Haunting Anthems of The Rock Orchestra Hit Peterborough Memorial Centre on March 17

The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight is set to hauntingly beautify rock music at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on March 17, announced on Wednesday.

The Rock Orchestra has performed over 400 shows and entertained over half a million guests in only four years. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

They plan to play a 90-minute show that infuses iconic rock and metal anthems in ethereal, candlelit settings. This band of 14 classical musicians will playing music with the unexpected union of classical music and metal. They will perform music from bands such as: Metallica, AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Rage Against The Machine, My Chemical Romance, Linkin' Park, SOAD, Guns N Roses, Evanescence, Papa Roach, The Cranberries and more.

The Rock Orchestra was founded in 2020 by events impresario and producer Nathan Reed, with a vision of reimagining legendary Rock and Metal with the grace and power of classical music. 

Known for its gothic visual setting, The Rock Orchestra adds ‘dark energy’ to your well-known songs. 

Tickets go on sale on July 25 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online, by phone at 705-743-3561 ext. 2 or in person at the Grant Thornton Box Office. The Box Office is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding holidays).

PMC advises the following when purchasing tickets:

• Tickets will be delivered one month before the show and can be delivered by email, will call pick up or mail (subject to mail fees). 

• There is a limit of eight tickets per customer

• The floor is not accessible for people with mobility needs for this show

• Capacity for this show is 2,773

• Online purchasers require a user account to be created to complete transactions

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Peterborough Folk Festival Releases Full 2025 Lineup

The Peterborough Folk Festival has released its full lineup for their 2025 edition, running from Aug. 14 to 17 throughout Downtown Peterborough and Nicholls Oval Park, announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Folk Festival.

The event has over 30 artists and bands, including 12 local performers with all proceeds going back to the festival.

Featured acts include Joel Plaskett, Basia Bulat, Whitehorse, Jeremie Albino, Goldie Boutilier, Shub presented by Hiawatha First Nation, Bells Larsen and Colin Linden.

Full Line-Up:

Aug. 14 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre

• Basia Bulat

• Jeanne Truax

Aug. 15

• Various venues downtown including the Pig's Ear Tavern

Aug. 16 at Nicholls Oval Park

• Joel Plaskett

• Goldie Boutilier

• Jeremie Albino

• Bells Larsen

• Shub presented by Hiawatha First Nation

• My Son The Hurricane

• Grievous Angels

• Songs Of Scratch Garden

• Sister Ray

• Quinton Barnes

• Doghouse Orchestra

• The Silver Hearts

• Benj Rowland

• Jeanne Truax

• Lancelot Knight

• Swindlers

• Caitlin Currie

• Tapes In Motion

After Parties Downtown 11 p.m.

• Jethros - The Jet Airliners featuring Jeanne Truax

• Pig's Ear Tavern - The Silver Hearts

Aug. 17 at Nicholls Oval Park

• Whitehorse

• Lemon Bucket Orchestra

• Colin Linden of Blackie and The Rodeo Kings

• Inn Echo

• Beau Dixon

• Sharon Lois and Bram Singalong with Sharon and Randi

• Kay Silver

• Babe Chorus

• Fittonia

• Jethro Blues Jam All-Stars

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Preston Pablo, The Spades & Weber Brothers and More Round Out Peterborough Musicfest Lineup

The stage is set for the 38th season of Peterborough Musicfest as the rest of the lineup has been filled, announced on Wednesday morning.

(from left to right) Vince Bierworth, event emcee; Brian Ellis, MUSICFEST BOARD CHAIR and TRACEY RANDALL, Musicfest Executive Director, showing off this year’s lineup of acts. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

Rounding out the rest of the lineup include Preston Pablo with special guest Noelle on July 5; The Jim Cuddy Band on July 9; The Spades & The Weber Brothers on July 26 and country music star Jess Moskaluke on July 30.

