Matt Andersen & Wil on Tour!!

Two Amazing performers on one bill!!
    
  
Thank you for coming out and supporting these shows! They were fabulous!!

April 25th: The Exchange, Regina; April 26th: Big Beaver,  April 27th: T.C. Douglas Centre, Weyburn
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Matt Andersen (NB)

New Brunswick, Canada's Matt Andersen has a larger than life showmanship that has been earning him a fervent and steadfast audience wherever he graces the stage. Matt's sprawling blues, roots and rock musical hybrid with his sorrowing and soulful
voice and astonishing guitar-playing has sparked a phenomenal buzz on Canada's East Coast and that grass roots word of mouth cannot be contained any longer!
In the past few years, Matt has released an introductory EP along with two critically-acclaimed live fans' favorites, the full length studio release "Second time around", "Something In-between" which garnered two East Coast Music awards for Matt (Male Solo Artist of the Year and Blues Recording of the Year), "Piggyback" with harmonica virtuoso Mike Stevens and "Live at the Phoenix Theatre".
Along with a very busy touring schedule as a headliner at major festivals, clubs and theatres throughout North America and the UK, Matt has also shared the stage and toured with David "Honeyboy" Edwards, America, Randy Bachman, the late Bo Diddley, Little Feat and a host of others. Matt has just finished his fourth successful UK Tour along with airplay on the BBC and in various prominent blues and roots publications. Matt's hectic touring schedule includes over 200 live dates a year that encompass North America and the rest of the world. In Dec. 2009, Matt performed on the CBC Vinyl Cafe tour that is hosted by Stuart Mclean and included major centers between Ottawa and Victoria to capacity crowds. The Vinyl Cafe is a radio variety show on CBC radio, BBC radio 7 and U.S. public radio stations.
*On Jan 24, 2010 Matt won the 26th edition of the 2010 International Blues Challenge (IBC) in the birthplace of Rock N' Roll and home of the blues, Memphis, TN. Matt was sponsored for this event by the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in Fredericton, NB in the solo/duo category. Blues musicians from all over the world including 39 states, 12 countries and 5 continents were chosen by their respected Blues societies to compete in venues on the world-famous Beale Street. As the big winner, Matt opens the door to the U.S. market and the larger world stage! Some of the prizes Matt won include: cash, 1st place International Blues plaque, large profile American festival gigs, festivals in France, Italy and a slot on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruises. Matt is the 1st Canadian ever to Win the IBC in it's 26 years of inception. For more information on the IBC go towww.blues.org.
Matt Andersen is a very real, rare, raw talent and career artist -->

Wil (AB)

Wil's brand newly released cd: In This Together is now available on itunes: check it out!!  itunes.apple.com/ca/album/in-this-together/id364376759

Wil was born to parents who were both musically proficient. On Friday nights he would sit and listen while his parents played and sung along to the old crooners and guitar legends such as Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins and Hank Williams.
 
By the age of 13 he was seriously refining and defining his playing style unknowingly blending his love of "old school country" with new diverse new influences from Led Zepplin to Michael Hedges. He subsequently landed his first
paying gig in 1992 and spent a number of years honing his musicianship while finding his true voice. 
 
In 2001, Wil wrote his first album titled Both Hands. The title track, “Both Hands” was written by friend and writing partner, Jeff Leitl. It sold over 6000 copies off
stage and allowed him to tour with artists such as Colin James, Matthew Good,
Joel Plaskett Emergency and Xavier Rudd among others as well earning him 4 nominations at the 2005 WCMA’s including producer and “entertainer of the Year”. The CD has since gone on to sell over 16,000 copies.
 
For Wil’s sophomore release titled By December  he collaborated melodically with some of Canada's most respected musicians; producer and multi- instrumentalist Dave MacKinnon (FemBots), " 54-40's Neil Osborne and Broken Social Scene's Jason Collett among others. In October 2008, “Big Life” a beautiful track from Wil’s last studio album, By December was featured in a pivotal hospital scene in the ABC TV series, Eli Stone (Johnny Lee Miller).
 
Wil was recently featured in a White Iron Films, Rosie Award-winning documentary
entitled, Music Is The Message: Wil, which detailed Wil’s ongoing journey within music. The doc was aired on MuchMoreMusic in September and scooped three awards at the recent ‘Rosies’, including best Best Music or Variety Show.
 
Wil spent the winter of 2009 at home on Vancouver Island writing the songs for his yet to be titled, third studio album. These songs made the journey from Wil’s home in the woods to his management’s studio space in Calgary before hopping the border to be fully realized in the recording studio. As Wil says, “The recording process…has given me the opportunity to work with a wonderful collective of people; open, honest and loving people who are involved for the sheer love of music and art.
 
Wil is and will remain, the consummate touring musician, developing his expansive roots-rock sound and world-weary lyricism while building a dedicated following for his famously intense live shows. Wil has always preferred to play live either solo or with “just a drummer”. He says that freedom allows him to immerse himself onstage utterly and completely. One such performance was written up by the Calgary Sun as having so much "power and soul it could stop your heart."
Website- www.ibreakstrings.com
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