Artists Performing @ the 2004 CMW Music Festival:

Aaron Booth (Toronto, Ontario)
Aaron Booth is a tuneful songwriter with a love of melody. His carefully crafted songs are rich in imagination and lean in presentation. www.aaronboothmusic.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Healey's @ 11:00pm

Acacia (London, Ontario)
Riveting, entrancing and subtly beautiful, the music of ACACIA takes the listener on a journey unparalleled by other heavy bands.www.mazurpr.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Kathedral @ 12:30am

Adam's Rib (Toronto, Ontario)
Adam's Rib began in a basement studio, but didnít remain there for long. They have proven themselves over time, opening for the likes of Santana and Sting. www.adamsrib.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at B-Side @ 10:00pm

Aengus Finnan (Cobourg, Ontario)
A troubadour whose story-like songs have earned him international acclaim and numerous awards. His songs paint dramatic pictures of real people and familiar places. www.aengusfinnan.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Holy Joe's @ 11:30pm

The Afterbeat (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
A seven-piece ska ensemble that has been together since late 2000. They mix upbeat contemporary influences with old school ska to create explosively danceable music. www.theafterbeat.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Clinton's @ 12:00pm

Alexisonfire (St. Catherines, Ontario)
This 5-piece metal, screamcore band has been building a solid buzz in Canada with a great live show and videos on MuchMusic. Recently signed with Equal Vision. www.theonlybandever.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Kathedral @ 11:30pm

Alex Murdoch (Edmonton, Alberta)
This catchy pop rock songwriter recently signed a three-album deal with Indica / Aquarius / EMI Canada. www.alexmurdoch.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Cameron House @ 11:00pm

Amer Diab (Toronto, Ontario)
Honest lyrics set to a moody, yet melodic backdrop, "Diab transforms alternately into a country-rock Elvis CostelloÖand a bruised up Jackson brown"- eye weekly. www.amerdiab.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Clinton's @ 12:00pm

Andrea England (Toronto, Ontario)
Andrea's heartfelt delivery, compelling lyrics, and infectious pop-rock melodies have brought tears to the eyes of more than a few unsuspecting audience members. Compared to: Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow. www.andreaengland.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Reverb @ 8:30pm

The Andy Browne Trio (Morrisville, Pennsylvania)
Their ever-evolving musical output has slight hints of bands like Lou Reed, Curtis Mayfield, David Bowie, Neil Young, The Pretenders, and The Who. www.andybrowne.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Black Bull Tavern @ 9:30pm

Andrew Vincent & the Pirates (Ottawa, Ontario)
Boy-next-door tales of heartbreak and loss lead to righteous raucous rock sounds with catchy chord progressions and an instantly recognizable lyrical style. www.kelprecords.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Healeyís @ 12:00pm

Andrew Walker (Toronto, Ontario)
An eclectic mix of classic Americana styles, including elements of rock, pop, folk, and alt-country, have formed the music of this singer-songwriter. www.andrewwalkermusic.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Silver Dollar @ 11:00pm

Anjulie (Toronto, Ontario)
Anjulie's sound blends classic rock with sexy guitar-driven grooves into a unique modern sound is both danceable and rocked out! www.anjuliemusic.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rivoli @ 9:45pm

Anneke's Star (Windsor, Ontario)
With a focus on song content, the lyrics of this trio are thoughtful and reflective. Their sound is identified mainly by their intense three part harmonies and interwoven vocal lines. www.annekesstar.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Clinton's @ 1:00am

Ariel's Worm (Toronto, Ontario)
Their blend of pop melodies with hard rock has created a unique and original sound that captivates the listener. www.arielsworm.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Bovine Sex Club @ 9:30pm

Audiosleep (Toronto, Ontario)
If you are one of those folks who enjoy swirling space noises with lingering guitar lines, Audiosleep is a must for you. Their space-rock music perfectly balances the ambient, groove, experimental and electronic side of things. www.audiosleep.net
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 1:00am

august (Toronto, Ontario)
Combing the lyrics and melodies of singer songwriter Andi D with the expressive and driving bass/guitar lines of Jen Benton creates a very edgy and original sound. www.augustsight.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Chicago's Diner @ 12:30am

Autorickshaw (Toronto, Ontario)
Autorickshaw is a new world-music ensemble steeped in the traditions of Indian classical music, while also drawing on jazz and contemporary music influences. www.autorickshaw.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 8:30pm

Avenue Road (Toronto, Ontario)
Making intoxicating music laced with raw lyrical content, Avenue Road has continued to deliver original songs and an engaging show. www.avenueroadband.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at B-Side @ 11:30pm

The Awesome Team (Toronto, Ontario)
The Awesome Team is a four-piece band whose melodic guitar-driven rock sound has a punk-rock edge. www.theawesometeam.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Lee's Palace @ 1:00am

The Bangers (Toronto, Ontario)
Female-fronted rock and roll band that can ignite a crowd easily with their no-holds-barred barrage of tough, sexy punk rock.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Bovine Sex Club @ 11:00pm

Barbara Croall (Toronto, Ontario)
Many of her works draw on her native heritage from a sincere standpoint that attempts to reconcile with the assimilation process experienced by aboriginal Canadians. She is a graduate of the Hochschule f¸r Musik in Munich, Germany
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 8:15pm

The Barmitzvah Brothers (Guelph, Ontario)
Three youth plus a supporting cast called The Lethargians who make eccentric, experimental pop from unusual instruments. Their eclectic style fuses elements of traditional folk, polka, bluegrass, rock, klezmer, punk, and ranges from upbeat to melancholy. www.barmitzvahbrothers.cjb.net www.weewerk.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Sneaky Dee's @ 12:00pm

Barry Canning (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
A mainstay of the east-coast music industry for twenty years, Canning has released three albums. Winner of 2002 MIANL Male Artist of the Year and Pop/Rock Artist of the Year, he was also nominated for 2003 East Coast Music Award Best Pop/Rock Artist. www.barrycanning.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Clinton's @ 11:00pm

Beautiful Senseless (Guelph, Ontario)
Melancholy, atmospheric rock by three vocalists accompanied by mountainous guitars, keyboards and trumpets, as well as pedal steel and banjo makes for a dreamy, rootsy experience. www.beautifulsenseless.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Silver Dollar @ 12:00pm

Bedouin Soundclash (Kingston, Ontario)
Bedouin Soundclash is a young group blurring the lines of reggae and rock, refusing to be classified. www.bedouinsoundclash.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rivoli @ 10:00pm

Belladonna (Toronto, Ontario)
A combination of spoken word, poetry and hip-hop, Belladonna has placed second in the Caribana Rap-off in the past. www.justusleaguerecords.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 8:20pm

Ben Thompson Band (Belleville, Ontario)
With their unique mix of emo pop, rock and funky melodic grooves, the BTB's music crosses over many genres. www.thebtb.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at B-Side @ 11:00pm

Big John Bates (Vancouver, Canada)
PSYCHO-A-GOGO!! is what they call their psychobilly-tainted rock 'n' roll show that also features bad girls of burlesque the Voodoo Dollz. www.bigjohnbates.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 1:00am

Billy & the Lost Boys (Vancouver, British Columbia)
This female-fronted punkabilly rock trio plays catchy power pop music that will make you move. www.billyandthelostboys.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at The 360 @ 1:00am

Bionic (Montreal, Quebec)
Jonathan Cummins formed Bionic after he left A&M recording artists The Doughboys in search of something a bit more rocking. And Bionic totally rocks hard. www.sound-king.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Lee's Palace @ 11:00pm

Blackout 77 (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Known for their stage antics and ruthless rock and roll, this true metal outfit has been hammering Halifax and other maritime cities since 2001. www.blackout77.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Kathedral @ 10:30pm

Blessed (Toronto, Ontario)
Singer/songwriter Ray "Rayon" Robinson, blessed with incredible vocal skills honed in the church, is poised to make his mark alongside other gifted soul and r&b singers such as Bilal and Musiq.
Festival Showcase: FLOWFEST / URBAN STAR QUEST Thursday March 4 at Opera House @ 10:00pm

Bloody Mannequins (Toronto, Ontario)
Their red-wine-fuelled muse draws upon Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, and the Pixies. This rockin' foursome are preparing to draw serious blood.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Bovine Sex Club @ 9:00pm

Blue Skies At War (London, Ontario)
Everyone is equal, ideas shared, bonds made to never break. This band is our hearts, our souls, everything we've ever believed in. Compare to: Small Brown Bike, Pecola. www.blueskiesatwar.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rivoli @ 11:00pm

Blues Underdogg w/ Maestro (Ajax, Ontario)
This seven-piece urban rock band crosses musical barriers with their unique blend of hip-hop, alternative rock, and funk. Related to: The Roots, Arrested Development. www.bluesunderdog.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rivoli @ 1:00am

Blurred Vision (Toronto, Ontario)
World-pop-rock with subtle and powerful influences of the mid-east. Passionately composed and performed with authenticity by Iran-born brothers Sepehr and Soheil. www.blurredvisionmusic.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 11:30pm

