THE COMMISSIONAIRES
Sunday September 15
4:30pm-5:30pm
TD Stage

The Commissionaires are a new soul-roots-gospel outfit formed by indie singer-songwriter Jacob Moon and Newworldson’s Joel Parisien. Their debut album, 2016’s Shelter Me, was a sonic journey with themes of justice and overtones of the soul’s struggle for redemption. Crafted as a remedy for these turbulent times, Shelter Me features a combination of traditional gospel numbers and new arrangements of songs written by artists like Ben Harper, Stevie Wonder and Buddy Miller. Its single “None of Us Are Free” was featured in December 2016 by CBC Radio One as Song of the Week. Jacob Moon has been recording and performing full time for the past 20 years, and has released 10 CDs as a solo artist. He has shared the stage with Gordon Lightfoot, Ron Sexsmith and this year he recorded a song that will appears on Rush’s 2112 40th Anniversary Reissue. His music has taken him all over the world, and his heart for justice has led him to advocate on behalf of the oppressed. Joel Parisien has written and recorded top ten Billboard hits for his previous band, Newworldson, who traveled the globe with their infectious soul gospel sound. He has also written for Michael Kaeshammer, Audio Adrenaline and many others over the course of his 20-year career.

Ethereal tones, scintillating riffs and shimmering melodies. The Crowleys merge mind-bending psychedelic rock with bubblegum melodies that will blow your mind and have you dancing along impulsively.

HPO x TWIN WITHIN
Sunday September 15
5:30pm-6:30pm
Fireball/Exclaim! Stage

Twin Within began in the springtime. Outdoors is where Steve McKay and Alex Samaras started rehearsing. Everything opens up when you play outside, so they set out to make a record with an “outdoor” sound.   Steve and Alex have strikingly similar timbre, and their voices blend seamlessly. It’s often difficult to tell them apart. Similar to how The Beach Boys were meant to sing together, Steve and Alex’s voices have a natural affinity beyond technical ability. There is a trust, and an understanding, that exists between them. They want to be surprised and challenged. Twin Within follow in the tradition of the Righteous Brothers, Walker Brothers, or Simon & Garfunkel, but there’s something uniquely current about their sound.    The album is a subtle convergence of meticulously crafted arrangements with spontaneous single takes, expertly co-produced with string & wind arrangements by Kirk Starkey. Steve McKay comes from a long line of drummers: uncles, grandfathers, fathers, and great-grandfathers. He has had many chances to live out his percussive destiny with the likes of Tusks, Allie X and especially as the percussive force behind Bruce Peninsula. But girls like songs, so he learned how to play other instruments and write songs. Twin Within is a record of classic pop songs. Steve plays celeste, tic-tac bass, and baritone guitar on the record, in addition to the layers of percussion he is known for. Steve’s 5+ years of experience touring with Canadian baroque giants Tafelmusik and subconsciously creeps into the way he arranges Twin Within’s instrumentals.  Alex Samaras does not stop singing. In any given week, you can hear him Tuvan throat singing with his vocal ensemble GREX, as well as singing back-up in Toronto’s favourite Motown band, The Big Sound. He has also spent time in New York City, working with contemporary arts icon Meredith Monk and her vocal ensemble to perform in-concert versions of Monk’s work through multi-disciplinary performances. Alex currently leads his own trio covering forgotten songs from Broadway. With Twin Within, Alex’s vocals enhance the arrangements with the same depth and originality that an Owen Pallet string arrangement would. His contributions are not mere background vocals, but essential to the sound of the whole record. Two trees rest somewhere between the expanse of the sky and the firm ground below. They sing songs directly to you, but the tunes reverberate to the heavens above. It’s Twin Within.  

THE DILL
Sunday September 15
4:15pm-5:15pm
Mohawk College Stage

Over the past 20 years, Dylan “The Dill” Hudecki has co-founded the post-rock duo Junior Blue with Broken Social Scene drummer Justin Peroff; toured the world with Toronto power-pop perennials By Divine Right; fronted the Hamilton Music Award-winning band Cowlick; and played bass for High Kites. He’s scored films, commercials, remixed songs, and has a side project making piano and synth-based ambient music as Awesollator. Oh, and he’s also managed to hold down a day job as a school teacher while raising three kids. Now, he’s finally made his first solo record—and to say it’s been a long time coming would be a gross understatement. On the surface, “Greetings From” may appear to be a typical 12-song solo singer/songwriter effort—but it’s actually the greatest-hits distillation of an unprecedented recording and visual-art project that stretches back nearly two decades. Since 2000, The Dill has been stockpiling songs that drew from personal experience, but were brought to life through communal improvisation. With a little help from his many friends—ranging from the unsung heroes in his hometown of Hamilton, to some of the biggest names in Canadian indie-rock—The Dill had, by 2016, amassed a total of 52 songs, which he debuted online, one at a time on a weekly basis over the course of that year. As for a physical release, well, that could only take one possible form—as a deck of playing cards of course, with each of the 52 tracks represented by an original, thematic image created specially for the project by cast of 45 Canadian visual artists. “It’s my magnum opus,” says The Dill of his 52-storey tower of song. “It was a giant snowball I rolled down the hill with lots of my friends.”