New Music Night ft. Opeongo, Matt Bazinet, Ian James Bain WED FEB 7, 2024 MILLS HARDWAREGA 19+ / $5 (+SC/HST) ADV.

Opeongo is the moniker of Keegan Trumpour, who was born and (hardly) raised in Midland, Ontario. After being abroad for the last year, Keegan and company return with Opeongo’s third album Eventual Mt. Lee, set to be released in February 2024. The album was produced by the masterful Aaron Goldstein at Gold Standard Recorders. For fans of Elliott Smith, Big Thief, Neil Young, Vic Chesnutt.

Just a kid from Cobourg, Ontario, Matt Bazinet – from the outside – seemed to fit right into the small town stereotype. As a young man, he played the stoic, emotionless, tough guy role that he felt he had to in order to fit in. Despite this facade, at his core Matt knew he was destined for something more. Matt has always had a connection to his guitar and naturally turned to the instrument as a way of finding out who he really was. In an effort to express himself, he started posting videos on TikTok where he shared unique takes on beloved country and folk tracks. The most notable of these covers being “Jersey Giant,” which has amassed over 200K views on TikTok–just him, his undeniably captivating vocals and his trusty guitar. He has since released a full version of this “Jersey Giant” cover (originally by Tyler Childers) on streaming services. In his original works, Matt wrestles with themes of masculinity and vulnerability. He builds out thoughtful, familiar, worlds where the listener can stop and reflect on moments that they can relate to from this life or the last. Matt’s first original, “Mistakes,” is a song that he wrote as a tribute to the ones he loves as he reconciled with the regrets that became the catalyst for his own self reflection. On “Mistakes,” Matt looks back at what could have been, knowing he had to grow and that he can’t change the past. Between the lines is hope: Matt takes one final look back at the life he had, marking the close of that chapter and the beginning of a new one. As he takes the first few steps of his journey to share himself with the world, Matt has found his way to a seat at your campfire with some intimate stories to tell–including his second original song “Homeless” that is out now. All you have to do is lend an ear.

Ian James Bain is a country singer and songwriter based in Hamilton, Ontario. After a period of writing songs and working on his craft in the West and on the road, he recorded his debut album with Jonas Bonetta at Port William Sound, finding a sound that draws from a wide range of musical influence while remaining firmly rooted in the country music tradition. Where I Wanna Be, released in October 2022, is filled with heartfelt songs about wandering, searching, love and hurt. Ian recently recorded a collection of songs with award-winning producer and pedal steeler Aaron Goldstein to be released in 2024.