Hamilton Blues Lovers

2-2:30am: Ensemble! TV Show Hosted by Dave Rave starring TBA recorded at Clifford Brewing Company @ Cable 14 (Hamilton) or livestream on cable14now.com

9-9:30am: Ensemble! TV Show Hosted by Dave Rave starring TBA recorded at Clifford Brewing Company @ Cable 14 (Hamilton) or livestream on cable14now.com

9:30am-1pm: Freewheelin' Folk Show (Radio Show) Hosted by Jim Marino @ 93.3 CFMU or cfmu.ca (Hamilton) (Weekly)

1pm: The Coachmen (Chris Wheeler, Colin Lapsley, Matt Burns) with Josh Miller @ Coach & Lantern, Upstairs (Ancaster) $?

1-4pm: East Coast Kitchen Party with Fried Balogna ft James Ferris @ Pub Fiction (Ancaster) (Weekly)

1:30-5pm: James Anthony & Djino LeFracois @ Uptown Social House (Burlington)

2-5pm: Big John & The Nite Trippers @ Battlefield Legion (Stoney Creek) $10

2-5pm: Andrew Irving @ BLK Swan, Brant St. (Burlington)

2-4:30pm: Open Mic with Victor Morgado @ Smoke and Moonshine (Beamsville) (Weekly)

2-4pm: Jazz Jam @ Jazz Room (Waterloo)

2:30-6:30pm: Mighty Duck Blues Band with Jerome Godboo @ Jo Blo's Rock & Wok (St. Catharines) $10

2:30pm: Brant Parker Band with Paige Armstrong @ Donnelly's Pub (Thorold) $10

2:30pm: Blues at the Regency w Blues Etc ft Leroy Emmanuel (LMT Connection) @ Regency 76 – The Original Sports Bar (Niagara Falls)

---- 3:00-7:59pm ----

3pm: Beethoven's Seventh with Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra @ FirstOntario Concert Hall (Hamilton) $?

3pm: Singer-Songwriter Open Mic with Will Gillespie @ The Casbah Lounge (Hamilton)

3-6pm: Tony Paglia Trio @ Carrigan Arms (Burlington) $5

3pm: Alfie Smith @ Nickel Brook Brewing Company (Burlington)

3-5:30pm: Redleaf Cultural Integration: Lunar New Year Celebration Gala @ Burlington Performing Arts Centre $39/Group of 30 or more: $30 each / Children 12 and under: $20

3:30-5pm: Monday Press Poetry and Music: Off_Beat @ Hamilton Public Library, Central, First Floor Big Screen FREE

4-7pm: Lucas Stagg @ Clifford Brewing Co (Hamilton) $?

4-7pm: Jazz Express @ Cat's Caboose (St. Catharines)

5pm: Will Gillespie Farewell Show @ The Casbah Lounge (Hamilton)

5:45pm: Redefine (some live music) Presented by Beyond Borders Leadership Development Program @ River Run Centre (Guelph) $120 A Seating/ $90 B Seating/ $80 C Seating

6-9pm: Bo @ Sassy Britches Brewery (Brantford)

6-9pm: REUBEN COSTA @ Flux Brewing Company (Brant)

6-9pm: Sammy Duke @ Strykerz Kitchen & Bar (Kitchener)

7pm: Fiddlestix Trio @ Bronte Sports Kitchen (Oakville)

7-10pm: Max Hillier Band @ Crystal Chandelier (Crystal Beach)

7-10pm: ANDREW SCHOETTLER TRIO @ Manhattans (Guelph)

7pm: VANYAH @ Easy Pour (Cambridge)

7:30pm: Whiskey Chasers @ Stonewalls (Hamilton) $?

7:30pm: The Nine Lives of Ross Fordham (Stories & Songs) @ Theatre Aquarius, Studio Theatre (Hamilton) (Jan 10-19) $?