Blush (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Blush rose to become one of Winnipeg's most buzzed-about rock bands in 2003. Currently being featured on Power 97FM, they are set to release their intense debut album. www.blushtheband.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Club 279 @ 12:00pm

Bobby Dreadfull (Toronto, Ontario)
Bobby Dreadfull's performances are electrifying, his dancing likes a combination of James Brown and Michael Jackson, with a twist of hip-hop. His hypnotic self-produced tribal house rhythms have been received with overwhelming praise.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 12:30am

Bombs Over Providence (St. Catherines, Ontario)
A successful merger of members of Dead Giveaway and Marilyn's Vitamins, BopCorp has been enriching the portfolios of its shareholders since the second quarter of the 2000 fiscal year. www.undergroundoperations.com/bombsoverprovidence
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at The 360 @ 11:00pm

Botany Hill (Toronto, Ontario)
Botany Hill's repertoire of succinct and precise music draws inspiration from the places where the genre of hip hop was created and where true MCs live -- the streets.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at B-Side @ 9:00pm

Breach Of Trust (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
Breach of Trust's music is a mixture of swirling guitars with modern metal overtones and lyrical content alternating between heady intellectual insights and gut-wrenching emotional self-doubt. www.breachoftrust.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rivoli @ 11:15pm

Breadfan (Toronto, Ontario)
This 3-piece rock band is known for their staggering live performance. Breadfan has the potential to lead hard rock into the next generation with their new EP due out on Gen-Sub Records in March 2004. www.breadfan.ca
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 12:00pm

Brighton (Montreal, Quebec)
The contemporary pop-rock sound of Brighton is based on a combination of melodic vocals and songs that display both musical and lyrical freshness. www.brightonhq.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Club 279 @ 9:00pm

Brother Love Canal (Toronto, Ontario)
Brother Love Canal is the new Blondie: irresistible pop melodies mixed with house grooves and punk rock attitude. www.brotherlovecanal.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Tequila Lounge @ 10:15pm

Brothers In Stereo (St. John's, Newfoundland)
Two brothers raised on their father's record collection, having honed their chops with other bands, reunite years later Ö no need to talk about "keepin' it real". This is as good as it gets. www.funkfactor.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Cameron House @ 12:00pm

Burt Neilson Band (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
The essence of BNB is the live performance. When a band is great live, word usually spreads very quickly. Their consistent, cohesive sound showcases the band's ability to stretch across all genres.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Lee's Palace @ 11:00pm

Butterfinger (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
Butterfinger recently released its debut self-titled album, capitalizing on the momentum of their award-winning song "Breathe." Nominated for "Outstanding Rock Recording" at the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2003. www.smoothlikebuttah.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Tequila Lounge @ 9:15pm

By A Thread (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Emotional hard-core-influenced melodic rock 'n' roll blast formed from the ashes of hardcore heavyweights Strain. Dark and hauntingly beautiful at times, raucous and heavy at others. www.byathread.net
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at FunHaus @ 10:15pm

By Divine Right (Toronto, Ontario)
By Divine Right have been making beautiful eccentric rock music since 1989. Songwriter Jose Contreras creates songs that are a glorious voyage of melody and charm, harmony and cacophony. www.bydivineright.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 12:00pm

Byther Smith (Monticello, Mississippi)
Smith settled in Chicago in 1958, learned to play guitar and started singing traditionally rooted blues. His powerful voice when mixed with his blistering guitar is often quite inspiring.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Silver Dollar @ 11:00pm

Cadence Grace (Toronto, Ontario)
Cadence Grace has the right combination of feisty attitude and energetic charm to attract lots of attention. She has been working on a debut album with producers and songwriters the Confidence Emperors. www.popguru.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Tequila Lounge @ 11:00pm

Caleigh Burke (Toronto, Ontario)
This singer-songwriter weaves spellbinding songs with a powerful voice and lyrics filled with emotion. www.caleighburke.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Rancho Relaxo @ 9:30pm

The Candidates (Cambridge, Ontario)
The Candidates continue their journey to ultimate rock stardom with the release of their second full-length album, "Fame, Fortune & Free Drinks."
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 8:30pm

Canteen Knockout (Toronto, Ontario)
Innovation is a great way to describe Canteen Knockout's musical mission, which combines new-age electric guitar sounds with sweet acoustic reverberations and straight-up rock and roll. www.inkattack.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 10:30pm

Carl Henry (Montreal, Quebec)
This compelling artist and songwriter whose influences span the musical spectrum continues to impress worldwide, with his smooth vice and authentic R'n'B styling. Nominated for a Best R&B/Soul Recording Juno in 2003. www.cesoul.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 12:20am

Carlos Morgan (Toronto, Ontario)
Morgan scored mainstream points for Canadian R&B when his independent debut album, "Feelin' Alright," got picked up by Universal Music last year. The record earned him a Juno for Best Soul/R&B recording. www.carlosmorgan.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 10:20pm

Carrie Horachek (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
A singer/songwriter with an edgy folk sound that engages, enrages and invites audiences along for a ride from the lazy beats of a country back road to the driving rhythms of an open highway. www.carriehorachek.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Holy Joe's @ 10:30pm

Castlemusic (Toronto, Ontario)
Scrappy and honest, folk-rock-blues music that is simple and straightforward. Sure to make you feel warm and fuzzy.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Chicago's Diner @ 9:30pm

Cavern (Toronto, Ontario)
Together less than a year, this three-piece rock band's original music exudes rhythmic lyrics, powerful grooves and infectious harmonies.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Grossman's Tavern @ 11:30pm

The Cheap Suits (Toronto, Ontario)
Mixing elements of ska, pop and punk, their live shows are upbeat and energetic. www.cheapsuits.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Healey's @ 1:00am

Chris Koster (Kingston, Ontario)
A 26-year-old singer-songwriter who started out as the lead singer in his older brothers' bar bands, he is currently working with Byron Wong and Mark Makoway on his debut solo album. www.chriskoster.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rivoli @ 10:30pm

Chris Page (Ottawa, Ontario)
Formerly of The Stand GT, Page combines punk, rock and folk, with Billy Bragg as a common reference point, coupled with elements of Superchunk and Joe Strummer. www.kelprecords.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Healey's @ 9:00pm

Chris Stacey (Toronto, Ontario)
With his innovative combination of acoustic guitar and hip-hop, Stacey brings a fresh new vibe to the urban music scene.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rivoli @ 12:00pm

Chris St. Pierre (Toronto, Ontario)
Singer/songwriter Chris St. Pierre crafts personal songs in an acoustic roots style with pop touches on his latest release "Sandbox 101." www.chrisstpierre.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 9:30pm

Chris Velan (Montreal, Quebec)
His debut solo album, "It's Not What You Think," is an exciting look into the pop rock musical world that Chris has been creating for a long time. www.chrisvelan.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Holy Joe's @ 12:30am

Clay George (Victoria, British Columbia)
Clay George sings with a smoky baritone voice, creating music that has beautiful melodies, lilting fiddles, harmonica, and rolling finger-picked guitar. www.claygeorge.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Holy Joe's @ 11:30pm

CíMON (Toronto, Ontario)
Címon is the rock trio featuring Ian Blurton (Change of Heart, Blurtonia), Katie Lynn Campbell (Nashville Pussy) and Randy Curnew. This is the raw sound of heavy rock with emphasis on high-energy shows and short, concise songs.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Bovine Sex Club @ 1:00am

The Cormiers (Conception Bay South, Newfoundland)
A family group whose musical roots are entrenched in their Scottish/French background. Received two nominations for the 2002 Newfoundland Music Industry Awards. www.thecormiers.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Chicago's Diner @ 10:30pm

Coral Egan (Toronto, Ontario)
An eclectic performer and an extraordinary singer, her second album, a pop flavoured gem, showcases her gift for melody and her musical influences culled from folk, soul, reggae, pop, and jazz. www.coralegan.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Cameron House @ 10:45pm

Cosima Grunsky (Toronto, Ontario)
This singer-songwriter displays impressive musicianship in both her powerful vocal performance and her finely tuned guitar-playing style.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Chicago's Diner @ 12:30am

Counterbalance (Burlington, Ontario)
Though the band's influences include Tool and Incubus, their heavy sound is unique. Last year they were one of three finalists in the "Jam with Pam" contest hosted by beer.com. www.counterbalance.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Reverb @ 9:45pm

Crash Kelly (Toronto, Ontario)
Signed to TB Records/BMG in the UK, Toronto's Crash Kelly deal in 70s-fueled, 80s-filtered R'n'R on their debut "PENNY PILLS." Their inaugural UK Tour in September 2003 was in support of the London Quireboys. www.crashkelly.ca
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 10:00pm

The Creaking Tree String Quartet (Toronto, Ontario)
Their intriguing improv chamber-grass concept seems made to appeal to jazz, classical and bluegrass fans looking for a new spin on old forms of music. www.creakingtree.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Silver Dollar @ 10:00pm

Cuff The Duke (Oshawa, Ontario)
Cuff the Duke are four young suburbanites singing wayward-cowboy strip mall anthems. Johnny Horton meets Sonic Youth. www.cufftheduke.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 11:00pm