This year also features a special Canada Day concert on July 1 featuring Neon Nostalgic with a live retro video dance party, followed by fireworks over Little Lake provided by The City of Peterborough.

“We’re so excited to bring another vibrant summer of barrier-free live music to the community” said Tracey Randall, Musicfest executive director. “With new programming, exciting performers, and more reasons to come early, this season has something for everyone.”

New this year is a second stage showcasing emerging local artists starting at either 6:15 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. on select nights, with a full schedule to be released.

With support from the Government of Canada’s Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Musicfest brings ‘Woven Stories: A Night of Indigenous Music, Culture, and Celebration.’

This year also features expanded food vending, with many vendors offering Happy Hour specials from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Peterborough Musicfest 50/50 Raffle also returns for another season.

The following is this year’s Musicfest schedule:

• June 28: Serena Ryder

• July 1: Neon Nostalgic (Retro Rock Tribute)

• July 2: William Prince

• July 5: Preston Pablo with special guest noelle

• July 9: The Jim Cuddy Band

• July 12: Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies)

• July 16: Sloan

• July 19: Gob

• July 23 ABBAMania + Night Fever (Bee Gees)

• July 26: The Spades & The Weber Brothers

• July 30: Jess Moskaluke

• Aug. 2: Acrobat (U2 Tribute)

• Aug. 6: Mudmen w/ Irish Millie

• Aug. 9: The Celtic Tenors

• Aug. 13: Choir! Choir! Choir!

• Aug. 16: Kim Mitchell

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The Tea Party, Headstones and Finger Eleven Hit Peterborough Memorial Centre On Dec. 7

Three celebrated Canadian rock bands, The Tea Party, Headstones and Finger Eleven are gracing the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC) stage on Dec. 7 at 6:45 p.m., announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough memorial Centre.

The Tea Party returns to the stage in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their breakthrough album TRIPtych, featuring the number one hit ‘Heaven Coming Down.’ With over three million albums sold, the multi-Platinum, Juno-nominated trio has built a legacy around blending traditional global instruments with bold, modern rock. Over 30 years after the release of their debut album, The Tea Party continues to innovate and inspire fans across generations.

Headstones bring their raw energy and fiercely independent spirit to the stage following the release of Burn All The Ships, an album praised as some of the best work of their career. Known for their legendary 90s records and signature intensity, the Kingston band is as sharp and uncompromising as ever. With a fearless approach to songwriting and a reputation for unforgettable live performances, Headstones continue to be one of Canada’s most respected rock bands.

Finger Eleven, one of the country’s most commercially successful rock groups, rounds out this powerhouse lineup. With major international hits like “One Thing” and “Paralyzer,” the band has earned multiple Gold and Platinum albums, topped both Canadian and US charts, and received the 2008 Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year. Their 2023 Greatest Hits album celebrates a career that spans three decades and continues to resonate with rock fans nationwide.

Tickets are available in person at the Grant Thornton Box Office inside the PMC Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; online or by phone at 705-743-3561 ext 2.

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Lineup For 2025 William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival Announced

Trent University’s Catharine Parr Traill College has announced the lineup for the new William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival running from June through August, announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of Trent University.

The concerts are a free, weekly music and theatre series at Traill’s outdoor Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre in downtown Peterborough.

A partnership with New Stages Theatre allowed this year’s season to expand beyond music to include four theatrical performances.

“The Summer Festival is a dynamic new addition to Traill College’s seasonal programming,” said Dr. Michael Eamon, Catharine Parr Traill College principal. “Our collaboration with New Stages Theatre opens up new possibilities to engage the larger Peterborough community in exciting ways. This year’s diverse lineup reflects the richness of our local arts scene, and we cannot wait to welcome friends and families to share in this experience at one of the most distinctive outdoor venues in the city.” 

The performances begin on June 5 and run nearly every Thursday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. until Aug. 28.

In the event of inclement weather, performances will be moved indoors to Bagnani Hall. All performances are open to the public and free of charge. Refreshments will be available for purchase on-site.