7:30pm: Kiss Me, Kate: In Concert @ Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre (Adults: $34/Seniors: $32/Youth: $15) Jan 17-19

7:30pm: Classic Troubadours Live: Tributes to James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne & Carole King ft Jacob Moon + Selena Evangeline, Alex Whorms, Mark McIntyre, Rob Brown @ Fergus Grand Theatre $?

7:30-9pm: Guelph Community Singers “Songs Of Peace” ft Tragedy Ann @ Trinity United Church (Guelph) $22.63

---- 8:00-8:59pm ----

8pm: USA Out Of Vietnam / Biblical / Noviæ / The Dreamland Band / Lucid Heist @ Vertagogo (Hamilton) $17.31

8pm: The OBGMs with Bad Waitress + Burner @ Mills Hardware (Hamilton) $24.16

8pm: Embrace @ Waterdown Legion

8-11pm: BLAKE HALLADAY @ Teddy's (Grimsby)

8pm:

COUNTRY FOR A CURE: A BENEFIT FOR THE RANKIN CANCER FOUNDATION

ft Andy Colonico, Haley McNeil & Lucas Mason @ Warehouse Concert Hall (St. Catharines) $20 adv

8-11pm: The Mixtape @ Malt & Barley Public House (Kitchener)

8pm: Tryptique @ Jazz Room (Waterloo) $?

8-11:30pm: TALISMAN @ Mudcat Bowling and Entertainment Center (Dunnville)

8pm: Sandman (Metallica Tribute) @ Capitol 33 (Delhi) $39.55

8:30pm: DETOUR - LIVE BAND KARAOKE @ Slye Fox (Binbrook)

8:30pm: CARM MILIOTO TRIO @ Slye Fox Pub (Burlington)

8:30-11:30pm: The Black Sheep @ Irish Harp (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

---- After 9:00pm ----

9pm: Tim Gibbons & the Swampbusters @ Cat & Fiddle (Hamilton)

9pm: Rhythm Works @ Barton Touchdown Pub (Hamilton)

9pm: Four For The Vine – A Tribute To Genesis @ Corktown Pub, Downstairs (Hamilton) $?

9pm: Dramaziod @ Jersey's Bar & Grill (Burlington)

9pm-12am: The Breakfast Club @ Cat's Caboose (St. Catharines)

9pm-1am: Audio Saints @ Pitchers Sports Bar (St. Catharines)

9pm-1am: Feverish Lemons @ Doc Magilligan's (Niagara Falls)

9pm-12:45am: JR Hardy Trio @ Fallsview Casino Resort, Splash Bar (Niagara Falls)

9pm-1am: DAN DYER @ Elements Casino (Brantford)

9pm-12am: John Rogers @ Paris Pub (Brant)

9pm: Chris Strei @ McCabe's Irish Pub & Grill (Waterloo)

10pm: Fools Paradise @ B-Side Social (Hamilton)

10pm: Derek Lathrop and the County @ Powerhouse (Stoney Creek)

10pm: Say Uncle @ BLK Swan, Brant St. (Burlington)

10pm: The Dirty Pioneers @ The Dickens (Burlington)

10pm-2am: CJ Cooper @ Big Texas (Niagara Falls)

Sunday, January 19

Niagara Jazz Festival 50/50 Cash Raffle Fundraiser (Deadline Feb 20)

Niagara Icewine Festival (Jan 10-26)

3-3:30am: Ensemble! TV Show Hosted by Dave Rave starring TBA recorded at Clifford Brewing Company @ Cable 14 (Hamilton) or livestream on cable14now.com

11:30am: Beatles Brunch ft Andrew McTaggart @ Black Bull (Burlington) (Weekly)

1:30pm: The Nine Lives of Ross Fordham (Stories & Songs) @ Theatre Aquarius, Studio Theatre (Hamilton) (Jan 10-19) $?