The Curfew (Toronto, Ontario)
The Curfew is a four-piece rock band with a sound that draws equally from Pavement, CCR, the Pixies and Wilco.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Clinton's @ 10:00pm

Curtis Santiago (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Named the CBC Galaxie Rising Star in 2003 at New Music West, Curtis's charisma is infectious and his soulful R&B music makes people dance. www.curtissantiago.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 11:40pm

Daisy Ella Mojo Crew (Ottawa, Ontario)
A new-age funk-soul band melding old school Santana, Zeppelin, and funk vibes with a modern unique rock and roll style all their own. www.daisyella.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Cameron House @ 11:30pm

Daniel & the Holy Joes (Montreal, Quebec)
Daniel & The Holy Joes is a four-piece wrecking crew with a raw alternative edge fronted by veteran singer-songwriter Daniel Lorio. Think: The Beatles, Pink Floyd. www.danieliorio.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 9:00pm

David Leask (Toronto, Ontario)
Leask's music is able to explore the diverse landscapes of human emotion while combining the story-telling tradition of his homeland in his own brand of Celtic pop-country roots music. www.davidleask.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Grossman's Tavern @ 10:30pm

David Porteous (Toronto, Ontario)
A singer-songwriter whose pleasant voice creates laid-back and lush-sounding pop rock songs about life and love.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Grossman's Tavern @ 11:30pm

The Days (Toronto, Ontario)
An Eastern European take on all the best elements of American and British rock and roll with a genuine passion for jaw-dropping guitar licks and crowd-pleasing leg kicks.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Grossman's Tavern @ 12:30am

Death From Above (Toronto, Ontario)
Death From Above delivers their straightforward libido rock with just a drum kit and a bass guitar and drive with a super-tight seamless ness.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 9:30pm

Derek Miller (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Derekís stunning musicianship and outstanding pop/rock crossover sensibility has earned the respect of musicians such as Daniel Lanois, Robbie Robertson and Buffy Sainte Marie. www.risingsunproductions.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rivoli @ 8:00pm

Deric Ruttan (Nashville, Tennesse)
Deric proves himself to be a strong storyteller with an expressive vocal approach and an acoustic guitar style perfectly suited to his tales. His songs target the heart with believable, tastefully understated lyrics. www.dericruttan.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 10:00pm

Despistado (Regina, Sakatchewan)
This young, excitable act accomplishes more from their lo-fi, high-energy sound than most bands with budgets. Bassist Joel Passmore describes their music as "indie, quirky, danceable, post-hardcore." www.despistadomusic.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at The 360 @ 9:30pm

Detective Kalita (Ottawa, Ontario)
Detective Kalita mix rock, country and folk influences with powerful pop melodies and endearing lyrics. Their new record was recorded by Andy Magoffin at The House of Miracles. Think: Neutral Milk Hotel, The Shins www.kelprecords.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Healey's @ 11:00pm

DIE (Toronto, Ontario)
Former childhood friends who neglected homework for old 70s punk and 80s metal records, grew up into what has been pegged as "an orgy between RAMONES, GUNS N'ROSES, and AC/DC" (chartattack.com).
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Bovine Sex Club @ 12:00pm

DJ Fat Sak (Montreal, Quebec)
One of the most versatile members of the ICM records camp. Not only a respected scratch DJ, he is also one of the most sought-after producers in Eastern Canada. www.islandcitymonsters.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 12:50am

DJ Mana (Montreal, Quebec)
DJ Mana has been around since 1993 and has appeared onstage with the likes of Under Pressure, Mr. Lif, and Swollen Members. The turntables have become Mana's tool for unraveling the truth about the human psyche. www.djmana.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 12:05am

DJ's Tim Patrick and Paranoid Jack (Toronto, Ontario)
These guys started Fifth Sun Recordings specializing in tech house and are hoping that this new company will provide a solid addition to the growing number of labels that are causing the worldwide dance music industry to focus on Canada. www.fifthsunrecordings.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 1:00am

DJ Twitch (Montreal, Quebec)
Quickly making a name for himself as one of the most creative producers in Montreal. His backgrounds in piano, guitar, and turntablism allow him to bring a whole new dynamicto his beats. He has built a remarkable reputation for making clean, original music with that unmistakable quality that only live instruments can provide. www.islandcitymonsters.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 11:15pm

The Dirtmitts (Vancouver, British Columbia)
With sex-kitten vocals, bittersweet pop songs and infectious guitar grooves, The Dirtmitts have been building a solid buzz. www.dirtmitts.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at The 360 @ 1:00am

The DiVinE (Barrie, Ontario)
Drawing influences from KMFDM, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails, The DiVinE are inspired by noise, loud guitars, effect-laden vocals and various digital instruments. www.virtualdivinity.net
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 9:00pm

D.O.A. (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Canada's legendary punk kings have helped spread punk rock counterculture around the world. For 25 years D.O.A. has been happily slashing away at all manner of philosophical enemies with their classic punk rock music. www.suddendeath.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at FunHaus @ 11:45pm

Downbelows (Toronto, Ontario)
A punk rock band who write honest songs and have a killer live show. Their record is out on October 32 Records. www.downbelows.onedown.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Bovine Sex Club @ 11:00pm

Dr Fly & The Foundation (London, Ontario)
An exciting blend of old school funk, hip hop and R&B sensibilities with a twist of high-energy rock and roll.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Clinton's @ 11:00pm

Driver (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
A cocktail of thick juicy guitars, lyrics and a voice that connects. They have songs filled with beautifully dissonant melodies and a live show high on energy. www.drivermusic.net
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rivoli @ 9:00pm

Duane Andrews (St John's, Newfoundland)
Inspired by legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt, Duane Andrews performs a mÈlange of jazz and folk music. www.duaneandrews.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Grossman's Tavern @ 9:30pm

Easily Amused (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
This folk pop duo was named "Canadaís Best Online Indie Artist" by Warner Music Canada and canadianmusic.com and Voted Best Campus Duo by campusawards.com this year. www.easilyamused.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rivoli @ 8:30pm

Eileen Joyce (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Eileen Joyce is one of Halifax's beloved and durable voices, the iron velvet warmth of this songstress is well illustrated on her new CD "No More Blue Tears." www.eileenjoyceband.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Grossman's Tavern @ 10:30pm

Elliott Brood (Toronto, Ontario)
Dark, gritty folk music built around whiskey-drenched vocals and lyrics evoking images of love, loss and murder. In their soul-thumping bluegrass songs, banjo keeps time to a strange and chunky angular stomp, with vicious Kentucky-hardcore acoustic guitar and somber, achingly confessional vocal harmonies. www.elliottbrood.ca, www.weewerk.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Sneaky Dee's @ 9:00pm

Embassy (Kitchener, Ontario)
This true-school MC collective's lyrics range from fiery discussions on international politics to theories and observations on the current state of society, paying homage to early rap influences like Public Enemy, Wu-tang and Gangstarr.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 11:00pm

Emily Jordan (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Emily Jordan's exquisite jazzy beat sound and her soulful, tender voice is outstandingly mature. www.emilyjordan.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at The 360 @ 8:20pm

End This Week With Knives (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Blistering scream core at its finest. Has to be seen live to be believed. Not for the faint of heart. Dangerously explosive and downright nasty in the best of ways. Check them out if you like At The Drive In and Alexisonfire. www.endthisweekwithknives.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at The 360 @ 8:45pm

Erik Simins (Toronto, Ontario)
A fine new R&B artist. Erik's musical diversity, soothing voice and good looks definitely make him someone to watch.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 12:00pm

Erin McKeown (Fredricksburg, Virginia)
Erin McKeown infuses straight up pop 'n' roll with New Orleans jazz, folk, fractured blues, and more. Her acoustic set is energetic, fun and extremely infectious, and her charisma is unforgettable. www.erinmckeown.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 8:30pm

The Evaporators (Vancouver, British Columbia)
The long-time project of Nardwuar the Human Serviette, The Evaporators create high-energy rock and roll that is a throwback to sock hops and malt sodas. www.nardwuar.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 1:00am

Eye 2 Eye (Montreal, Quebec)
Not only is this group gifted lyrically and musically, but they add to this an element of comedy and drama to produce what they call Theatrical Rap. www.eye2eyeproductions.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 11:45pm

The Failure (Calgary, Alberta)
Led by tight beats, nimble melodic bass lines, an assault of dynamic guitars, and chameleonic vocals, The Failure's sound is one part aggro-pop, one part punk, and one part grade-six science experiment. www.thefailure.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Kathedral @ 10:30pm

The Falls River Fiends (Toronto, Ontario)
Their debut album reveals that Troy Sinister isn't just a bass player or graveyard blues singer, but can also kick out the jams, fronting a real punk outfit while laying down some of the meanest bass lines this side of Texas. www.october32.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Bovine Sex Club @ 9:00pm

Fidgital (Vancouver, British Columbia)
A fusion of jazz, electronica and pop into a new vocal dance music. Their debut album "Spyglass" reached #1 on Chart magazine's national electronica Top 10 in 2001. www.fidgital.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 11:00pm

flipswitch (Vancouver, British Columbia)
flipswitch is a new rock band with a modern sound and an energetic live show. They've been swarming the airwaves and have secured many musical spots on various video games, compilations, and promotional events. www.flipswitchmusic.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 1:00am