The Summer 2025 lineup is as follows: 

June 5 

Fireside Munsch, presented by New Stages Theatre 

Stories by Robert Munsch, adapted and performed by M. John Kennedy 

For the young and young at heart! Experience this highly acclaimed (nominated for eight Dora Mavor Moore Awards) theatrical re-telling of classic Robert Munsch stories like Paperbag Princess and Mortimer, presented by Peterborough’s M. John Kennedy. 

June 12 

Story Slam, presented by New Stages Theatre 

Megan Murphy 

An open invitation to all to take the stage and share a true, personal story that connects, inspires, makes us laugh, and moves us forward. Each storyteller will have five minutes to present, based on the theme “Great Escapes”. No advance sign-up required. 

June 19 

Portraits of Peterborough 1825 to 2024, presented by Folk Music 

Glen Caradus 

An innovative audio-visual experience blending story, historic images of Peterborough, and folk music. 

June 26 

Peterborough Concert Band 

Marches, Big Band, Pops 

Always a crowd pleaser, for over 150 years the Peterborough Concert Band has delighted audiences with their mix of big band music, marches, movie soundtracks, and pop. 

July 3 

An Evening of Jazz 

Victoria Yeh and Special Guests 

See Peterborough’s premier jazz violinist in action. Classically trained, Victoria combines the purity of her musical heritage with the edginess of progressive fusion. 

July 10 

Exploring Agamemnon 

The Electric City Players  

Watch Trent English Professor Andrew Loeb’s company take on traditional Greek theatre for contemporary audiences. 

July 24 

I, The Mountain 

Folk-Rock 

Don’t miss what will be a feel-good show of folk-rock musicians playing a mix of their own music and some familiar toe-tapping tunes. 

July 31 

Carpe Noctem 

Jazz Quintet 
A popular local jazz quintet that often plays the club scene, now in the open air of the amphitheatre. 

August 7 

Clarintella and the Peterborough Dixieland Septet 

Clarinet Quintet and Dixieland 

Half the show will be an innovative and crowd-pleasing clarinet ensemble, followed by one of Peterborough’s favourite Dixieland groups.  

August 21 

Kash & Kerry: A Night at the Improv, presented by New Stages Theatre 

Linda Kash and Kerry Griffin 

The two stars of New Stages’ Christmas Carol Comedy in December 2024 reunite for an evening of inspired improvisation. With no scripts or rehearsals, improvisers and comedians Linda Kash and Kerry Griffin, along with special guests, will have you laughing and marveling at how they do it. 

August 28 

Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell, presented by New Stages Theatre 

Orm and Barbara Mitchell 

A staged reading featuring Martin Julien and the music of Rob Phillips. 

Written by long-time Peterborough residents, authors, and former Trent faculty, Orm and Barbara Mitchell, this play is a fond remembrance of the life and brilliant work of beloved Canadian writer W.O. Mitchell – Orm’s father. 

Many of the acts feature performers from the Peterborough community, Trent alumni and even some Trent staff and faculty. Funding for the series was provided by the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation, which supports the arts and education.

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Peterborough Musicfest Announces Steven Page, Sloan and More Added to 2025 Lineup

Barenaked Ladies’s Steven Page, Sloan and more were some of the acts added to this year’s Peterborough Musicfest lineup, announced at the Silver Bean Café on Thursday morning.

(from left to right) Vince Bierworth, event emcee; Brian Ellis, MUSICFEST BOARD CHAIR and TRACEY RANDALL, Musicfest Executive Director, showing off this year’s lineup of acts. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

Millbrook’s Serena Ryder, Kim Mitchell and Gob were acts announced before the full lineup release.

With a wide array of acts, the lineup caters to all music tastes but is looking to diversify it even more. With four dates (July 5, 9, 26 and 29) to be announced later, those spots will help round out all genres according to Tracey Randall, Musicfest executive director.

