CanadaJams

wenda atkin

Matt Mays with Christina Martin at The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, 2009.11.20

Friday at the Horseshoe downtown Toronto,
All of us beer-drinking Matt fans taking a well-earned break after a typical Toronto work week.
All of us dying to hear On the Hood and September.

The luckiest were those who came early enough to meet Christina Martin.
She's from Halifax and 2009 ECMA winner for Pop Recording of the year.

Her four piece band included Dale Murray, a multiple award winner at the recent East Coast Music Awards, (Musician of the Year and Producer of the Year), and member of Cuff the Duke.

They played many songs from her new album Two Hearts, her sophomore album that won her the 2009 ECMA Pop Recording of the Year and two 2008 Nova Scotia Music Awards (Female Artist Recording of the Year & Pop/Rock Artist/Group Recording of The Year).

Effortless, well controlled vocals, lovely songs, some funny ones too, all performed with an East Coast flair - the kind that has been characterized by Nova Scotia's Matt Mays and the Trews The Trews.

The Horseshoe was fully packed by the time Matt Mays took the stage.
Tall Trees, City of Lakes, Building A Boat, Cocaine Cowgirl, Time of Your Life, Month of September... all this gold!
He and his new band delivered a high energy show which included the familiar Jay Smith on guitar, Adam Baldwin on Keys, Damien Moynihan on drums, Dale Murray on guitar and pedal steel and Serge Samson on bass.

Even the crowd was part of the band sometimes, providing back up vocals like
"There she goes pulling hard up into the sun..."
There was no way they were going to get away without a big encore -
City of Lakes solo, then into Procal Harum's Whiter Shade of Pale and On the Hood.

The show runs again Saturday night - some people I spoke with at the show said they were coming Saturday too.

(above: Matt Mays)

(above: Matt Mays & Jay Smith)

(above: Matt Mays)

(above: Christina Martin)

Photo Slideshow

Matt Mays

Christina Martin

Matt Mays & Christina Martin Event on Facebook