before the acts took the stage. As Brad Gibb, program director at Virgin Radio and Pure Country, pointed out during an interview on CTV News Thursday, there were many more young people at the event this year. 'It was a strategic move this year to make sure Rock the Park is around for another 21 years,' said Jones. 'We need to make sure those 16, 18, 21-year-olds, know about Rock the Park and know you don't have to drive to Detroit and Toronto to have a great night of music.' Jones said while the festival initially started as a three-day classic rock event, they now have pivoted. ROCK THE PARK 2025 Coming off consecutive performances at Fenway Park in Boston, MA, Hozier played Rock the Park on opening night, July 8, 2025. (Source: RTP/Bill Woodcock) 'We had more 16 to 18 year olds than we've ever had and they felt safe. Their parents dropped them off at the front of the park and picked them up. That's one thing I'm proud of. London police is there to make sure people are safe and we had 80-100 guards to make people safe, but what Rock the Park is, is a community, fun, safe place to be,' added Jones. Jones will now prepare for the Rock the Runway event from Sept. 12-13 at the London International Airport, featuring superstars Noah Kahan, Myles Smith, the Strumbellas, Marshmallow, and BBNO$. 'The creation of Rock the runway is because you've got 40-50,000 students coming back to the city that are not here in the summer, so it's geared towards the students,' said Jones. Jones said RTP was offered a major artist this year but turned it down because he felt people in the 50+ demographic were not going to stand in the park for six hours. RTP has two nights already confirmed for 2026 as JEG begins planning for the 22nd annual event. 'For 2026, we will certainly be four nights again,' said Jones. 'Five nights is a lot on our staff and volunteers. This year was a success on all fronts. Great way to end it with almost 8,000 country fans enjoying the night. Perfect weather, great artists and a ton of people just loving what London loves.'
Hamilton Spectator
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Canadian country superstars perform in Lachute
On Friday, July 4, Canadian superstars The Reklaws, Matt Lang, and Justine Blanchet performed country hits for the crowd at the Lachute Fairgrounds. The event was organized by the Argenteuil Agricultural Society (AAS) and served as a lead-up to the 200th Expo Lachute Fair, scheduled to take place from July 10 to 13 at the same location. The evening opened with Justine Blanchet, a new Québec country singer-songwriter. Lang, who is from Maniwaki, then took the stage to entertain the crowd and delivered a mix of fan favourites. Closing out the night was The Reklaws, the brother-sister duo from North Dumfries, Ontario, who engaged attendees with their country-rock set. Photos by Philip Oddi: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CTV News
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
All Canadian midway, music lineup part of new-look Regina QCX in 2025
The 2025 version of Regina's Queen City Ex (QCX) taking place July 30 to Aug. 3 will include a 100 per cent Canadian midway, new pricing, and an all Canadian music lineup. West Coast Amusements was announced as QCX's new long-term midway partner, bringing new and old favourite rides to QCX. 'We've got some new exciting rides that haven't been here before, so we are excited about that,' West Coast Amusements president and CEO Rob Hauser said at an announcement on Friday. 'Big thrill rides, speed, freakout, chaos, frenzy as well as lots of kids rides, family rides,' he added. Hauser said coming to Regina is a big opportunity for West Coast Amusements, which also provides rides for smaller markets like Moose Jaw, Estevan, Yorkton and Swift Current. Pricing has been simplified and made to be more affordable for 2025. Sherwood Co-op will have general admission for $16, including all taxes and fees. A family and friends pack (four passes) will be $54 and a 'ride all day' pass will be $55. 'So, a really fantastic deal, great pricing for families. We want everyone to come and enjoy everything that QCX is,' event director Cathleen Betker said. Betker said advance tickets will be available online and through Sherwood Co-op in the near future. Music performances will be from Blue Rodeo, The Reklaws, The Glorious Sons, Sam Roberts Band, Bif Naked and Kim Mitchell. 'We are so excited about all of the programming that we've announced today and there's more to come so be sure to watch our social media for announcements on what's going to be popping up across the property during QCX,' Betker said. Betker also said people can look forward to a demolition derby and the return of the FullSend BMX show in the Brandt Centre, as well as all the family friendly programming people expect to see. More to come...
CTV News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Surrey Canada Day
Celebrate Canada Day in Surrey! Get ready for Western Canada's largest Canada Day celebration! Join us at the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre in Cloverdale on July 1st for a day filled with fun, music, and community spirit. This year's Surrey Canada Day promises an unforgettable experience for all ages. Enjoy live music across four stages, headlined by Canadian music icons The Reklaws, along with performances by Goldie Boutilier and Garret T. Willie. Immerse yourself in Indigenous culture at the Reflection Areas and Siam Stage in the Indigenous Village, where you can learn and participate in cultural sharing and education on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the land-based Nations. Families will love the Family Zone, offering free entertainment, crafts, games, and performances on the Family Stage. The Community Hub will be buzzing with energy, featuring dance battles and DJs at the Community Stage. Indulge in delicious treats from a variety of food trucks and cool off with a refreshing beverage in the beer garden, which offers site-wide licensing. Don't miss the grand finale: a spectacular fireworks display to light up the night sky! To find out more about Surrey Canada Day, click here!