“We've already covered classic rock so we now need to cover country,” she explained. “We know that two of the four are going to be country.”

Musicfest is discussing adding acts to the vacant dates but cannot release details until next month. The free-concert series has secured roughly 83 per cent of its funding and needs an additional $80,000 to finalize the lineup. Randall says once sponsorships and other funding can reach that amount, the full lineup can eventually be released.

“I've got a couple bands that are playing in other festivals, selling tickets right now so we're not allowed to announce until June,” she said. “Hopefully we'll do that as soon as we can in a couple weeks.”

New this year is a second stage to showcase more local talent as opening acts, a trial for Peterborough Musicfest that will span roughly eight to nine shows, according to Randall.

“We just found that a lot of the local bands weren't getting picked up,” she explained. “We're moving ahead with a second stage on some nights. We're going to try it for now.”

The following is this year’s Musicfest schedule:

• June 28: Serena Ryder

• July 1: Neon Nostalgic (Retro Rock Tribute)

• July 2: William Prince

• July 5: TBA

• July 9: TBA

• July 12: Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies)

• July 16: Sloan

• July 19: Gob

• July 23 ABBAMania + Night Fever (Bee Gees)

• July 26: TBA

• July 30: TBA

• Aug. 2: Acrobat (U2 Tribute)

• Aug. 6: Mudmen w/ Irish Millie

• Aug. 9: The Celtic Tenors

• Aug. 13: Choir! Choir! Choir!

• Aug. 16: Kim Mitchell

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Canadian Punk Band Gob Makes Peterborough Musicfest Debut On July 19

Legendary Canadian punk band Gob is making their Peterborough Musicfest debut as they are hitting Del Crary Park’s Fred Anderson Stage on July 19 at 8 p.m., announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Musicfest.

Formed in 1993, Gob saw early success with albums such as Gob and Too Late... No Friends before releasing How Far Shallow Takes You in 1998. The punk rock band consists of Tom Thacker (vocals), Theo Goutzinakis (guitar/vocals), Gabe Mantle (drums), and Craig Wood (bass).

Their 2001 album, The World According to Gob, earned a JUNO nomination for Best New Group and achieved Gold status, with hits like ‘That’s The Way,’ ‘For The Moment’ and ‘No Regrets.’ The standout single ‘I Hear You Calling’ earned a JUNO nomination for Best Video in 2002.

Gamers may recognize Gob from the video game NHL 2004 as ‘I’ve Been Up These Steps’ was on the in-game soundtrack.

Bassist Steven Fairweather (formerly of By A Thread) was an addition to the band and helped deliver the album ‘Apt. 13.’

Beyond Gob, Thacker has also made his mark as the co-lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist for the multi-platinum rock group Sum 41.

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Canadian Rockstar Bryan Adams Hits the Peterborough Memorial Centre On Oct. 7

Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams is hitting the Peterborough Memorial Centre as part of his ‘Roll With The Punches’ North America 2025 tour on Oct. 7, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

The show will have rock band ‘The Sheepdogs’ as special guest performers for the event.

“I’m so thrilled to be announcing the North American leg of the Roll With The Punches Tour,” said Adams. “We’ll be playing all the classics, some deep cuts, and sharing some brand-new tracks from the forthcoming album.”

Tickets will first be available through an AMEX presale beginning Tuesday at 10 a.m. with additional presales running throughout the week. General on sale begins May 2 at 10 a.m.

