The Nickelodeon presents Braden Gates with opener Shawna Caspi

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. 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 takes her time crafting 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, and drawing energy from shifting landscapes and long drives through Canada and the United States. After taking a break from the road to rest, reflect, and write, Shawna’s fifth album, Hurricane Coming, is a collection of raw, deeply personal songs set against a backdrop of colourful cinematic soundscapes.