Millbrook's Serena Ryder to Headline 2025 Musicfest Opening Night

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Millbrook-born Serena Ryder has been named to headline Peterborough Musicfest’s opening night for its 38th season scheduled for June 28 at Del Crary Park, announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Musicfest.

The singer-songwriter has headlined the opening night of Peterborough Musicfest in 2016. This is her fifth appearance on the Fred Anderson stage and her seventh performance for Peterborough Musicfest.

Ryder graduated from Peterborough Collegiate’s Integrated Arts Program She gained national acclaim with her ballad Weak in the Knees in 2007. She won the first of her seven Juno Awards the following year, taking home Best New Artist of the Year in April 2008. By July 2010, she was performing at the Lilith Fair. In February 2011, she toured across Canada with none other than Melissa Etheridge.

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Beach Boys Bringing Their "Endless Summer Gold" Tour To Peterborough Memorial Centre On April 4

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The last stop of the The Beach Boys ‘Endless Summer Gold’ tour hits the Peterborough Memorial Centre as the last stop set for April 4.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

The announcement was made on Monday by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Grammy® winner, New York Times best-selling author, co-founder, lead singer and chief lyricist of The Beach Boys, Mike Love.

Love has written or co-written the lyrics and hooks to some of the band’s most popular songs, such as California Girls, I Get Around, Fun, Fun, Fun, Good Vibrations and Kokomo.

The current lineup, including musical director Brian Eichenberger, Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, Jon Bolton, Keith Hubacher, Randy Leago and John Wedemeyer.

The Beach Boys, The Beatles and Michael Jackson are the only artists to produce twelve Top 10 Singles within five years. The Songwriters Hall of Fame will induct its new members at the 2025 Induction & Awards Gala on June 12, 2025, in New York City.

The band also released their only official book, The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys, in collaboration with Genesis Publications. This hardcover edition chronicles their meteoric rise, from their first single, “Surfin’,” to their 1980 Independence Day concert. The book is available nationwide at thebeachboysbook.com.

Venue presale tickets are available on Thursday starting at 10 a.m., with general public tickets on Friday at 10 a.m.

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Harmony for Healing Announces Second Benefit Concert ‘Wish You Were Here' For Suicide and Mental Health Awareness

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Harmony for Healing has announced the return of its annual event, ‘Wish You Were Here,’ a benefit concert dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention, announced at The El(P) on Wednesday morning.

(From left to right) Wade Hamblin; ReMax Hallmark Eastern Realty; Ellen Watkins CMHA HKPR CEO; Phillip Jolicoeur, Harmony for Healing Founder and Tracy Graham, CMHA HKPR Director of Programs and Services. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The concert is part of Harmony for Healing’s goal of raising $50,000 over five years to provide critical mental health resources. It will be held on Feb. 20 at Market Hall Performing Centre and is meant to transport people back to the sounds of the 1970s.

The goal is to raise at least $10,000 to support the life-saving Assertive Outreach Suicide Prevention program.

“I've ran hundreds of events and there's always community support on some level but for Harmony for Healing last year and then again this year, the amount of people that jump on (not just the support, the cause and the initiative) have their own stories to share is really what thrives an event like this,” said Phillip Jolicouer, Harmony for Healing founder. “Businesses and supports can align themselves with mental health because we're all dealing with it so it means a lot to me more than just the financial aspect.”

Last year's sold-out concert, ‘Spirit In the Sky’ raised $13,500 on Feb. 22 at Market Hall Performing Centre.

Joilcouer says this year, he wanted to amplify his mission through a four-pillar approach.

His four pillars of impact approach are as follows:

  1. Awareness: Shedding light on mental health challenges and suicide prevention through personal stories and signs to watch for.

  2. Prevention: Empowering our community with tools to foster mental resilience, strengthen support networks, and promote access to mental health resources.

  3. Intervention: Sharing guidance on what to do when someone is in immediate crisis, including local support options and crisis hotlines.

  4. Post-Vention: Supporting survivors and those impacted by suicide through grief counselling, support groups, and outreach.

Jolicouer’s mother had unexpectedly taken her own life on Nov. 30 and the series of shows is a tribute to her memory.

“My mom loved people. She loved local music and music in general,” explained Jolicouer. “You could see her front row in any of the local venues around town so my connection to her with this was to make a local event to hire local musicians, put on a phenomenal rock concert that I could picture my mom where I could picture her up front dancing and enjoying herself and bringing a message that you're not alone. I want to spread that as loud as possible and through music.”

Registration for the event can be found online.

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Bachman Turner Overdrive Returns to the Stage and Hits the Peterborough Memorial Centre On April 29

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The Peterborough Memorial Centre is ‘Takin’ Care of Business’ as they are hosting Bachman Turner-Overdrive (BTO) as part of the Back In Overdrive Tour 2025 on April 29, announced on Friday morning.

Photo courtesy of Missing Piece Group.

Multi-platinum fellow Canadian rock bands April Wine and Headpins will open for the shows.

The band will perform hits from The Guess Who, the classic rock group Bachman co-founded with Burton Cummings.

“Years ago, BTO rocked Canada coast to coast, sharing the stage with acts like ZZ Top,” said Bachman. “Now, we're excited to return, bringing along Canadian rock legends April Wine and Headpins. Get ready for a night of 70's classic rock that continues to dominate the airwaves. I'll be playing all the Guess Who and BTO hits with my band, BTO, and with April Wine and Headpins joining us, it's going to be an unforgettable evening. Crank up the hits! Canadian rock is back and BTO is back."

Bachman has earned over 120 gold and platinum album/singles awards worldwide. His songwriting has garnered him the coveted #1 spot on radio playlists in over 20 countries and throughout his career, he has sold over 40 million records. A broad range of artists has recorded Randy’s songs and have been placed in dozens of TV shows, films and commercials.

