The dignity of labour has been a theme central to the folk music tradition forever. Working as a dishwasher, Braden’s formidable focus of conscience and care illuminate his portraits of characters from the restaurant milieu, a journal of character sketches, personal landscapes and after-hours confessions. His subjects: an aging line cook who breaks into song when the work gets tough, a tattooed omniscient waitress, a pool shark with anger management issues. His raucous fiddle and folk guitar playing are emancipatory. Braden’s latest album Kitchen Days won the 2022 Canadian Folk Music Award for Traditional Album of the Year. 

Shawna Caspi crafts lyrics that are poetic and meaningful, often using unusual rhymes and surprising turns of phrase. She spent years on the road, supporting her warm, clear voice with intricate fingerstyle guitar accompaniment.  After taking a break from the road to rest, reflect, and write, Shawna’s fifth album, Hurricane Coming, nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award for 2023 Contemporary Album of the Year, is a collection of raw, deeply personal songs set against a backdrop of colourful cinematic soundscapes.

$30 advance tickets for our remaining concerts for the 2022-2023 season at the Nick are on sale through Eventbrite. If your circumstances should change, refunds are available up to 24 hours prior to our events.

Here’s our upcoming lineup:

February 25   Braden Gates with opening act Shawna Caspi

March 11   Gunning and Cormier  with opening act Amy Nelson   

March 25    Pharis and Jason Romero  with opening act Mike Tod        

April 15      Julian Taylor with opening act Wyatt C. Louis