Foster & the Paper Bag Band (Edmonton, Alberta)
Soul-drenched jazz offerings with a unique blend of styles, including swing, blues, Latin, and funk. www.paperbagz.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Grossman's Tavern @ 9:30pm

The Front (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Fresh from winning SHINDIG! 2003, the annual CiTR battle of the bands event, The Front's hip-hop explodes in an incendiary combination of slamming rhythms, melodies and hyper kinetic lyrics. www.ltos.net
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 1:00am

The Fullblast (Burlington, Ontario)
They blend fast, explosive punk rock with unparalleled rhythmic experimentation and melody, drawing inspiration from a breath of musical styles and artists. www.thefullblast.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Reverb @ 10:30pm

Full Count (Montreal, Quebec)
With their infectious blend of raw emotion, punk energy and timeless pop song craft, Full Count have rapidly emerged as one of the hottest new bands on the Montreal scene. www.fullcount.net
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Club 279 @ 1:00am

The Gears (Toronto, Ontario)
"Imagine if Jane's Addiction and The Clash showed up at The Who's house with a case of Whisky and said 'press record, let's jam'. They might have called it 'THE GEARS'." www.thegearsmusic.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rancho Relaxo @ 10:30pm

Gil Grand (Sudbury, Ontario)
Gil Grand weaves real-life lyrics into his songwriting and his traditional country music reminds the listener of country masters like Jones, Haggard, Twitty and Strait. www.gilgrand.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 9:00pm

Girl Nobody (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Led by Marta's heart-wrenchingly intimate vocals and beautiful lyrics, Girl Nobody create spaciously lush compositions that are provokingly original. www.girlnobody.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at The 360 @ 11:00pm

Glenn Lewis (Toronto, Ontario)
Velvety smooth, r&b urban performer who keeps wowing audiences with his amazing soulful songs and his electrifying live show. www.glennlewismusic.com
Festival Showcase: FLOWFEST / URBAN STAR QUEST Thursday March 4 at Opera House @ 12:05pm

Goat Horn (Toronto, Ontario)
What began as a jam of Cathedral and Priest covers quickly became serious matter as Goat Horn built upon their slow-as-molasses start to create classic, old-school metal tunes of their own. www.goathorn.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Bovine Sex Club @ 10:00pm

The Golden Dogs (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
Eliciting comparisons to artists as diverse as Wings, The Pixies and Wilco, The Golden Dogs released a debut album full of catchy songs augmented by cool riffs and perfect harmonies. www.thegoldendogs.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 10:00pm

Golden Horse (Melbourne, Australia)
Their songs are intelligently crafted with clever 3 part harmonies and at times complex chord structures complimented by string and horn arrangements.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rivoli @ 12:00pm

Graph Nobel (Toronto, Ontario)
This half-Trinidadian, half-Spanish artist has developed a musical style that defies common category. Inspired by: No Doubt, Blondie, Mos Def, and Bob Marley.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at The Phoenix @ 10:00pm

Grasshopper Sound Clash (Toronto, Ontario)
Influenced by hip hop, dub reggae, punk, and classic rock, their performances combine live instrumentation on guitar with pre-recorded beats and samples. www.grasshoppersoundclash.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rancho Relaxo @ 10:30pm

The Greatest Thief (Vancouver, British Columbia)
A brand new project by former members of Flannel Jimmy, The Greatest Thief are working in the studio with producers Dave Genn (Matthew Good Band) and John Dexter (Bif Naked) on their debut record.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at The 360 @ 9:00pm

Great Lake Swimmers (Toronto, Ontario)
Their haunting sound finds its roots in vintage folk and alt-country colourings, shaped by accordion and piano, lap steel and guitar, with a voice that seems to come from the walls. www.greatlakeswimmers.com www.weewerk.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Sneaky Dee's @ 11:00pm

Greenfield Main (Ottawa, Ontario)
Greenfield Main combine classic country sounds with bluegrass stylings, creating songs about hunting that are drenched in vocal harmonies. www.kelpmusic.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Healey's @ 10:00pm

Greg MacPherson (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Greg is a unique and talented singer songwriter who blends beautiful inner-city-inspired melodies with pulsating rhythms in his eclectic folk-rock music. His new record is out on G7 Welcoming Committee. www.gregmacpherson.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Holy Joe's @ 12:30am

Groundwerk (Toronto, Ontario)
This alternative rock and roll band has been creating a buzz with their sharp song writing and passion fueled live shows.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Lee's Palace @ 9:00pm

Haddonfield (Toronto, Ontario)
Haddonfield's uplifting, melodic and heavy sound has earned them a fair amount of respect and a position on the 2003 Vans Warped tour. www.camphaddonfield.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Kathedral @ 8:30pm

Harmony Trowbridge (Toronto, Ontario)
Blessed with a keen sense of observation, an endless hunger for musical discovery and a disarming degree of honesty, Harmony Trowbridge is a superb songwriter. Think: Sarah Harmer, Emmylou Harris. www.harmonytrowbridge.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Holy Joe's @ 10:30pm

Heather Morgan & The Company of Men (Toronto, Ontario)
A singer-songwriter whose soaring voice and writing style straddles country, jazz, bluegrass and blues influences, Heather skillfully handles any idiom she chooses. www.heathermorgan.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Silver Dollar @ 12:00pm

The Heavy Blinkers (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
"The Heavy Blinkers is a splendidly ambitious and brilliantly realized headfirst dive into ultra-sunny chamber pop waters, the same pool where you can find the Beach Boys and the Left Banke wading in the shallow end." ‚ Rolling Stone.com www.heavyblinkers.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Healey's @ 12:00pm

Heidi Vincent Band (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Heidi has a remarkable and honeyed vocal versatility that is powerful and demands attention, yet can be candid, uncomplicated and sometimes naÔve. Lyrically she depicts life experiences and will take the audience to the heart of hope itself. www.heidivincentband.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Chicago's Diner @ 9:30pm

Hidden Echo (Clarington, Ontario)
Heavily influenced by Creed and Nickelback, this modern rock quartet is starting to make their mark and is currently putting the finishing touches on their first demo. www.hiddenecho.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Reverb @ 8:00pm

The High Dials (Montreal, Quebec)
A perfect blend of influence and innovation, updating the R&B sounds of the British Invasion with a modern luster. They stay true to the sonic aesthetic of crafted harmonies, danceable beats and open-minded exploration. www.thehighdials.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 10:30pm

The Hollow (Toronto, Ontario)
Melodic hard rock band that has strong material and an impressive live show. www.thehollow.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Lee's Palace @ 9:00pm

Hotel (Toronto, Ontario)
With memorable hooks, solid musicianship, soaring vocals and deceptively clever lyrics, Hotel's music is a force to be reckoned with. Their sound is contemporary yet heavily influenced by the best of the 80s: early U2, The Cure and Kirk Cameron. www.freetinysoap.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Lee's Palace @ 12:00pm

Hostile Takeover (Toronto, Ontario)
Their sound is a rich mix of chaos, intensity, melody and dissonance; all captured in uniquely and passionately crafted songs that pulsate with energy. If you like: Mission of Burma, Pixies.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Sneaky Dee's 9:00pm

Human (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Human was named 2003 ECMA Rock Group of the Year and has been busy supporting such acts as Big Sugar, Three Days Grace, and The Salads. www.experiencehuman.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 11:00pm

Hush Hush (Toronto, Ontario)
Singer/songwriter Keri Steele explores contemporary forms of music, creating mesmerizing, highly melodic and loop-based trip-hop songs. www.popguru.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Tequila Lounge @ 10:00pm

Hyena (Montreal, Quebec)
A sex-kitten-led four-piece hardcore rock band that is a cross between Black Sabbath and AC/DC, with a smooth side and lots of ambition.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Bovine Sex Club @ 11:30pm

Ian Thornley (Toronto, Ontario)
Big Wreck front man creates warm melodies with great guitar work, comforting vocals and inspired song writing.
Festival Showcase: Extreme Music Series Wednesday March 3 at the Opera House

The Illuminati (Toronto, Ontario)
Formed in the fall of 2002, in only one short year this trio has honed its unique brand of psychedelic hard rock and supported such A-list international artists as Alice Cooper, Andrew W.K., and The Darkness. www.theilluminati.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Lee's Palace @ 1:00am

Imperial Pubic Library (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Imperial Public Library blend indie power-pop with rich vocal harmonies to create energetic and powerful rock and roll. www.imperialpubliclibrary.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rancho Relaxo @ 9:30pm

In Essence (Toronto, Ontario)
In Essence has been exciting listeners with their beautiful soft harmonies and heart felt lyrics.
Festival Showcase: FLOWFEST / URBAN STAR QUEST Thursday March 4 at Opera House @ 11:30pm

In This Life (Montreal, Quebec)
The band formerly known as The Riddlers evolved into In This Life during the summer of 2003. Still purveyors of alternative rock tinted with folk, their ties to Amnesty International and consciousness-raising are legendary. www.inthislife.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Tequila Lounge @ 12:00pm

