Hillside Lineup Announced

Thanks to CBC Radio 3 for the heads up. This year's Hillside lineup has been announced. Hillside takes place on Guelph's Lake Island, July 24-26. This year's bill goes:

• Ariana Gillis


• The Arkells


• Attack in Black


• Bahamas


• Birthday


• Bruce Peninsula


• Buffy Sainte Marie (Saturday)


• C.R. Avery


• Coeur de Pirate  


• Dala


• Dancehall Free For All


• Dave Bidini


• David Francey (Sunday)


• David Martel


• Delhi 2 Dublin


• Donovan Woods


• Eccodek


• Emma Lee


• Final Fantasy


• FRED


• Frozen Gloves


• Gentleman Reg


• Great Lake Swimmers


• Grupo Fantasma (Saturday)


• Gurpreet (The Tabla Guy)


• Hey Rosetta (Sunday)


• Holy Fuck


• Holy Rosary


• Issa


• Jah Youssouf & Woodchoppers Association (Sunday)


• Jayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko


• Julie Doiron


• Kate Reid


• Kevin Hearn & Thin Buckle (Sunday)


• Kid Coma


• Kristin Sweetland  


• Ladies of the Canyon


• Lindi Ortega


• Loreena McKennitt (Friday)


• Los Misioneros del Norte (Sunday)


• Mishka


• Notre Dame de Grass  


• Ohbijou


• Patrick Watson


• Pilot Speed


• Rock Plaza Central


• The Rural Alberta Advantage


• Skydiggers


• Timbre Timbre


• Tokyo Police Club


• Treasa Levasseur  


• USS


• The Waking Eyes


• WOMEN


• Woodhands


• Xavier Rudd (Friday)


• Zaki Ibrahim

Royal City B-Sides Collection June 23

According to Chartattack a new B-sides and rarities collection from Guelph's legendary Royal City will be out on June 23rd.

"Royal City formed in Guelph in 2000 and included singer/songwriter Aaron Riches, Jim Guthrie, Simon Osborne and now FemBots drummer Nathan Lawr. Their At Rush Hour The Cars debut came out the same year through Guelph's esteemed Three Gut Records and was followed by the acclaimed Alone At The Microphone a year later. Lawr left the band in 2002 and was replaced by former Super Friendz drummer Lonnie James.

The band's lineup was a loose one, and also briefly included Feist, Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett and former Blue Rodeo keyboardist Bobby Wiseman. Royal City disbanded in 2004 following the release of Little Heart's Ease."

(Big day for Guelph round here, really have to get someone there to contribute).

Guelph's Family Thrift Store Says Goodbye

NxEW doesn't, as far as I know, have anyone in Guelph, Ontario yet. But the Family Thrift Store in Guelph is closing down. The store is owned by Ray Mitchell father of Jenny (Omnichord) Mitchell and is being forced to close by the city of Guelph (along with the stores around it) so that a new library, parking lot and green space can be built. Libraries and green space are obviously good (parking lots suck) but you would think a city as culturally rich as Guelph might have taken into account the impact that their actions would have on the community before making such a decision.

You can read all about it in the Guelph Mercury or the Ontarian. The photo top left is from the Ontarion and photographer Katie Malo.

Fortunately Colin Medley was there to grab some video. You can read Colin's comments on the closing on his blog.