The following are the tour dates and locations:

• Thu Sep 11 – Kamloops, BC – Sandman Centre* 

• Fri Sep 12 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena*

• Sat Sep 13 – Victoria, BC – Save On Foods Memorial Centre* 

• Tue Sep 23 – Prince George, BC – CN Centre* 

• Wed Sep 24 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place+ 

• Fri Sep 26 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome+ 

• Sat Sep 27 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place* 

• Sun Sep 28 – Regina, SK – Brandt Centre* 

• Mon Sep 29 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre* 

• Thu Oct 2 – St. Catharines, ON – Meridian Centre* 

• Fri Oct 3 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena* 

• Sat Oct 4 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre* 

• Sun Oct 5 – Windsor, ON – Caesars*

• Tue Oct 7 – Peterborough, ON – Peterborough Memorial Centre* 

• Wed Oct 8 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre* 

• Thu Oct 9 – Quebec City, QC – Videotron Centre* 

• Sat Oct 11 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre* 

• Sun Oct 12 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre* 

• Wed Oct 15 – St. John's, NL – Mary Brown’s Centre*

• Sat Oct 25 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena^

• Sun Oct 26 – Boston, MA – TD Garden^

• Wed Oct 29 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center^

• Thu Oct 30 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden^

• Sat Nov 1 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena^

• Sun Nov 2 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena^

• Mon Nov 3 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena^

• Wed Nov 5 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center^

• Thu Nov 6 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena^

• Fri Nov 7 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena^

• Sun Nov 9 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live^

• Mon Nov 10 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena^

• Thu Nov 13 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center^

• Sat Nov 15 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena^

• Sun Nov 16 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena^

• Tue Nov 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum^

• Wed Nov 19 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center^

• Fri Nov 21 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena^

• Sat Nov 22 – Portland, OR – Moda Center^

• Mon Nov 24 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena^

• Wed Nov 26 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center^

*With The Sheepdogs

^With Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo

+With Amanda Marshall

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Sarah McLachlan Returns to Peterborough Memorial Centre On Nov. 9

Grammy and Juno-award winning artist Sarah McLachlan is returning to Peterborough and the Memorial Centre as part of her Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary 2025 Canadian tour on Nov. 9.

Photo courtesy of Live Nation Entertainment.

Joining her is the acoustic harmony trio Tiny Habits for all listed dates.

“I’m really excited to bring the tour across Canada, it was so disappointing to have to cancel the 2024 tour due to my vocal health, and I’m grateful that we were able to reschedule,” said McLachlan. “I’m fully recovered and recharged and can’t wait to share the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary tour with my home country, and maybe a few new songs as well. This tour is a real walk down memory lane as Fumbling is a very special record for me... I’m hoping that the songs will bring back a lot of good memories for everybody.”

The tour celebrates McLachlan’s third studio album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, first released Oct. 22, 1993.

One dollar per ticket sale will be donated to the non-profit Sarah McLachlan School of Music which provides music education and mentorship free to children and youth facing barriers to access.

PMC Scoop Ticket presales start Thursday at 10 a.m. with the apporpriate promo code.

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Canadian Rocker Kim Mitchell to Close Out Peterborough Musicfest On Aug. 16

Canadian rock icon Kim Mitchell returns to Peterborough Musicfest as the closer for the 2025 season, taking the stage on Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. at Del Crary Park, announced on Thursday.

Mitchell was known as the lead singer and guitarist for the band Max Webster before pursuing a solo music career. Photo courtesy of Peterborough Musicfest.

This is Mitchell’s fifth appearance on the Fred Anderson Stage for Musicfest. He made appearances in 1997, 2002, 2012 and a special 2017 performance celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday.

“I’m all about customer service. People are coming out to hear certain songs and hear me playing them,” said Mitchell. “But they have been morphing and going through some changes. So ‘Go For A Soda’ sounds a little different the way we play it on a given night. And we will start to jam out on some of the songs and be a little freer with the arrangements. I like to give people what they want.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Kim Mitchell back to Musicfest for our closing night, said Tracey Randall, Musicfest executive director. “He’s a Canadian rock legend, and we know this will be an incredible show. In times when the news is often heavy, it’s great to have something like Musicfest to look forward to. Being able to offer world-class live music to our community—completely free of charge thanks to our sponsors—is something we are incredibly proud of.”

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