In-Flight Safety (Sackville, New Brunswick)
Beautiful ambient songs composed of layered melodies building an electric aura. Voted "Best Unsigned Band" by Universal Music at NXNE 2003. Comparable to: Radiohead, Coldplay. www.inflightsafety.ca
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Rancho Relaxo @ 12:30am

Inner City Surfers (Toronto, Ontario)
The Inner City Surfers offer pop-punk songs that are filled with anger, sadness, and often enlightenment. They use a variety of music styles to deliver these various emotions. www.innercitysurfers.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Sneaky Dee's @ 11:00pm

The Intended (Toronto, Ontario)
Their music is a mixture of country and light rock with some soul and hard rock thrown in for good measure. www.theintendedband.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Black Bull Tavern @ 12:30am

Isherwood (Toronto, Ontario)
Isherwood has a knack for adding catchy melodies to songs with a twist. Some tunes are radio-friendly while others have a hypnotic clubby, dirge feel with arrangements making a decided leap away from the norm. www.timisherwood.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Cameron House @ 9:15pm

I, Shithead (Vancouver, British Columbia)
A special acoustic / spoken word performance featuring Joe "Shithead" Keithley's recollections of a life in punk - stories of riots, drinking, traveling, playing, and conquering all manner of obstacles through sheer determination. www.suddendeath.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Sneaky Dee's @ 8:00pm

Jack Lavoie (Toronto, Ontario)
Jack Lavoie's songs, tell tales, share secrets and spread the message of hope and compassion with warm melodies and strong voice. www.jacklavoie.net
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Silver Dollar 10:00pm

Jackie Richards (Markdale, Ontario)
Gifted with tremendous vocal and emotional range, Jackie can bring down the house with her rockiní country, then bring a tear to your eye with a heart-wrenching ballad. www.jackierichards.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Black Bull Tavern @ 10:30pm

Jacob Two-Two (Ottawa, Ontario)
Purveyors of sweet and engaging roots-based pop music, their debut album was named one of the best releases from Ottawa in 2001 by Chartattack.com. www.jacobtwotwo.net
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Black Bull Tavern @ 11:30pm

Jalayne Tradler (Toronto, Ontario)
At the age of 17 Jalayne won an Alberta Country Music award and now under the wing of Daniel Leblanc (thrice nominated CCMA record producer of the year), she has co-written a new album. www.jalaynetradler.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Cameron House @ 11:45pm

Janet Panic (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Her unique musical style blends the rhythmic and sensual with guitar-driven melodies to form a tasty cocktail of one part poetry, one part power, and two parts pop. www.janetpanic.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Cameron House @ 10:45pm

Jay Fletch (Ottawa, Ontario)
Citing influences such as Busta Rhymes, Joe Budden and Fabolous, this young urban performer has shown he has the songs to step up to the majors. Ottawa's Urban Star Quest winner this year. www.mvthis.com
Festival Showcase: FLOWFEST / URBAN STAR QUEST Thursday March 4 at Opera House @ 8:15pm

Jeen O'Brien (Toronto, Ontario)
Jeen continues to increase her fan base as she mesmerizes audiences with her heart felt lyrics, her dynamic live show and her hook laden musical arrangements. Her new single "American Dream" is sure to hit you over the head. www.sostarstruck.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Cameron House @ 8:45pm

Jeff Hendrick (Calgary, Alberta)
Deeply rooted in the r&b and pop influences of artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Prince, with smooth vocal offerings, soulful keyboards and sexy saxophone. www.jeffhendrick.com
Festival Showcase: FLOWFEST / URBAN STAR QUEST Thursday March 4 at Opera House @ 8:45pm

Jersey (Burlington, Ontario)
Jersey is proper punk in the tradition of the Clash, Rancid and Bad Religion, infused with elements of Springsteen, U2, and even a little Tie Domi. www.jerseyrock.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at FunHaus @ 11:00pm

Jets Overhead (Victoria, British Columbia)
The Jets Overhead sound situates rock-and-roll immediacy in the context of a more hypnotic and trance-oriented backdrop, with influences ranging from Pink Floyd to The Velvet Underground to The Who. www.jetsoverhead.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at The 360 @ 12:00pm

JFK and the Conspirators (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Traditional seven-piece ska outfit that has been dazzling fans and critics alike for almost ten years. They have consistently laid down the traditional styling of ska music, taking influences from its early days along with rock steady and reggae.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Clinton's @ 11:00pm

Jocelyn (Toronto, Ontario)
Her powerful sultry vocals and fresh alternative R&B are influenced by the likes of Sade, Michael Jackson and Paul Simon.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Cameron House @ 8:45pm

Jody Quine (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Her presence is captivating and electric, with a voice that beds down with the shivers under your skin. www.jodyquine.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 8:20pm

Joel Kroeker (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Joelís second record "Melodrama" is a thoughtful, big-production pop album that displays his eclectic song styles. He has co-written songs with Stephan Moccio and The Weekend's Andrea Wasse, among others. www.joelkroeker.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 10:15pm

Joel Parkes (Toronto, ON)
Joel Parkes is a Canadian songwriter who spends a lot of his time writing with various Grammy winning writers/producers in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles. He co-wrote the Top-40 hit "8th World Wonder" that is covered by American Idol Kimberley Locke.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at B-Side @ 8:30pm

John Acosta (Toronto, Ontario)
John is mainly recognized today as a songwriter involved is albums by such notable artists as Sugar Jones, Velvet Empire and Sky. Recently one of his songs was chosen for Canadian Idol winner Ryan Malcolm's debut CD.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Chicago's Diner @ 11:30pm

John Cossar (Toronto, Ontario)
John Cossar plays danceable rock and shows lots of potential as a versatile songwriter and supple vocalist. www.johncossar.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 8:35pm

Jonas (Montreal, Quebec)
Jonas' first solo album on the DKDD label is currently in progress and will be out everywhere in Spring 2004. The record is produced by Dale Panner, famous for his work with Nickelback and Holly McNarland. www.jonas.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Healey's @ 9:00pm

Jonathan Seet (Toronto, Ontario)
First and foremost a poet's songwriter, Seet's masterful wordplay, subtle irony, and command of metaphor and paradox, pits his delicate melodies and harmonies against the seedier aspects of love. www.seet.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Tequila Lounge @ 9:00pm

Johnny Aho (North Bay, Ontario)
This singer/songwriter creates simple and honest rock-pop music that feels immediately intimate and familiar. He is an Xtreme Band Slam finalist this year. www.johnnyaho.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Clinton's @ 9:00pm

Jon-Rae Fletcher & The River (Toronto, Ontario)
Their music has been described as country gospel rock blues, and compared to the likes of Palace, Bonnie Prince Billy, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. www.deerandbird.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Sneaky Dee's @ 1:00am

Josh Martinez (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Josh Martinez is for the children. Without a doubt one of the best live hip hop performers out there, Josh brings the heat with humour and intensity. www.joshmartinez.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 9:40pm

J-Seven (Montreal, Quebec)
J-Seven shows versatility in his lyrical style, flow and subject matter. Working on tracks with producer Sonny Black (Corneille, Dubmatique), he is now readying the release of his debut EP. www.j-seven.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 9:00pm

Julie Crochetiere (Montreal, Quebec)
Formerly a member of Sugar Jones, this Montreal native emerged strengthened, with her own vision. Her growth as a songwriter has given her a fresh new voice and a brand new sound described as soul infused with jazz and folk. www.juliec.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Clinton's @ 10:00pm

The Junction (Brampton, Ontario)
What started as an acid jazz band of high-school friends has evolved into a solid four-piece band with many fans across Toronto.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Cameron House @ 12:30am

Kate Maki (Sudbury, Ontario)
The music of singer songwriter Kate Maki is stark and sadly beautiful. A nod to troubadours of old, she blends traditional country with infectious pop-hooks and amped-up rock. www.katemaki.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 9:35pm

KEKELI (Toronto, Ontario)
With master drummer Kwasi Dunyo from Ghana, West Africa. Discover the excitement and joy of traditional Ghanaian styles of music and dance. www.dunyo.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 9:15pm

Kelly & The Kelly Girls (Toronto, Ontario)
Hot blues-inspired rock and roll with soul. Kelly's baritone voice belts out songs with reckless abandon and swaggering charm. The group features the former lead singer of Merkury Burn. www.kellyclipperton.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Bovine Sex Club @ 10:30pm

Kevin Kane (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Previously of The Grapes of Wrath, Kevin most recently settled down to record an album of cover tunes along the lines of David Bowie's "Pinups," paying tribute to and reinterpreting songs that have inspired him.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at The 360 @ 10:20pm

Kids On TV (Toronto, Ontario)
A brash new band hitting the Toronto indie scene. With their aggressive, dance-fused stripper songs these guys are getting everyone hot and bothered.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Sneaky Dee's 1:00am

The Kinetics (Toronto, Ontario)
Elements of classical, jazz, reggae and soul intertwine with rock, creating a raw and energetic music that is distinctly unique.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Clinton's @ 1:00am

