Vivienne Wilder is a Toronto-based singer/songwriter and bassist whose music channels raw vulnerability, defiant resilience, and fleeting beauty through an alt-rock lens. Classically trained but forged in the neon glow of dive bars and restless touring circuits, her songs fuse confessional lyricism with a sharp-edged emotional intensity, delivered through a voice that swings effortlessly between haunting fragility and blistering ferocity.

Vivienne’s third full-length album, Terrible Human, sees her working closely with producer/guitarist Ian Docherty (July Talk, Dwayne Gretzky) to craft her most cohesive and emotionally resonant work yet. On the biting “Sex Machine,” gnarly bass and sneering vocals skewer an ex’s inflated self-image with seething wit. The frenetic “Total Mess” confronts personal flaws head-on with raw self-awareness and indie-rock textures, while “Ten Year Bender” blends swaggering attitude with world-weary storytelling, painting a portrait of excess, regret, and fleeting catharsis.

The Friendly Frogs Freak Show, Progressive Funk Batracien energetically loaded and ready to draw you in an infinite whirlwind of colored sounds supported by an eclectic rhythmic section which offers you dancing chills and atmospheres conducive to exposing your interior frog!

https://friendlyfrogsfreakshow.bandcamp.com

Frank Ryan, a singer songwriter from Dublin, will be taking the stage and playing a range of covers and original songs! His music has been described as “soulful rock” with hauntingly powerful and melodic vocals.

Support Frank Ryan & Friends by leaving a tip:

http://paypal.me/pools/c/8t6oqmzfqT

The Boo Radley Project is a indie-funk septet founded in 2011 in Guelph, ON.
Boo’s music evokes an intimate connection within the textured grooves, the kind that can only be conjured up by a group of close-knit friends. They have been likened to everyone from Wilco and Mr. Bungle to Primus and Tower of Power.

Boo’s toured coast to coast, packing into the 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan and playing festival stages at Hillside Festival, Halifax Pop Explosion, and Riverfest Elora. The band just released the single “Schneiders Sign, Take Me Home” in December, which Exclaim! called the “perfect ode to the ubiquitously sausage-laden roadside masterpiece” billboard along Highway 401.

The Boo Radley Project is a indie-funk septet founded in 2011 in Guelph, ON.
Boo’s music evokes an intimate connection within the textured grooves, the kind that can only be conjured up by a group of close-knit friends. They have been likened to everyone from Wilco and Mr. Bungle to Primus and Tower of Power.

Boo’s toured coast to coast, packing into the 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan and playing festival stages at Hillside Festival, Halifax Pop Explosion, and Riverfest Elora. The band just released the single “Schneiders Sign, Take Me Home” in December, which Exclaim! called the “perfect ode to the ubiquitously sausage-laden roadside masterpiece” billboard along Highway 401.

Sarah Jayne Riley
Have you ever pressed the reset button on your life? Sarah Jayne Riley did—and hasn’t looked back. Trading a conventional career for her true calling, music, she transformed herself into a fresh indie-pop artist whose message and voice resonates. With lyrics that embody resilience, self-empowerment, and rebellion, her debut EP 'Rules for the Collective Good' is ready to release April 2025. SJR is building a launch pad and is a rocket; prepare for liftoff.
Dylan Ireland
Dylan Ireland writes songs for the underdogs - the ones who’ve seen the dark and fought their way back. Raised in a trailer with a front-row seat to the life of a recording artist, music seemed an inevitable dream. With anthemic indie rock that punches through the static, Dylan’s sound is raw, cinematic, and honest. His latest release, little wasteland AKA drugstore, is a battle cry for resilience, painted in grit and melody. Four years sober after beating addiction, he doesn’t just write about the struggle—he writes about the fight to get back up again. Mental health, recovery, and the ghosts that linger in small-town streets bleed into every song, turning scars into something loud, something defiant. This isn’t just music—it’s survival set to a soundtrack.

Monique Messier
Brazilian-born singer-songwriter Monique Messier crafts soulful melodies and heartfelt stories, blending contemporary pop with acoustic influences and rich Brazilian roots.

https://exclaim.ca/music/article/sunshine-makers-and-lavender-town-plot-2025-tour

Sunshine is the phenomenon of little things coming together to create something much greater. As our name suggests, Sunshine Makers creates music that radiates with a warm glow. The music resonates with themes of positivity and hope—with love, peace, and unity always at the forefront. With a beautiful bouquet of vocal arrangements, and the use of organic instrumentation alongside analog synthesizers, the sonic appeal is an amalgamation of modern and classic vibes with deep roots in R&B, funk, jazz, and neo-soul.

Originally from New Glasgow, NS, now Based out of Kingston, ON; WHYGO is out to prove that a small town does not equal a small sound. Taking inspiration from blues, metal and practically everything in and between, this rock trio brings poeticism with an aggressive feel and a loud attitude. 

Brought together by the right time and the right place, three long time friends come together to form a band on a “what if?” WHYGO performed their first show on October 1st, 2022, covering music from various genres and decades. Hungry to become fresh faces on the scene, fast forward 21 months and they had released a debut single, a self titled EP, a full length LP named Silk and are now signed to Shoebox Records. 

