Wide Mouth Mason will be part of the Guitar Strings and Kidney Things fundraiser in Hamilton, Ontario on October 21, 2023. Check out the venue, Bridgeworks, for further details!
Category: Press
WMMpress: More Rainmaker coverage
WMMpress via St. Albert Gazette
Big Sugar and Wide Mouth Mason headline Rainmaker Rodeo
BY ANNA BOROWIECKI, ST. ALBERT GAZETTE APRIL 30, 2014
On the second last weekend of every May, the Rainmaker Rodeo blasts off for three days to remember.
The action starts on Friday, May 23 with a much anticipated rock concert featuring headline rockers Big Sugar and Wide Mouth Mason.
Pat Dower, the rodeo concert chair of the sponsoring St. Albert Kinsmen, is the man behind the scenes who spends hours emailing agents, negotiating contracts and gauging a budget.
And he is pumped for this year’s rock line-up.
Big Sugar just released Yardstyle on April 15 and it’s a slight departure from past albums. The 13-track of percussion-heavy acoustic reggae definitely rocks, but the band shows a different side of their sound.
The collection blends new material with overhauled versions of past cuts in a stripped down acoustic form. Many of the arrangements were inspired by spontaneous jam sessions held on tour buses and backstage.
As vocalist Gordie Johnson said, “This is what we sound like when people aren’t watching. We never rehearse our songs the way they’ll sound at a show. Instead we’ll grab a banjo, a guitar, and just play. This is how we get our groove on.”
Dower, who was privileged to see them perform at an Ontario festival noted, “They’re a pretty active band and they put on a great show. You want to get up off your seat and dance. They’re great to hear and easy to listen to.”
In contrast the Canadian blues-rock band Wide Mouth Mason is in the process of producing their eighth CD. The last one was No Bad Days released in 2011.
Going strong since the 1990s, the rock-blues-soul power trio has opened for heavyweights such as The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, AC/DC and The Guess Who.
“I’ve never seen them play, but some of our senior members recommended them. They’re a very energetic bunch of guys and we’re excited to have them.”
On the local front, the Morinville-based Canyon Rose Outfit is all fired up to perform their full-throttle combo of rock and roll, psychedelic and blues.
The concert is an 18-plus show. Gates open at 6 p.m. Advance ticket prices are $39.99 plus GST. Gate admission is $59.99 plus GST.
Tickets are available on line at ticketmaster.ca. Fans can save the cost of service fees (about $12) by buying tickets at St. Albert’s Crown & Tower Pub or The Beer Hunter locations.
For additional information visit http://stalbertkinsmen.ca
WMMpress: Rainmaker coverage
WMMpress via St. Albert Leader
Big Sugar brings sweet sounds to Rainmaker
BY GLENN COOK, ST. ALBERT LEADER APRIL 25, 2014
Organizers of this year’s Rainmaker Rodeo and Exhibition to hear some sweet sounds from their rock lineup.
The St. Albert Kinsmen announced earlier this week that the annual festival’s rock concert will be headlined by Canadian reggae-blues-rock veterans Big Sugar on Friday, May 23, under the big tent at their rodeo grounds on Riel Drive.
They’ll be joined on the bill by fellow Canadian rockers Wide Mouth Mason.
Big Sugar has had a number of members rotate through their lineup since they released their first album in 1991, but the core of the band has remained lead singer/guitarist Gordie Johnson, bassist Garry Lowe and harmonica/saxophone player Kelly “Mr. Chill” Hoppe. Together, they have gained a reputation for being an outstanding live band.
Their breakthrough came in 1995 when they released their album Hemi-Vision, which included such hits as “Diggin’ A Hole,” “Open Up Baby,” and “If I Had My Way.” They followed that up with 1996’s Heated, which included “Better Get Used to It,” “The Scene,” and “Turn the Lights On.”
In 2001, the band released Brothers and Sisters, Are You Ready?, which included “Nicotina,” “All Hell for a Basement,” and a blistering guitar version of “O Canada.” The band also recorded a track-for-track French version of the album for sale in Quebec.
Big Sugar decided to split up and played their last show at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton on New Year’s Eve 2003. But they reunited in 2010, and released a new studio album, Revolution Per Minute, in 2011. Currently, they are promoting an acoustic album, YardStyle.
Meanwhile, Wide Mouth Mason is a blues-rock band that started in Saskatoon, Sask., in 1995. They are best known for sings like “Midnight Rain,” “Sugarcane,” and “Smile.” Big Sugar’s Johnson started pulling double duty as Wide Mouth Mason’s full-time bassist in March 2011, and also produced their last album, No Bad Days, which was released in July 2011.
The Kinsmen also announced about a week ago that the country concert on Saturday, May 24, will feature Tim Hicks and Michelle Wright.
Tickets for the 18-plus rock show are $39.99 each plus fees and taxes, and are available through Ticketmaster.
WMMpress: JulyFest coverage
WMMpress via Kimberley Daily Bulletin
Kimberley Chamber announces JulyFest acts
BY CAROLYN GRANT, KIMBERLEY DAILY BULLETIN APRIL 23, 2014
JulyFest planning is now well underway and many have been eagerly waiting the announcement of which band will play the Civic Centre on Saturday night, July 19. The answer was worth the wait.
Following the huge success with 54-40 last year, the Kimberley Chamber is pleased to announce that two bands have been booked for this year’s JulyFest. They are Wide Mouth Mason and Big Sugar.
Mike Guarnery, Chamber manager, and Dave Clark, of the JulyFest committee had a long search to find just the right acts and believe they have found them.
Wide Mouth Mason and Big Sugar are touring together this summer.