King Sunshine (Toronto, Ontario)
A collective that provides new colours to the spectrum of sound, creating soulful, original material as well as remixes of past gems. They perform live house music with up to twelve band members. If you are into: Roy Ayers, Larry Heard.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Reverb @ 11:00pm

Knacker (Toronto, Ontario)
By combining a love for British guitar pop song craft with a fetish for crunching power chords, Knacker provides the necessary link between hook filled 70s arena rock and cutting-edge indie rock of the 21st century. www.knacker.net
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Sneaky Dee's @ 10:00pm

Kobayashi (Montreal, Quebec)
Fusing hip hop beats with jazz and electro influences, Kobayashi's sound is unique with its cool scratches, jazzy horn lines, funky beats, and smooth vocals. www.kobayashi-jazz.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Reverb @ 9:00pm

Krome (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Krome is a four-piece rock act with brooding melodies and overpowering harmonies. Their sound has been described as "sonically modern" in the vein of Nickleback and Puddle of Mudd. www.kromerockband.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Club 279 @ 10:00pm

LAL (Toronto, Ontario)
This trip-hop, drum & bass group layer warm textures over heavy beats that are reminiscent at times of Lamb, Nightmares on Wax, or Massive Attack.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Reverb @ 12:00pm

Laura Blaise (Toronto, Ontario)
Her sensual music is laced with deep, impulsive beats and poetry. Laura has showcased at the last two Honey Jam events in Toronto. www.brumbymusic.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Reverb @ 9:00pm

LEI (Toronto, Ontario)
Female fronted pop rock band that plays with passion and creates multi-layered songs with clever hooks and driving guitars.www.indiestructable.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Rancho Relaxo @ 11:30pm

Les Six (Toronto, Ontario)
Les Six has a rich, sexy, darkly romantic sound, while their live performances are sweeping and intense. Hive magazine described them as "pretentious highbrow pop," and NOW magazine called them "The Fall with Interpol with killer keyboards."
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Bovine Sex Club @ 12:30am

littleSUNDAY (Toronto, Ontario)
littleSUNDAY is an explosive charge of pumping guitar sounds and thundering drums that has been igniting the Toronto music scene since 2002. A fusion of crisp chords, velvet vocals, bone-shaking bass, and a tour-de-force of toms. www.littlesunday.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at B-Side @ 12:00pm

The Livid (Mississauga, Ontario)
A hardcore band cranking up the gain and pounding out the sounds, they were formerly known as Insertwhat. Check them out if you are into: Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit. www.thelivid.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Club 279 @ 9:00pm

Loco Zydeco (Toronto, Ontario)
Blending traditional and contemporary, they have created their own unique interpretation of Louisiana's most exciting musical export. Live shows often become a free-for-all of audience participation. www.locozydeco.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Grossman's Tavern @ 12:30am

LoDown (Windsor, Ontario)
Hailing from the Windsor/Detroit area, Lodown have made their mark by combining aggressive hooks and unique rock songwriting. www.officiallodown.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at B-Side @ 11:00pm

Lotus Position (Toronto, Ontario)
Led by former songwriter and lead vocalist of Blaxam, Lotus Position perform their unique genre of Organic Mantra Soul using acoustic instrumentation and rhythmic chant-like lyrics with a myriad of vocal tones.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Chicago's Diner @ 12:30am

Lucie Blue Tremblay (Ste Marthe sur le Lac, Quebec)
She is one of Canada's beautiful voices and songwriters. Her fans enjoy her honest, straight-to-the-heart love songs. www.luciebluetremblay.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Chicago's Diner @ 10:30pm

LUKAS (Toronto, Ontario)
This upstart Toronto band has been stunning audiences with a fresh sound that effortlessly flows between art rock and British pop. Their indie-credible line-up sweetens the deal.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Healey's @ 11:00pm

Luther Wright & The Wrongs (Kingston, Ontario)
A good deal of excitement was created in 2001 when fab, alt-country punkgrass ensemble, Luther Wright and the Wrongs made a splash with their Pink Floyd tribute REBUILD THE WALL. www.lutherwrightandthewrongs.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 @ El Mocambo @ 12:00pm

Mab Lab (Indianapolis, Indiana)
This five-piece group combines influences of R&B, jazz, hip hop, and funk, to get across their messages of harmony, unity, and real-life concerns. www.mablab.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 9:30pm

The MacGregors (Kelowna, British Columbia)
They've been capturing the attention of audiences for years with their original songs and dynamic stage presence. Now they're capturing music-industry attention. www.themacgregorsband.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Chicago's Diner @ 9:30pm

Madcaps (Montreal, Quebec)
A jazz-infused rock groove outfit that has an igniting live show. They released their debut full-length this past year. www.themadcaps.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rancho Relaxo @ 11:30pm

Madrid (Toronto, Ontario)
Often compared to Air and Royksopp, Madrid's warm psychedelic sound is smothered in darker, harder beats and more complex arrangements that is both comforting and addictive. www.madridtheband.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Sneaky Dee's @ 11:00pm

Mara (New York City, York)
Passionate acoustic rock, this award winning singer/songwriter is fearless, independent, and on a mission to bring together solid songwriting and pure soul. www.marasong.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Cameron House @ 9:00pm

The Marble Index (Hamilton, Ontario)
They have a sound and presence combining the raw energy of MC5, the pop sensibility of Big Star, and the driving volume of The Who. www.themarbleindex.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Lee's Palace @ 10:00pm

Mark Bragg & The Black Wedding Band (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Their debut recording "The Reckless Kind" (Maple Nationwide) is a genre-crossing cabaret, deftly driven by Bragg's knack for illuminating dark and tragic characters through song. www.markbragg.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Tequila Lounge @ 11:00pm

The Mark Inside (Whitby, Ontario)
A melodic four-piece rock band whose style includes spacey jams, bouncy R&B grooves, and thundering distortion levels. Think: Weezer, Sonic Youth. www.markinside.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Sneaky Dee's @ 12:00pm

Married to Music (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Energizing, uplifting and intensely refreshing, Married to Music cleans the dry crusted palette of rock and roll with strong songs and a notable live show. The young trio recently released their debut album, "The Worlds Gotta Go Round".
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rivoli @ 9:00pm

Martina Sorbara (Toronto, Ontario)
Martina Sorbara's lyrics are wise and poetic and her style is expressive and original. She combines folk, jazz and rock, while showcasing her fine piano- and guitar work. www.martinasorbara.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 7:30pm

Marvel (Toronto, Ontario)
This MC/producer's membership in Toronto hip hop cliques must have its benefits; with the likes of Saukrates and Kardinal around, beats should be no problem. Marvel's beats and rhymes attack on his new EP "No Streets."
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 9:00pm

The Matadors (London, Ontario)
In early 1995 Joel "Hooch" Parkins started a rockabilly band with his two friends "Creepin'" Jeff Sheppard and some other guy. www3.sympatico.ca/hellblazin/
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Kathedral @ 8:30pm

Matt Mays and El Torpedo (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
A former member of The Guthries, Matt Mays released his debut album of alt-country rock music on Atlantis Music this past year. He received 6 nominations to the 2004 ECMA awards. www.mattmays.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Horseshoe Tavern @11:00pm

Matthew Barber (Toronto, Ontario)
Having gotten his start opening for such notable acts as Joel Plaskett and Sarah Slean, Barber's music is filled with soaring melodies, pulsing rhythms and bitter-sweet sentiments. www.matthewbarber.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 11:00pm

Maza MezÈ (Toronto, Ontario)
Maza MezÈ is an 11-piece Arabic and Greek music ensemble whose music includes layered, winding vocals, instrumental excursions, and driving hand percussion. www.mazameze.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 9:30pm

The McCarrel Sisters (Bruce County, Ontario)
The McCarrel Sisters perform the music of the ceilidh, honouring the traditions of their Gaelic ancestors who settled their area. www.mccarrelsisters.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Black Bull Tavern @ 9:30pm

MC Flipside (Toronto, Ontario)
The esteemed MC Flipside needs no introduction. Flippy is Ontario's eye in the sky, voice on the street, and bug in the rug all in one. Who's better than Flippy?! www.mcflipside.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ Hosting 'Elevate'

Meesh (Montreal, Quebec)
This energetic, female-fronted, four piece pop rock band got the opportunity to play on the 2003 Warped Tour.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Reverb @ 11:15pm

Melanie Durrant (Toronto, Ontario)
The fantastic, r&b blessed singles "Where I'm Goin'" and "Let Me" featuring Kardinal Offishall have thrust sultry Melanie Durrant into the spotlight. www.melaniedurrantmusic.com
Festival Showcase: FLOWFEST / URBAN STAR QUEST Thursday March 4 at Opera House @ 10:45pm

The Meligrove Band (Toronto, Ontario)
This band has built their reputation on a live show so energetic it often borders on chaos. Visceral, sweat-soaked and very loud, the usual set sees drum kits knocked over, mic stands on floors, and pop fans walking to the subway with smiles on their faces. www.meligroveband.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Healey's @ 1:00am

Melissa McClelland (Toronto, Ontario)
Her music has as been described as everything from simple and beautiful to dark and moving. People are instantly drawn to her melodic vocals and rich songwriting, finding truth and meaning within her lyrics. www.melissamcclelland.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ pm