1:30-4:30pm: IRISH & FOLK MUSIC SESSION @ Doc Magilligan's (Niagara Falls) (Weekly)

2-5pm: The Wobblers @ Clifford Brewing Co (Hamilton) $

2pm: Kiss Me, Kate: In Concert @ Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre (Adults: $34/Seniors: $32/Youth: $15) Jan 17-19

2-5pm: Open Mic @ Checkered Flag hosted by SnowHeel Slim (Hamilton) (Bi-Weekly)

2-5pm: Lionel Bernard @ Battlefield Legion (Stoney Creek) $5

2-4:30pm: Jimmy’s Juke Joint ft Ron Hoover & the Rhythm Hounds @ Bourbon & Baco (Fonthill)

2-5pm: Doppelgänger @ Irish Harp (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

2-5pm: Almost Serious @ The Falls Road Pub (Kitchener) (Weekly)

2:30-4:30pm: Celtic Jam with Bob Maclean @ Malt & Barley Public House (Kitchener) (3rd Sun)

3-7pm: Lipliners + 5 Eyes, The Mysteries of the Unexplained, Monichord @ The Casbah (Hamilton) $12/PWYC

3-6pm: Open Stage with Nathan Coles @ Cornerstone (Guelph) (Weekly)

4-7pm: Mike Stevenson & Friends @ BLK Swan, Brant St. (Burlington)

5pm: Stories & Songs ft Maïa Davies, Havelin, Billy Rogers, Copper & Iron @ Warehouse Concert Hall (St. Catharines) $20

5:30-8pm: Innisfree @ Cat & Fiddle (Hamilton)

6:30pm: Candlelight: Bach to Beatles (Tributes) @ The Westdale (Hamilton) $?

7pm: YAMATO Drummers @ River Run Centre (Guelph) $69/$67 Over 60/$39 Under 30/$29 Under 14/10% off for groups of 10 or more (use promo code GROUP10)

7:30-11:30pm: GREYHOUND (ft Adam Fielding, CJ Altman, Sean Royle, Greg Brisco, Joel Banks) with OLD HIGHWAY (ft Brandon Bliss of Monster Truck) Double Record Release @ The Casbah (Hamilton) $10 adv/$15 door

7:30pm: BUDDY HOLLY’S RHYTHM REVIEW (Tribute) with Jeff Giles @ Lighthouse Festival Theatre (Port Dover) $51.50

Click here for more of our interactive music listings

The 2025 International Blues Challenge (January 7-11) once again filled the street of Memphis with music from all over the world. A number of local acts competed but unfortunately, they didn't place.

Grand River Blues Society solo/duo rep Glenn Marais managed to get into the semi-final of the solo/duo competition.

Glenn had this to say on social media:

Gratitude! I want to thank everyone for all of the incredible support and love throughout last week. It was truly felt and appreciated, it was like having you all there with me and it means a lot to feel that kind of love. I truly feel blessed and honoured to have received so much support on this dream journey.

Links: Glenn Marais More Glenn Marais Stories, Video above courtesy of Mick Wilson

Here's a video of GRBS's band rep Big Dan Jeffares in Memphis

Links: Big Dan Jeffares, More Big Dan Stories, Video above courtesy of Janet Cole

GRBS Youth rep Fraidy Scats also competed.

Links: Fraidy Scats, More Fraidy Scats Stories, Video above courtesy of Irene Mitrana-Podolsky

Canada was represented in the winner's circle with PEI's Joce Reyome who won first place in the Solo/Duo category. Congrats!

Links: Joce Reyome, Video above courtesy of Tiger-Rider

Here's a complete list of winners

Band: Winner: Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal (Nebraska) / 2nd Place Band: Ra’Shad The Blues Band (Mississippi) /3rd Place Band: Dylan Salfer Band (Memphis)
Solo/Duo: Winner: Joce Reyome (PEI) / 2nd Place: 2 Blues for You
Best Guitar: Dylan Salfer (Memphis)
Best Guitar (Solo/Duo): Nic Charles (Australia)
Best Harmonica: Jock Webb Sr. (Alabama)
Self-Produced CD: Piper & The Hard Times (Nashville) – Revelation