Formed in Saskatoon in 1995, Wide Mouth Mason consists of Shaun Verreault (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Safwan Javed (Percussion, Backing Vocals), and Gordie Johnson (Bass, Backing Vocals). The pop/rock/blues band has had a number of hits including Midnight Rain and Sugarcane.
Gordie Johnson is the common thread between both bands. He plays bass for Wide Mouth Mason and guitar for Big Sugar, which was formed in 1988. Big Sugar has put out eight reggae-rock albums including this year’s Eliminate Ya! Live! Big Sugar has built their reputation as an outstanding live band, often playing without a set list. Band members are Gordie Johnson, guitar/vocals; Garry Lowe, bass; Kelly Mr Chill Hoppe, harmonica/sax/melodica; Friendlyness, keyboards and Stephane Bodean Beaudin, drums.
Tickets for the show will go on-sale in mid-May on the new Julyfest website (www.julyfest.com). Canadian Bocce Championship registration will also be available at that time.
Concert ticket prices are $45 (plus fees and taxes). The Kimberley & District Chamber is expanding the Saturday night entertainment with both these great bands, says Guarnery. All ticket holders must be 19 years of age to enter the show.
WMMpress: Musicians Care for Kids coverage
WMMpress via Calgary Herald
Paul Dean from Loverboy lends his talents to Musicians Care for Kids Concert
BY MIKE BELL, CALGARY HERALD FEBRUARY 11, 2014
It may not be kosher to admit it, but when you’re involved in charitable events it actually really is OK to do it, even in part, for your own personal and somewhat indulgent reasons.
As long as it’s a win-win for everyone, there’s nothing really wrong with it
So you’ll forgive Loverboy guitarist Paul Dean if his participation in the Musicians Care for Kids Concert Wednesday night at Flames Central has altruistic intentions but with a side of selfishness.
“It’s going to be a really, really cool event,” Dean says. “Musically, I’m really looking forward to it.”
You can’t really blame him. The annual charity concert raises money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary, with all of the proceeds going to the Avenue 15 program, which provides temporary shelter and basic needs to runaways between the ages of 12 and 17.
Now, in celebration of its fifth year, the songwriters circle event is stepping things up slightly, moving away from its lower key lineup that featured unsigned but up-and-coming Alberta talent with, usually, one bigger name artist anchoring things.
This year the event is filled with Canadian star power, including country artist Jason McCoy, Big Sugar frontman Gordie Johnson, Wide Mouth Mason founder Shaun Verreault and classic rocker Greg Godovitz, backed by a house band of local giants including leader Russell Broom, Mike Lent, Mike Little and Pat Steward, with special guest, Mr. Dean.
And, again, while the opportunity to help kids in need is something he has an incredible amount of empathy for — partly as the father of a 17-year-old son — there was another opportunity here he didn’t want to pass up.
“The reason I signed on, besides the fact that it’s for an amazing cause and my heart really goes out to these kids … was because Shaun Verreault was going to be there,” says Dean of the guitarist, whose talents he was introduced to via YouTube clips.
“I would have done it regardless of Shaun, but that’s going to be the real cherry for me, personally.”
Dean was enlisted into the evening by friend Godovitz, whom he became close friends with over the past decade while both of them were living in Calgary, playing together weekly at the Blues Can and recording with one another.
He was also familiar with the people behind the event after meeting and hitting it off with local promoter Jeff Parry backstage at the Alberta Flood Aid concert — Parry’s promotion and production companies were heavily involved in putting on the McMahon Stadium fundraiser, which Loverboy performed at.
So performing another well-run and worthy charity event with such a stellar group of musicians was a no-brainer for Dean.
Just don’t expect to hear any of the hits from his past.
“That is not going to happen,” Dean says. “There will be no Loverboy.”
No, he won’t be turned loose. The guitarist says his role in the evening will be entirely as musical support for the other artists who are taking part, backing them as they run through their material and tell the stories behind the songs.
Besides, it’s not like you can’t hear Loverboy tunes everywhere else these days. There was, of course, Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy on Conan O’Brien’s show singing Working for the Weekend as the campaign song for Rob Ford.
More recently, and a much bigger deal, was the hit being used for RadioShack’s ’80s themed Super Bowl commercial, which featured cultural figures from that era such as Alf, Mary Lou Retton, Twisted Sister and the California Raisins.
“I thought Chucky was amazing in that (commercial),” Dean says with a laugh, noting the band had no advance warning of the spot. “That was my favourite part — that was so funny.”
And there could be some new hits on the way soon, as Dean says Loverboy are currently “in negotiations” with several labels to have a recently completed record released this year.
There is also another album coming from his other beloved Canrock project Streetheart, who reunited in Winnipeg in 1993 for a concert — Dean describes it as a “pretty smokin’ night” — which was recorded and will also be released in 2014.
But for now, the guitarist is focused on the task at hand, getting ready for Wednesday night’s Musicians Care for Kids show, which, if you haven’t already guessed, he’s predicting will be a night where the money raised may only be trumped by the good times had.
“It’s going to be nothing but big grins,” he says. “Grinning for the kids.”
Musicians Care For Kids featuring Jason McCoy, Gordie Johnson, Paul Dean and others goes Wednesday at Flames Central.
WMMpress: Shaun gets Odd
WMMpress via Nanaimo Daily News: Shaun in Nanaimo!
Article excerpt: The Grapes of Wrath and Odds featuring Shaun Verreault of Wide Mouth Mason play at the Florence Filberg Centre, Jan. 24, 2014.
WinterBites Concert + Stay packages for the double bill are being offered through Old House Village Hotel & Spa ($94.50 per person) and Holiday Inn Express Hotel ($99.95 per person). Individual tickets are $40. Doors open at 8 p.m. and show at 9 p.m. Ticket information, packages and concert listings are available at www.winterbitesfestival.com.