Memo (Montreal, Quebec)
One of the most articulate rappers in the business, co-member of Rezen and co-founder of the Montreal collective Island City Monsters, Memo provides an original and insightful look at life through his music and his art. www.tookova.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 10:45pm

Meraudio (Toronto, Ontario)
Citing influences ranging from Run-DMC to Pearl Jam to Steve Earle, Meraudio create an enigmatic and intelligent pop sound. www.meraudio.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Cameron House @ 8:30pm

Meta4ce (Montreal, Quebec)
Discovering that he had an affinity for rap's gift-of-gab and song, Meta4ce began to formulate a rhyme scheme mixed with hard hitting street lyrics in a tradition of raw, underground hip hop. www.meta4ce.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 11:20pm

Metric (Toronto, Ontario)
This Brooklyn-via-London-via-Toronto-via-LA art-pop quartet has a disco-based post-punk new wave sound. But instead of teasing you with a seductive wink, Metric come on with the brash confidence of a drive-by make out. www.ilovemetric.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at The Phoenix @ 12:00pm

The Midway State (Toronto, Ontario)
Youthful energy mixed with experienced song writing puts this piano-fronted group a step above most rock/pop punk bands. Think Bens Fold Five with modern guitars and a love for heart-wrenching choruses that send the emotive tingles up your spine. www.midwaystate.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Clinton's @ 9:00pm

Mike Clark (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Mike has managed to unfold himself into an expressive performing songwriter with honest lyrics and a knack for hooky melodies. He just finished recording his debut album and has successfully managed to craft an honest mixture of Wilco, Nirvana and Elliot Smith. www.themikeclark.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Holy Joe's @ 9:30pm

Mike Evin (Montreal, Quebec)
His piano-based music is a unique extension of the tradition inhabited by Harry Nilsson and Paul Simon, creating thoughtful, heartfelt pop songs with immaculate melodies. www.mikeevin.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Clinton's @ 9:00pm

Mike Trebilcock (Hamiton, Ontario)
Previous leader of The Killjoys, Trebilcock is one of the best songwriters in the region. His intimate and assured debut features keen basement pop-smithery shot through with roots music. www.miketrebilcock.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Clinton's @ 10:00pm

Millions of Cats That Turn Their Masters (Toronto, Ontario)
Described as "candied glass, hard and sweet" and as "the Stooges meet the Velvet Underground," this band combines electronic explorations with roots rock to create a new sonic experience.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rancho Relaxo @ 11:30pm

Mind Of A Squid (Toronto, Ontario)
An epic drone rock jam band that has a bombastic take on atmospheric music. Mind of a Squid's compositions stand out, casually stringing together riff after cyclic riff. www.mindofasquid.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Rancho Relaxo @ 12:30am

Moonlight Graham (Toronto, Ontario)
Graham has been best known for his lead singer/lyricist/guitarist roles in Ottawa rock band Barstool Prophets. After an attempt at life beyond rock 'n' roll, he has returned to his true love -- writing and performing music. www.moonlightgraham.ca
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Rancho Relaxo @ 10:30pm

Moonraker (Montreal, Quebec)
Moonrakerís innovative sound is inspired by the British music wave of recent years. www.moonrakerband.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Reverb @ 12:00pm

Moneen (Brampton, Ontario)
Moneen create aggressive, melodic pop music. Their live show is amazing. They released their first full-length on Vagrant Records last year. www.moneen.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Kathedral @ 10:30pm

Moneyshot (Victoria, British Columbia)
Brutally catchy melodies, in-your-face guitars, and a rock-solid rhythm section combine to kick your ass with honest, punk rock music. Think: AC/DC, Bad Religion. www.moneyshot.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at FunHaus @ 8:45pm

Mudmen (Toronto, Ontario)
Music loaded with crushing guitar tones, catchy vocals and of course contagious bagpipes. Their sophomore album is now out on S&K/Sextant (EMI Canada). www.mudmen.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at FunHaus @ 9:30pm

Najuah (Toronto, Ontario)
This three-female urban R&B dance group has been making a name for themselves with sharp singles and sultry videos. www.najuah.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Cameron House @ 9:45pm

Natasha Thirsk (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Achieving a flow between innovation and power-pop is a feat that requires a surprising amount of intelligence. Yet the musical prowess of Natasha Thirsk makes music like this seem deceptively simple. www.boompa.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at The 360 @ 9:40pm

Nathan (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
This quartet craft delicate pop and alt-country songs wrapped in acoustic instrumentation and bewitching melodies. Their upcoming record is scheduled for release this March by Nettwerk.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 7:00pm

The Neutron Stars (Guelph, Ontario)
This power-pop-rock band plays straight-up tunes that will inspire you. They recently independently released their Andy-Magoffin-produced debut record.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Sneaky Dee's 1:00am

Nick Cuda (Toronto, Ontario)
Nick Cuda is a musician who has been moving his audience for over twenty years. He knows his classics. His unique imprint is on every song he plays, everything from romance or ballad to cool blues and disco.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Chicago's Diner @ 11:30pm

Nine Mile (Toronto, ON)
With a new album, and a sold-out North American/Australian tour in the books, Nine Mile's unique brand of pop blends roots, rock, folk & reggae vibrations with mature songwriting & addictive melody. www.nine-mile.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Opera House @ 10:00PM

No Luck Club (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Heavily influenced by hip hop and all its mutated forms, they create beat-driven sound collages. No Luck Club = rhythmic grooves + elements of various music genres + found sounds + vinyl culture + turntablism. www.noluckclub.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 1:00am

Novillero (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Novillero blend infectious pop with aggressive rock structures, mod themes with spacier elements, art-rock with a touch of retro pop.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Healey's @10:00pm

No Warning (Toronto, Ontario)
A bunch of thugs who make brutal, old-school hardcore. www.nowarninghc.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at The 360 @ 10:20pm

Offsides (Montreal, Quebec)
Started in 1996, Offsides has become one of Montreal's most sought after hip hop acts and were winners of the CBC "Big Break" contest in 2003. www.odoublef.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 12:20am

Oh Susanna (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Oh Susanna's performance is a mixture of folk, country and rock and roll. Mojo Magazine in the UK named her latest offering the magazine's Essential Americana album. www.ohsusannamusic.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 8:00pm

Oliver Black (Welland, Ontario)
This quartet fuses vintage rock and roll with contemporary rhythms, influenced by bands from Led Zeppelin to AFI. They are sure to deliver a little bit of what was, some of what is, and a fist load of what is gonna be. www.oliverblackmusic.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Club 279 @ 11:00pm

onlyforward (Montreal, Quebec)
Brainchild of outside-the-lines songwriter Dave Martel, this alt-acrobatic-pop outfit deploys all that's good in early new wave and post-punk pop. www.onlyforward.net
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Healey's @ 12:00pm

Orchard Hill (Hamilton, Ontario)
This alt-folk singer-songwriter creates stark and beautiful music that lays bare the soul and reaches deep inside your heart.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Holy Joe's @ 9:30pm

Ox (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Alt-country-flavoured songs of loss and love, encased in guitar distortions and raspy vocals. Ox's debut album was a mainstay on the Canadian college charts this past year.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 9:00pm

Pamela Brott (Montreal, Quebec)
On the verge of her debut album, Pamela delivers her vocals with a sultry-smooth R&B flavour mixed with a fun pop vibe. Add to it an innovative mix of hip hop, funk, and retro 80s tracks, and you end up with a sound that shatters any attempts at categorization. www.dyna-micrecords.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Cameron House @ 12:45am

Pangea (Aurora, Ontario)
Original good-time rock and roll performed by band members obsessed with creating memorable rock songs. www.pangeaplace.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Tequila Lounge @ 8:45pm

The Parkas (London, Ontario)
The Parkas were raised on British Invasion records, schooled on Northern Ontario dirt roads, and baptized in an undercurrent of Stax Voltage. As full grown men, they play a combination of country, blues, and popular rock 'n' roll. www.theparkas.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 10:00pm

The Patients (Toronto, Ontario)
Madcap guitar-based R&B played with a rock 'n' roll sensibility. Andy Magoffin produced the bandís five-song EP at the House of Miracles in London. In 2003 the band signed to Permafrost Records. www.thepatients.net
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Rancho Relaxo @ 12:30am

Paul Godfrey (Toronto, Ontario)
This singer-songwriter has a gift for combining thought-provoking lyrics with honest, simple, but catchy melodies and pleasant vocals.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Black Bull Tavern @ 11:30pm

Peter Katz (Toronto, Ontario)
Over the past several years, Peter Katz has delighted crowds across Canada with his blend of jazz, rock and folk music. His passionate style has landed him comparisons to Jeff Buckley and Martin Sexton. www.peterkatz.org
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 11:30pm

The Pettit Project (Oakville, Ontario)
The Pettit Project create catchy, hyper-melodic music that is a mixture of power pop, rock riffs, keys, and vocal harmonies.www.thepettitproject.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Club 279 @ 10:00pm