A Meringues show is must-see, as the band tears through each song, balancing between a great performance, and one that seems in constant danger of going off the rails. At the core of this Kingston, Ontario based group, are the dueling lead vocals of Amanda Pants and Ted Evans. They have a torrid, almost theatrically manic partnership, infused with a bubbling, broiling tension that gives each stage performance a delightful unpredictability and emotional intensity that entrances and enthralls audiences. There is more than just random chaos though. There is a focused energy, enveloped around songs that possess catchy, memorable melodies and lyrical sentiments that are bitingly fierce, striking to the core of relationship dysfunction and the prevalence of self-doubt and darkness that exist within so many of us.

Join us for a night of entertainment featuring bands from Queens University!

KOJAK
A blend of hard rock riffs, trading guitars and tight rhythm section have lead to a unique rock sound reminiscent of classic and contemporary rock, roots and blues artists alike.

David James Allen
David James Allen is a producer, graphic artist, and maker of folk and country songs including those on his new album The Architect (out soon via Garment District Records). He lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

Lobby Boys
The debut night for new local rock ‘n’ roll band, Lobby Boys, formed by Paul Stos!

Noise Hotel plays inventive covers of well-known classic & contemporary rock & exciting originals inspired by The Strokes & Arctic Monkeys. Noise Hotel has been performing across Ontario since 2022, playing venues in Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston & more. The band has been featured on the lineups for the Springtide Music Festival, NXNE, Under The Stars Music Festival, Breaking Sound Canada & Wintersong. Known for immersive shows filled with audience interaction, guests at the Noise Hotel always enjoy their stay.

The Sun Dried Flies are an indie, alternative band from Brockville, Ontario, known for their fresh yet familiar sound, and exciting live performances.

Frank Ryan, a singer songwriter from Dublin, will be taking the stage and playing a range of covers and original songs! His music has been described as “soulful rock” with hauntingly powerful and melodic vocals.

Joined by his band and special guest Andrew Brown, sprinkling some special Irish tunes throughout the night!

Support Frank Ryan & Friends by leaving a tip:

http://paypal.me/pools/c/8t6oqmzfqT

Mip Power Trio

The Mip Power Trio, led by art rocker Mip, blends punk energy with Americana roots for a "raw and wild" sound. Formed in 2010, the trio (with Greg Kowalczyk on bass and Devin Jannetta on drums) delivers sharp, witty anthems for a generation navigating uncertain times against the backdrop of changing cultural landscapes. Armed with two LPs, two EPs, and upcoming 2025 releases, they’ve earned a reputation as Toronto’s best-kept secret, known for passion, resilience, and undeniable dedication to their craft.

With St. Paddy’s Day just around the corner, the Mip Power Trio will also be bringing a few Irish tunes out for this Kingston Show only. Let’s turn up the craic!

Pamela White

Pamela White is an Australian-born singer-songwriter, blending pop sensibilities with acoustic guitar and the desire to explore a full range of sonic possibilities. Her songs are catchy and tell the story of a woman who is just trying to figure out how she keeps getting into these situations.

https://www.instagram.com/amaryllismtl/

The ” Ghetto Xpress ” was formed in October of the year 2000, in response for the need of a new house band at the Toucan on Monday nights, a gig previously occupied by Kingston blues stalwarts Blue Monday for the previous 2 1/2 years. Blue Monday members Zak Colbert and Mike Sakell, decided to continue on with a different band and a change of concept, and formed the Express. With keyboard wizard Spencer Evans throwing his hat in, and the addition of a fresh new face on guitar, James Taylor, the band was complete. The original repertoire focused heavily on the sounds of Motown, and classic R&B, but with the addition of Jonathan Stewart a.k.a ” Bunny ” on tenor saxophone a few years ago, the band took a decidedly more funky New Orleans type approach. Zak and James eventually left the band to be replaced by Zak’s young protege, Alec Barken, on bass, and Mark Taras on guitar, and that has been the lineup for the last eight years.

Known for sharing the stage with musical friends who drop by now and then, many touring acts with a night off in Kingston, manage to find their way to the stage and sit in with the band.Some of the notable ones include, Colin James, the Blue man group band, Sarah Harmer, Ryan Lewis, and members of Trooper to name just a few. You never know who’s going to show up when Ghetto Xpress hits the stage.

This band is one of those “must see ” acts, so next time you hear about one of their shows, make sure to get out and see them,or sit in with them, and remember to keep on truckin….

The official after party for the Kingston Canadian Film Festival, featuring Joan Smith and the Jane Does (Toronto), and special guests Carlo (Kingston)!

Joan Smith & the Jane Does are leaving an indelible mark on Canada’s rock scene. Praised by Great Dark Wonder for their authentic hard rock sound, they’ve quickly earned a place in the alt rock landscape. Their debut album, “Do Me Some Harm” (October 2023), was produced by band member Tom Juhas and mixed by Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures).

Smith, she of “towering pipes and a remarkable dirty guitar tone” (torontomusicreviews.com), and guitarist/producer Tom Juhas form the Jane Does – a female fronted dance rock machine with cutting vocals that amp up to the edge of sanity, pulsing rock beats and relentless guitars which remind noted radio personality and music historian Jeff Woods of ‘Queens of the Stone Age and Stevie Nicks’. That comparison is no coincidence – The Jane Does packed Toronto’s Legendary Horseshoe Tavern performing QOTSA’s ‘Songs for the Deaf’ in its entirety, and their work with Alain Johannes on “Do Me Some Harm” exemplifies this influence.