Kingston Live Podcast

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...

From broadcast host at "The Nation's Music Station" to local TV anchor and music fan, Bill Welychka's storied career has not only brought him to many places, but also face-to-face with some of the world's most celebrated music acts. On this episode, hosts Ange Stever and Johnny San chat with Bill about his new autobiography, A Happy Has-Been, and how his life experiences have shaped his modest attitude, and...

Following a year-and-a-half process of writing and recording, Kingston's Oakridge Ave. finally released their new full-length album, Wind Up/Let Go, on September 15, 2023. Produced by the JUNO Award-winning Hawksley Workman, the new record was both a triumph and something transformative for everyone involved. Our hope for episode 59 (the previous episode) was to simultaneously interview  Oakridge Ave. and Wind Up/Let Go produc...

While the COVID-19 pandemic saw the hiatus (or demise) of many music acts, some, like Oakridge Ave., channeled their time and energy into new projects. The Kingston four-piece turned to JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Hawksley Workman, who led the band on a year-and-a-half transformational journey. On this episode, Johnny and Rob meet with Sean and Harrison of Oakridge Ave. to discuss the outcomes of ...

The challenges facing younger musicians are considerable. On this episode, Rob meets with local bandmates Ryleigh Stringer and Nathan Graham to learn how their student-led Musician's Guild has been creating new opportunities and buzz for youth acts in Kingston.

Host:
Rob Howard rob@kingstonlive.ca

Music featured in this episode:
Man on the Moon (Live) by Sons of Rick

Links:
St. Lawrence C...

Conceived and organized by a committee of youth, the Cloud 9 Electronic Music & Eco-Art Festival is “immersive and multi-sensory celebration” of EDM and sustainability. Ahead of the festival's second edition, set to take place September 8 to 10, 2023 at No.9 Gardens, host Rob Howard meets with committee members Reily Morrison and Rupert Davies to learn how they've expanded and enhanced the Cloud 9 experience for 2023....

Despite the global popularity of hip-hop culture, Kingston's many hip-hop artists remain overlooked and, arguably, under-appreciated. For over a decade, Keaton Ryan has been working to elevate Kingston's hip-hop talent both here at home and abroad. Following the release of his new full-length album, If Strangers Think I'm Cool, Keaton sits with hosts Riley and Pete to discuss the challenges facing Kingston's hip...

What started as a summer weekend in the wilderness north of Kingston, Ontario, between friends,  has become a unique cultural and musical microcosm active year-round. In early August 2023, the annual Blue Skies Music Festival will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, which is significant for a festival—or “a community of communities”—that is completely non-commercial, self-organized and volunteer-run. Host Johnny San sits down with ...

Hosts Riley and Pete meet up with Nate and Danny of Master Nate & The Reprobates for a chat that traverses topics ranging from Kingston's ever-evolving punk scene and the band's love of ska music, to their adventures in Australia and Costa Rica, and their latest project, The Diem Series, an epic 8-album undertaking, recorded in part at The Tragically Hip's The Bathouse Studio.

Music featured in this epis...

Just below the surface of Kingston's music scene lies a deep bedrock of musicians who make and perform a diversity of musical styles, from jazz and blues to hip hop and funk. On this episode, hosts Pete and Riley are joined by Jordan Bulhoes and Helena Hannibal of local funk collective Nice On to discuss the band's sizeable and talented lineup, and their debut album, set to release on April 1, 2023 with a show at Musiikki...