Phauna (Toronto, Ontario)
Phauna's soulful house-, disco-, and nu-jazz-influenced sound evokes a classic jazz sensibility couched in lush 4/4 shuffled rhythms and drenched in rich textures that draw the listener into a swirling pool of layered melodies. www.playrecords.net
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Reverb @ 10:00pm

POINT BLANK (Toronto, Ontario)
For over nine years POINT BLANK have been developing and mastering their skill, while keeping a solid presence in the Canadian underground urban hip hop scene. www.tiltrockrecords.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 11:40pm

Politic Live (Edmonton, Alberta)
Working to redefine the standards of urban music with a sound that is distinctively hip hop and lyrics that can be appreciated by philosophers, poets, hustlers and comedians alike. www.politiclive.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 9:00pm

Polyjesters (Didsbury, Alberta)
Created on the streets of the south of France, the Valleau brothers started this group to learn old swing tunes inspired first from gypsy friends playing in the style of Django Reinhart. www.polyjesters.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Silver Dollar @ 9:00pm

The Postage Stamps (Toronto, Ontario)
Their sound can be best described as rhythmic, dynamic and textural indie rock that transcends the boundaries of any single genre. They bring to mind such bands as Pink Floyd, Fugazi, and Sunny Day Real Estate. www.thepostagestamps.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Sneaky Dee's @ 12:00pm

Precious Little (Toronto, Ontario)
Debuting in 2001, Precious Little opened for Jon Langford, The Rheostatics and Richard Buckner, showcased at NXNE and CMW, and released a full-length album - all in their first year. www.preciouslittle.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Silver Dollar @ 11:00pm

ProCon (Toronto, Ontario)
Mesmerizing electronica-inspired nu-wave disco-rock band that make aggressive yet danceable music.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Upstairs @ 12:00pm

Protest The Hero (St. Catherines, Ontario)
This band is relentless. Incredible drums, insane screams and non-stop politics. Musically explosive and influenced by some very powerful metal bands. If you're looking to see how to play old-school metal in a new-school setting, this is the way to go. www.protestthehero.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at The 360 @ 11:45pm

Reason Disappears (Toronto, Ontario)
The six members of Reason Disappears came together with a common goal of creating music that is melodic, driving, eclectic, and emotionally driven. The combination of six very diverse musicians who share a wide variety of influences results in a very unique sound, while still keeping one foot firmly planted in the hard-rock arena. www.reasondisappears.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Club 279 @ 1:00am

The Reason (Dundas, Ontario)
Self described melodic venge-core, The Reason blend powerful pop harmonies with edgy vocals and straight up honest lyrics. www.thereason.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Kathedral @ 10:15pm

Rebecca Dileo (Toronto, Ontario)
Her music is slightly distorted and highly stylized, exaggerating specific features like the paintings of Modligliani, with the frenzy and furry of Van Gogh's color and brushstrokes.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ ongoing live art performance

The Recoilers (Ottawa, Ontario)
The Recoilers are avid students in the school of rock, having thrown into their sonic melting pot of influences ingredients ranging anywhere from the Beach Boys to Sonic Youth. www.kelprecords.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Healey's @ 1:00am

Reid Jamieson (Toronto, Ontario)
Recently named "One of the most underrated talents in town" (NOW, 2002) Reid Jamieson's voice and engaging performances have been turning heads for several years. www.reidjamieson.com
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Silver Dollar @ 1:00am

Reverie Sound Revue (Calgary, Alberta)
Described as "a mixture of familiar sound, yet indescribable, a wonderful confusion," RSR's music is danceable, inspired by pop guitars, seductive harmonies, strong rhythms, and the occasional synth line and drum machine. www.reveriesoundrevue.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at The 360 @ 9:00pm

The Riddle (Toronto, Ontario)
With a modern rock edge and a groove reminiscent of the mid-70s FM radio giants, The Riddle fit perfectly into all pop/rock and alternative formats. www.theriddle.ca
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Reverb @ 1:00am

Ritual (Cornwall, Ontario)
Super Groovin' Back-Crushing Stoner Rock! Strong guitar riffs, pounding drums, and just the right blend of melody and rage. Listening to Ritual may cause strain on your neck! www.RitualNet.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at B-Side @ 9:00pm

Robin Black & The Intergalactic Rock Stars (Toronto, Ontario)
Robin Black & the Intergalactic Rock Stars are on a mission to save earth's inhabitants from bland rock shows. Repulsive to some, embraced by others, they are the flashiest, most decadent band to ever sashay across Canada. www.robinblackrocks.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Horseshoe Tavern @ 1:00am

rocKetface (Toronto, Ontario)
rocKetface is a modern rock trio with a huge, melodic sound. They just finished recording their debut CD with producer Matt Dematteo. www.rocKetface.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at B-Side @ 1:00am

Rose Ranger (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Rose delivers her own unique roots-pop music style, with evocative, sultry-raspy voice and lyrics written from the heart. She can be compared to Sheryl Crow, Shawn Colvin and Sarah McLachlan.
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Black Bull Tavern @ 11:30pm

Round2 (Toronto, Ontario)
Their warm melodies are delivered by two mesmerizing lead vocalists backed up by a brilliant wall of sound. www.round2music.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Tequila Lounge @ 8:30pm

Royal Wood (Toronto, Ontario)
A talented multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, Royal Wood has a cast of all-star Canadian musicians to help back him up. Notable influences include Tom Waits and Randy Newman.
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Silver Dollar @ 10:00pm

The Rude Mechanicals (Toronto, Ontario)
This band's unique blurring of lounge and pop reveals an intelligence and personality that make them essential listening. www.rudeweb.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Tequila Lounge @ 10:00pm

The Rumours (Vancouver, British Columbia)
With a span of influences from 60s-era doo-wop to hair metal and hard rock, The Rumours blend intense and powerful vocals, spiraling guitars and melodic, pounding rhythms. They were recipients of the Future Shop / Universal "Future Stars" Award for Best Unsigned Band at CMW in 2003. www.therumoursonline.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at Bovine Sex Club @ 10:00pm

Russell Leon Band (Toronto, Ontario)
Russell Leon is a unique songwriter and captivating performer who has been building a reputation on the Toronto scene. www.rleonband.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Black Bull Tavern @ 10:30pm

Ryan Luchuk (Toronto, Ontario)
Ryan Luchuck (loo-chuck) has been creating a buzz in Toronto with his pounding piano and exceptional songwriting. His debut EP has received glowing reviews in Exclaim, Chart, and Eye magazines. www.ryanluchuck.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at B-Side @ 10:30pm

The Sadies (Toronto, Ontario)
Alt-country-rock. Their distinctive gritty twang takes influence from surf music, garage rock, and country tradition, but is much darker and more adventurous than just four guys plowing away at traditional roots music. www.thesadies.net
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 12:30am

Samba Squad (Toronto, Ontario)
The thirty-plus-member Samba Squad has grown from a community-based drumming school into one of the most dynamic and sought-after acts on the Canadian World and Latin music scenes. www.sambasquad.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at Revival @ 10:15pm

Sarah Cheevers (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Sarah is a talented and evocative singer, songwriter and guitarist. Her influences are Joni Mitchell, the Indigo Girls and Sting. www3.telus.net/sarahcheevers/
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Chicago's Diner @ 11:30pm

The Salteens (Vancouver, British Columbia)
The album "Short-Term Memories," full of smart, hook-laden guitar pop, quickly rose to the top of Canada's national college radio chart, and was nominated in the category of Best Alternative Album at Canadian Music Week's 2001 Independent Music Awards. www.salteens.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at The 360 @ 12:20am

Sekiden (Melbourne, Australia)
Receiving numerous weeks of high rotation on Australia's biggest national radio station JJJ, their penchant for electronic synthesizer and keyboards of the late 70s and early 80s explodes in their latest release "Junior Fiction." www.sekiden.com
Festival Showcase: Friday March 5 at The 360 @ 11:40pm

Shaker (Toronto, Ontario)
With influences ranging from Led Zeppelin to The Beatles, Shaker is a rock 'n' roll band driven by pure passion, and solidifed with intense vocal harmonies. The live show can't be missed! www.shakerworld.ca
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at Lee's Palace @ 9:00pm

ShankHini + Ndidi Cascade (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Shankhini has opened for Medusa in LA, been a featured MC on Nelly Furtado's "powerless" and its remix by Sokrates, and is the 2003 freestyle champ of Much Music's "BATTLE" series. Ndidi Cascade has been featured with Femi Kuti, Michael Franti, K-os, and Prevail. www.shankhini.com, www.ndidicascade.com
Festival Showcase: Saturday March 6 at B-Side @ 12:30am

Shawn Hewitt (Toronto, Ontario)
Hewitt blurs influences of Afro-Beat, the 1970s avant-garde musical movement known as Kraut-Rock, and the Free Jazz of Sun Ra. All bound together with a soulful delivery, these sounds are the foundation of Shawn's signature songwriting style.
Festival Showcase: Thursday March 4 at The Phoenix @ 9:00pm

Silent Seymour (Toronto, Ontario)
Silent Seymour was born in early 2002 as the love child of four talented and ambitious individuals. As Silent Seymour matures, so does th