Friday, October 25th 2024

Graham Nicholas, Birdie Whyte & Ben Vallee - house show

With the release of his 4th full length album Black Creek (2023), Graham Nicholas has created an emotionally resonant world inhabited by troubled and love-hungry characters. Never alienated for their insecurities, his characters are instead respected by the empathetic voice of an honest songwriter. The new album finds Nicholas honing in on his concise form of storytelling and refining his irreverent sense of humour. Coupling his John Prine & Gordon Lightfoot narrative style with a backing band that hearkens back to the likes of The Band, Nicholas’ songs have found the right balance of warmth and grit. *** Birdie Whyte carved out her soulful sound with a gifted banjo, some poems and a whole lotta playing between the Ottawa Valley and the Maritimes. A passionate songwriter, Whyte sews melodic imagery into songs that walk the line of light and dark, resulting in seriously tongue in cheek tunes. *** Canadian country singer-songwriter Ben Vallee began writing music at 14. He discovered bluegrass and, by 16, had his first pedal steel guitar. Rooted in Western/Americana storytelling, Vallee blends grassroots genres with poetic lyricism and a honky-tonk spirit, creating a unique sound that captures his authentic voice and baritone drawl. His debut solo album, Introducing..., was released in 2024.