September 27, 2025: Over The Moon with opener T.B.A.

Opening our 2025/26 season will be multi-instrumentalists/vocalists Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell, the duo known as Over The Moon. Suzanne and Craig have long been known as session and touring musicians for other artists. They met, fell in love, got married, and discovered their voices blend together beautifully. Their music is a wild ride, from 40’s-sounding western swing, to Appalachian old-time, to cowboy blues. Suzanne and Craig used to live on a ranch in southwestern Alberta’s beautiful Rocky Mountain foothills. It’s no surprise that their songs have a common thread that speaks of the Canadian west. When the couple released their debut album Moondancer in 2017, the resonances were there for all to hear, reflecting the pulse of life lived, in a territory that is both dirt-hard rugged and beautiful. Their album Chinook Waltz was nominated for Best Traditional Album at the 2022 Juno Awards, and in 2023 they were nominated as Ensemble of The Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. 

Watch Suzanne and Craig (and friends) perform a cover of Ian Tyson’s classic song, Someday Soon.

October 25, 2025: Steve Dawson with opener Matt Patershuk

Over the past two decades, Steve Dawson has become an indelible fixture on the musical landscape of Americana music. A native of Vancouver, he currently lives in Nashville, where he works as a solo artist, sideman, and record producer. Steve has forged an impressive career full of highlights and awards. He has seven Juno Awards as artist/producer (he’s been nominated a staggering 18 times) and he’s been named Producer of the Year four times at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. Artists, including Kelly Joe Phelps, Allison Russell and Matt Andersen have called on Steve to help realize their vision on stage and in the studio. Between producing projects for other artists, Steve has recorded music of his own that has explored blues, jazz, Hawaiian, rock, and experimental music. He’s a versatile musician and multi-instrumentalist, especially known as a slide, steel and pedal steel player. He has developed a style and voice on those instruments that can only come from years of touring and working in the studio.  

Watch Steve perform his song Bad Omen.

Matt Patershuk is a singer and songwriter first. He values simplicity but also loves to incorporate the small details that bring a story to life and make it relatable. Though his songs aren’t devoid of metaphor, you’ll won’t be left guessing what the song is about when you’re done listening. On his latest album, An Honest Effort, for which he received a 2023 Canadian Folk Music Award nomination as English Songwriter of the Year, you’ll find stories about folks trying. In the face of unfavourable odds, with seemingly certain unfavourable outcomes, they give it a good go. Results vary, but all of them are better off for the attempt. Like in the song Johanna, a story about a lost woman, in which the narrator just hopes she gets lost the best way that she can.  

Watch Matt’s official video of his song Turn the Radio Up.

November 22, 2025: Quote the Raven with opener T.B.A.

Newfoundland’s Quote the Raven, consisting of Jordan Coaker and Kirsten Rodden-Clarke, have been performing for over a decade. The dynamic duo have a harmonious blend that’s incomparable; it’s like the blending of two voices into one, while their Americana-meets-East Coast songwriting and stage dynamic are irresistibly charming.  The pair got their start in the small bars and pubs around St. John’s. In Newfoundland, Quote the Raven have been named the province’s Group of the Year three times. They’ve steadily grown in popularity nationally and internationally, and their songs have over one million streams across all streaming platforms. They’ve been nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards, and they won an East Coast Music Award (ECMA) in 2022 for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year. Added to those accolades, they have been nominated for three ECMAs in 2025 for Roots Release of the Year (for Already Gone), Album of the Year (for Map the Dark) and Video of the Year. Don’t miss seeing Quote the Raven in their debut performance at the Nick.    

Check out the official video of their ECMA-nominated song, Already Gone.

January 24, 2026: Sarah Jane Scouten with opener T.B.A.

A superb singer-songwriter, Sarah Jane Scouten delivers a signature mix of vintage folk and country music, with modern sounds and subjects. Sarah Jane was living in rural Scotland during COVID. With tours cancelled, days stretched endlessly, punctuated only by the steady unfolding of Scottish springtime. Sarah Jane trained as a herbalist. It renewed her love of live performance, which had been diminished by life on the road. She has been nominated for 4 Canadian Folk Music Awards, a Western Canadian Music Award and an International Folk Music Award. Studying herbs, and just as importantly people, gave her music a deeper dimension. Sarah Jane’s latest album Turned to Gold has been appropriately described as having a “nearly alchemical blend of sounds”, drawing on the music of Tom Petty, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Christine McVie.  

Listen to Sarah Jane’s song Little Band Of Gold from her Turned to Gold album.

February 21, 2026: John Wort Hannam with opener T.B.A.

The Nick is thrilled to welcome back long-time favourite, John Wort Hannam. John has been on his folk and roots-fueled troubadour journey for two decades, spinning songwriting gold from the chaff of the lives he has encountered and those within his fertile imagination. Twenty-two years in, he shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, he’s gaining both momentum and a wider audience, winning two 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards for Solo Artist of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year. Add to this a Juno Award nomination, a Kerrville New Folk Win, a previous Canadian Folk Music Award, and it’s easy to see why audiences and critics alike hear something special in his narrative and lyrically driven songs.  Effortlessly mixing rich and clear timbered vocals with lyrics that tug at the heart, his sound is both unique and familiar.  

Watch John’s official video of his song Long Haul.

March 21, 2026: Boreal with opener T.B.A.

Boreal is the magical musical collaboration of three accomplished singer-songwriters and talented musicians from Ontario, each with their own longstanding, award-winning careers. Katherine Wheatley (vocals, guitar, bass) has a distinct acoustic roots sound and writes songs that have catchy melodies, arresting vocals, and unforgettable guitar playing. Tannis Slimmon (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bass) is known for her exceptional voice and can be heard on over 100 albums.  Angie Nussey (vocals, keyboard, percussion) has released six full-length albums and won over 15 industry awards for songwriting, vocals and performance. Together, Katherine, Tannis and Angie are indeed magic. Their spell-binding harmonies, combined vocal prowess and tour-de-force songwriting make for a powerful musical event. With humour, storytelling and heart-melting honesty, Boreal takes their audience on a journey of friendship, laughter and connection. Their latest album, Winterbirds, is collection intended to bring joy year-round, with the music presenting a balance of soulful intensity with moments of lightness and celebration.  

Listen to the title track from Boreal’s new album, Winterbirds.

April 18, 2026: The Lonesome Ace Stringband with opener T.B.A.

The Lonesome Ace Stringband brings bring grit, skill and abandon to Americana music, bridging old-time, bluegrass and folk traditions into a seamless hybrid of original material that is at once fresh and timeless. Whether singing about climate change, modern love, BBQ techniques or life’s inevitable existential crises, the band cuts to the core. They can also turn and churn out a tune with so much verve that it will make your heart spin and set the dance floor swirling. Their sound is anchored in the fiddle and clawhammer banjo of John Showman and Chris Coole, who are joined by a rotating cast of extraordinary upright bassists. In 2007, they took up residency in Toronto’s legendary Dakota Tavern, routinely playing 10 sets of music every weekend. They went on to spend seven years as the house band before ever taking the show on the road or recording a note. Those years of musical percolation honed them into a group that thinks and plays as one —  something that comes from clocking thousands of on-stage hours together.   

Watch The Lonesome Ace Stringband’s official video of their song Sweeter Sound.