Details: This musical showcase brings together some of Canada's most inspiring
songwriters to share their songs and stories round-robin style. Last
season, Bluebird North events included Andy Kim, the late Paul
Quarrington, Emm Gryner, Dan Hill, Sylvia Tyson, D'Ari, Marc Jordan,
Luke McMaster, and others. Join us in the casual Conservatory Theatre
for drinks, stories, and music with artists who have written some of the
most well-known songs today.
This showcase is featuring
Rik Emmett
Rob Szabo
Dave Bidini
with host Blair Packham
Presented in Partnership with the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Tickets: $26
SAC Members: $20
About the Performers
Rik Emmett gained international notoriety as the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist with Triumph. Four gold & platinum decades in the music biz have provided entry into the Canadian Rock Hall of Fame, the Music Industry Hall of Fame and the Junos Hall of Fame, with a few ‘Best Guitarist’ awards in various categories garnered along the way. A morphing, moving target, Rik followed up Smooth Jazz awards in ‘05 and ‘06, with the worldwide release of a prog rock project called Airtime in ‘07.
His latest 2011 release is the 17th of his independent career, based out of www.rikemmett.com. Entitled “reCOVERy Room 9“, it’s an acoustic duo with Dave Dunlop, featuring nine cover songs from a wildly eclectic range of pop music.
Continuing his commitment to prolific and conscientious music-making, with no less than three new solo releases slated for 2012, Rik remains an innovative music educator of long standing with Humber College in Toronto, and is the Artistic Director of the annual Songstudio Songwriting Workshop.
Hailed by the press as a “gifted musician” with “the soul of a poet” and “a voice of tremendous power and whimsy”, Toronto-based
Rob Szabo is a tireless solitary touring troubadour, an acclaimed songwriter and in- demand record producer. His studio recordings get raved about by press, both in Canada and the U.S., where he’s been called “Cobain-worthy” and “like prime Costello”. Canada’s CBC Radio 1 & 2 champion his music on shows nationwide.
Rob Szabo`s crowdfunded self-titled fifth studio album is a dark and intimate recording prominently featuring his voice and acoustic guitar with dashes of horns, strings and ambient atmospherics. Rob is currently performing about 100 shows per year, making records as a solo artist and producing other artists. His fans always mention Rob’s ever-present wry smile, and how he makes you feel like you’re in on a shared secret.
Dave Bidini is a Canadian musician, journalist and author originating from Etobicoke, Ontario. He is a founding member of the acclaimed rock band Rheostatics, and has published several books about (mostly) music and sports. He currently performs with his band, aptly named BidiniBand. The group's first album, The Land Is Wild, was released in 2009. Bidini's next book, Home and Away: The Story of the 2008 Homeless World Cup, will be published by Greystone Books.