Tickets go on sale next Friday.

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Peterborough Concert Band Performing In Benefit Concert Fundraiser for the New Canadians Centre On Oct. 27

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The Peterborough Concert Band (PCB) will perform in a fundraising concert with all proceeds to benefit the New Canadians Centre (NCC) on Oct. 27 at Market Hall from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Photo courtesy of the NCC.

In 2023-2024, NCC reports that more than 2,000 newcomers received assistance from their organization. It was a 50 per cent increase over the previous year and was the highest number of clients ever. The number included 1216 new clients according to the NCC.

“While Canada remains a global leader in welcoming newcomers, we are sobered by the local and global challenges and conflicts affecting all of us and often the newcomer community even more acutely. The services the NCC provides to clients are making resettlement in Peterborough a little more bearable. The top 10 countries from which newcomers arrive are Syria, Ukraine, India, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Philippines, Iran, Mexico, and Pakistan,” according to a statement from the NCC.

The Peterborough Concert Band is one of the longest-running concert bands in Canada. Their Juno-nominated conductor and composer, Saman Shahi, will lead the band through selections ranging from classical to contemporary.

Following the performance, a reception will be organized by NCC.

Tickets are available through the Market Hall box office, their website or Peterborough Concert Band.

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Hometown PTBO: Ian Kurz of KISS Tribute Band "Destroyer" Playing at The Venue to Benefit Right to Heal PTBO On Sept. 7

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This week on Hometown PTBO, David Tuan Bui talks with Ian Kurz, lead singer of KISS tribute band DESTROYER Canada about joining the group, the experience of being in a tribute band and playing in a benefit concert for Right To Heal at The Venue Peterborough on Sept. 7.

Tickets can be purchased online by following this link.

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David Wilcox Peterborough Musicfest Concert Rescheduled to Wednesday After Saturday Cancellation

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Following last Saturday’s unexpected weather conditions and power outage, Peterborough Musicfest has rescheduled the David Wilcox concert for this Wednesday at 8 p.m. at Del Crary Park.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Musicfest.

Wilcox made the following statement on his social media account regarding the cancellation:

“We are heartbroken. Yesterday afternoon thunderstorms knocked the power out at the Peterborough Musicfest and we couldn't play. Many of our friends were there and we got to say hello to some of them. We're hoping to come back as soon as possible to rock out with you. Can't wait!”

This is the final concert for Musicfest for the season.

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Hometown PTBO: Calvin Bakelaar Named As Peterborough Folk Festival's Emerging Artist of the Year

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This week on Hometown PTBO, David Tuan Bui talks with Peterborough Folk Festival Emerging Artist of the Year Calvin Bakelaar about holding the distinction, performing at the event with VANCAMP and transitioning from drummer to singer/songwriter.

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Photos: Peterborough Musicfest Crowd Gets 'Down With Webster'

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Toronto-based band Down With Webster brought their rap-rock musical stylings to a packed Del Crary Park for Peterborough Musicfest, keeping the crowd riled up throughout the concert on Wednesday night.

The band, consisting of Tyler Armes, Patrick Gillett, Cameron Hunter, Andrew ‘Marty’ Martino and Martin ‘Bucky’ Seja, opened up with their song ‘One In a Million to get the crowd pumped.

They played several of their smash hits including ‘Rich Girl$,’ ‘Your Man’ and ‘Woah Is Me.’

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July Talk Announced As Saturday Headliner For Peterborough Folk Festival

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July Talk has been announced as the main stage headliner for Saturday night at the 35th annual Peterborough Folk Festival (PFF) on August 17.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Fest.

The four-time JUNO Award-winning group is known as one of Canada’s premier touring acts. Their energizing live performances and familiar radio hits have led to Gold Records and number-one songs in Canada.

“We are thrilled to share the full lineup for this year's festival after announcing the first wave in early June," says Peterborough Folk Festival artistic director, Ryan Kemp. “July Talk are not only an amazing live band, they share Peterborough Folk Festival’s values of inclusion and creating a safe and welcoming performance environment.”

“It's so exciting to bring them back to Peterborough and have Leah Fay Goldstein and Peter Dreimanis, surrounded by whiplashing guitarists Ian Docherty and Josh Warburton and double drummers Danny Miles and Dani Nash, perform their award-winning music,” said Kemp. I hope people who have yet to attend Canada's longest-running free folk festival will come out and see/hear all the amazing artists and experience this incredible community gathering.”

Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo, The Spades (opening for July Talk), Katie Tupper, Mariel Buckley, Pretty Archie, SHEBAD and Odario, Irish Millie, Nicholas Campbell, Darren Roy Clarke (The Stables), Hunt the Hare, SJ Riley Chet Singh and B.A Johnston are also part of the lineup announced for PFF.

The lineups are as follows in no particular order:

Saturday (Aug. 17) lineup:

  • July Talk

  • The Spades

  • Mariel Buckley

  • Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

  • Odario

  • Kalàscima featuring Andrea Ramolo

  • Sharon, Lois and Bram sing-along with Sharon and Randi

  • B.A Johnston

  • Polky

  • Pretty Archie

  • Quote The Raven

  • SHEBAD

  • Evan Redsky

  • Nicholas Campbell

  • Irish Millie

  • VanCamp

  • Chet Singh

  • Mr. Sauga

Sunday (Aug. 18) lineup:

  • Greg Keelor

  • Boy Golden

  • Katie Tupper

  • Brooks and Bowskill

  • Meredith Moon

  • Jadea Kelly

  • Darren Roy Clarke

  • Hunt The Hare

  • The Spades

  • Irish Millie

  • Pretty Archie

  • Andrea Ramolo

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