Kingston Live Podcast

Mark Deen of The Winter in Canada drops by the studio for a spirited discussion spanning the band's origins and interesting secrets behind the recording of their new album (out July 1, 2025), to making music in the age of AI and the essential ingredients of Kingston's thriving music scene.

Chapters:
00:00:00 Episode overview
00:01:32 Introductions
00:02:09 Landing the band name
00:04:55 The allure...

In a deeply personal interview, Almonte, Ontario singer-songwriter Jordan Holman shares the inspiring story of the personal transformation that's motivating his musical project, Kentucky. He also shares his love for the Kingston music community that's embraced him, music from his forthcoming full-length LP, Second Chance Music, and details about a very unique local album release concert.

Chapters:
00:00:00 E...

Over the past decade, Kingston's Kasador has been through a number of iterations, all while relentlessly touring and performing local shows, writing, recording and releasing new music and videos. In this episode, founding members Cameron Wyatt and Boris Baker reflect on the band's coalescence and chemistry, and share new music from one of two forthcoming self-produced EPs, due out this spring.

Chapters:

00:00:20 E...

On this episode, we celebrate the amazing women who continue to carry Kingston's music scene forward. Host Ange Stever is joined by three generations of accomplished musicians, Miss Emily, Julia Finnegan and Kyra Daniel, who share the experiences and influences that continue to inspire them to write, record, perform and build not just musical repertoires, but musical careers in Kingston and abroad. All three will be taking par...

Originally formed in 2017 as Hot Knives, exciting Kingston emo-punk act with the somewhat difficult-to-decipher moniker, Monach (pronounced maw-nuck), have emerged from the studio—with a new lineup and new single—ahead of their self-produced sophomore album due out May 23, 2025. On this episode, Andrew (guitar, vocals) and Curtis (drums) discuss their enduring friendships with bandmates, the band's growth and evolution, and sh...

On this episode, Kingston singer-songwriter and stand-up comic, Logan Brown, shares his perspective our city's live comedy scene, and discusses his journey from performing musician to comedian. He also shares a track from his debut album, Black Man, White Privilege, as well as advice for aspiring comics, and where to catch stand-up performances in Kingston.

Episode Credits

Guests:
Logan Brown https://kin...

Kingston singer-songwriter, Jay Smith, built his career as a working musician regularly playing local venues, festivals, weddings, parties, and whatever other opportunities his efforts earned him. It's no surprise that "Smitty" also earned his reputation as one of Kingston's most beloved, respected and in-demand musical performers, whose recorded releases put him on a trajectory most songwriters would aspire to....

It's been five years and a global pandemic since Kingston's Emilie Steele & The Deal released their self-titled EP. Through it all, the indie-rock-alt-country act has grown their following, their band and their repertoire. On this episode, Riley and Johnny talk to Emilie Steele and drummer Jon Irwin about their journey since 2019 and the making of the band's debut full-length album, Cut the Deck, due out November...

Whether you're a casual or career musician, or a live or recorded music consumer, you'll find this episode enlightening. Music is an industry, and being a professional musician is a trade. And, whether writing, recording or performing, musicians have rights and needs, just like other workers. Often navigating the industry on their own, many musicians experience mistreatment, poor pay and exploitation.  On this episode, we...

Known for their frenetic and rousing live performances, it's been six years since Kingston garage punks The Meringues' last full-length album. With their sophomore LP, Pavlova's Dog, set for release on September 16, 2024, founding members Ted and Amanda discuss the inspiration for their lasting creative partnership; their DIY approach to promotion and publicity; the making of the new album, and share the first single...

Fresh from their Rockin' the Square performance supporting the JUNO Award-winning Crash Test Dummies, hosts Johnny and Riley sit down with Claya Way Brackenbury and Michael Broadhead of Kingston alt-folk act, Piner. The conversation traverses the accomplishments of the band both locally and abroad; their 2023 LP, A Netherworld and related social causes; the similarities and differences between the music communities in Ontario ...

On this episode, hosts Johnny and Riley examine Kingston's music scene through the lens of local hip-hop artists 92Rare (Justin Lamoreaux of Thunder Bolt Labs) and Dupel (Jean Jacques Dupel). Their conversation explores the opportunities and adversities faced by Kingston hip-hop artists, including thoughts on how City officials, promoters and festival organizers can help break barriers, stigmas and paradigms to expand hip-hop&...

June is the start of Pride Season in Canada, and fittingly, this episode explores the vision—and visionaries—behind Kingston's non-auditioned, mixed-voice, 2SLGBTQ+ and allied choir, Spectrum Voices. Hosts Johnny and Ange are joined by choir director Ren Challacombe, and Filipino-Canadian, multi-instrumental singer-songwrtier and choir member, Ari Bautista, who also writes, records and performs under the name ATIARI. Together,...

It's been four years since Kingston's Rae Corcoran and Ciara Roberts proclaimed their musical act, Tiny Horse, on the Kingston Live podcast (episode 22). In this episode, the pair return to reflect on the band's growth and early success, its uniqueness and appeal, and what it's like being a queer band seemingly beloved by a mostly straight fan base. They also share music and stories from their forthcoming full-l...

Five years in the making, the RKY Camp Summer Album aims to help more kids experience the transformative "magic" of the annual youth retreats on Eagle Lake, north of Kingston. On this episode, host Rob Howard is joined by alt-folk singer-songwriter Savannah Shea, and recording engineer and producer Aaron Holmberg, who share their RKY Camp memories and discuss the making of the benefit album—which features 18 songs contrib...

In anticipation of the release of their new full-length album, Strangers I Used to Love (April 12, independent), hosts Johnny and Riley engage Kingston's Jonas Lewis-Anthony and Nick Lennox of The Wilderness in a spirited and emotive discourse that veers from experiences overseas to our city's local music strategy, and from Frank Turner to Taylor Swift. And, of course, about the making of the band's forthcoming album...

In recent years, Kingston drag shows and performers have enjoyed renewed popularity. While many may be new to drag, hosts Johnny and Ange discover the art form has a deeper and richer history in Kingston than one might think. In this episode, Kingston's preeminent drag entertainers and hosts of the What's the Maple Tea?! podcast, Tyffanie Morgan and Rowena Whey, drive the discussion from drag's past to present, and f...

The vitality of Kingston's music economy is owed, in part, to the city's numerous live music venues. A stand-out among them is The Spire: a multi-purpose event venue operating in the nearly 200-year-old, heritage-designated Sydenham Street United Church in downtown Kingston. In this episode, hosts Ange and Johnny tour this sacred structure with The Spire's General Manager, Sam MacLeod, to understand the site's h...

For more than a decade, The Celtic Kitchen Party has been raising pints and Kingstonian's spirits with their boisterous blend of Celtic-infused contemporary and traditional music. On this episode, Pete and Riley sit down with Andrew Vanhorn of the band to talk about their love for the holidays and the making of their new album, One Celtic Christmas.

Hosts
Pete Sanfilippo pete@kingstonlive.ca
Riley Jabour riley...