We’re heading back to one of our favourite places—Prince Edward Island—for the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, kicking off this Thursday through Saturday, and we are beyond excited to share it with YOU, Strange Crew.

Before the festival gates open and the amps get cranked, we sat down with none other than Ben Murphy, the man behind the magic. As the CEO of Murphy Hospitality Group and Whitecap Entertainment, Ben has played a major role in shaping some of the East Coast’s biggest and best events, including Cavendish Beach Music Festival and the newer but equally stellar Sommo Music Festival, where we had an absolutely incredible time last year! We straight up swear on it being the best festival around legit. Beyond thought out, so many vendors, great layout, so safe, easy to get to, media is well taken care etc, cannot say enough things about the team too, just beyond amazing crew of people and all day through taking care of people coming in, artists, they are just on it and smiling.

In our exclusive chat, Ben gives us an insider look into what it takes to pull off a festival of this scale, the growing impact of live music on the Island’s culture and tourism, and what fans can expect from this year’s experience at Cavendish, and we are pumped.

And let’s talk about that lineup for a second...there’s over 60 artists across three stages—an incredible variety of country, folk, and local talent!

We have Lainey Wilson and Shania Twain coming to PEI LIKE WHATTTTT!? We are so excited! Catch up at the line dancing tent, besties!

📸 We’ll also be on the ground capturing behind-the-scenes moments, artist interviews, fan stories, giving out fun merch and—of course—enjoying all the music magic.

Make sure to follow along on our socials and stay tuned to Strange Grooves for the latest drops from the field. If you see us out there, come say hi!

SEE YOU AT CAVENDISH, STRANGE CREW!
This episode of Strange Grooves is brought to you by Locarius!

Planning a ticketed event? Book a demo at ⁠⁠⁠https://locarius.io⁠⁠⁠ and mention the Strange Grooves podcast for a discount!

This week on Strange Grooves, we’re joined by one of our favourite music storytellers—Noah Lefevre, the creator behind Polyphonic.

We talk about his punk rock roots, his path from journalism to YouTube, and how Polyphonic became a go-to for deep, thoughtful music analysis. Noah shares his creative process, why research matters, and what it takes to turn a good idea into a great video.

Plus, we chat about Canadian music, his podcast Ghost Notes, and his upcoming book Century of Song. Whether you're a longtime fan or discovering his work for the first time, this is a conversation worth tuning into!

This episode of Strange Grooves is brought to you by Locarius!

Planning a ticketed event? Book a demo at ⁠⁠https://locarius.io⁠⁠ and mention the Strange Grooves podcast for a discount!

We first met Declan Rockwell and the dynamic crew of NORTER at PEI’s SOMMO Festival last September—and we’ve been fans ever since. Their high-voltage performance and passion stuck with us, so when we heard a new EP was on the way, we had to bring Declan back on the mic.

In this episode, we dig into The Yearbook Club—NORTER’s latest EP—and talk about the band’s evolution, creative process, and what it feels like to finally share these new tracks with the world.

From their East Coast roots to making waves in Nashville, LA, and NYC, Declan opens up about the challenges and wins of breaking into bigger music markets while staying true to small-town grit. Plus, Cait drops actionable marketing tips for musicians looking to grow their audience and make real connections.

We wrap with a look at what’s next for NORTER—new shows, future plans, and why now’s the time to tune in if you haven’t already.

Welcome back, Strange Crew!

What’s up, Strange Grooves listeners and watchers! This time, we hit the road (or as we like to call it, Strange Grooves on the Move) and landed in the vibrant city of Halifax. We were there to catch up with some pals, record an epic chip-nic, and, of course, put together a fresh podcast just for you!

We had an absolute blast chatting, cracking jokes, and preparing for our big interview at Swearnet Studios. And we’re pumped to share this lighthearted and fun-filled episode with all of you.

Support Strange Grooves on Patron:

https://www.patreon.com/c/strangegrooves

This episode of Strange Grooves is brought to you by Locarius!

Planning a ticketed event? Book a demo at ⁠⁠https://locarius.io⁠⁠ and mention the Strange Grooves podcast for a discount!

Welcome back, Strange Crew!

In this episode, we’re thrilled to bring you an incredibly special interview with none other than Linda Pelletier – a true icon in the music world. If you’ve ever stepped foot in the East Coast music scene, you’ve probably heard Linda’s name and felt the impact of her tireless work.

Linda is not just a long-time friend of the Strange Grooves crew, but also one of the most passionate, kind-hearted supporters of music and the people who make it.

For decades, Linda has played an integral role in building and nurturing the community around live music. She ran her own production company, Medusa Productions, helping hundreds of bands and artists find their footing, build their fanbases, and connect with listeners. Her impact on the industry is immeasurable, and her love for music is felt by everyone she touches.

As a promoter, she didn’t just focus on putting on shows; she made sure that fans could discover new bands, new sounds, and new friends. Her work helped shape the East Coast scene, fostering an environment where creativity and collaboration thrive. Beyond the stage, she’s been involved in some of the coolest TV shows and has experienced some of the most legendary performances, all while maintaining her humble, down-to-earth personality.

It was such a pleasure to sit down with Linda and hear her stories firsthand!

In this episode, we dive into the rich history of Canada's East Coast music scene, from its early days to where it stands now. Linda shares memories of the bands, venues, and people who helped build it into what we know and love today. Her stories are a testament to the power of community in the music industry, and how the dedication of people like her have made new venues and emerging bands flourish. Cait and Linda have been buds for over 20 years and it’s Linda who helped Cait get into shows and adventure to Rockfest and always encouraged so many people to listen to such wicked good bands. Bands like Port City Allstars, Baracuda Sunrise, Thelema, Ermine and so many others.

Linda created so many friendships and wicked memories by just being such a wicked cool person. Cait would love to shoutout Jill Langteigne, Sean Boyer, Sarah and Darlene Partridge, Laura Heans, Leeann Miller, Shelley Brown, Joanna Killen, Eric Braun, Marc Henwood, Doug Anderson and so many countless others for being such amazing friends but also big music fans who always showed me cool tunes, invited me out to shows and essentially integral part of the music I love and memories I have.

We also get a look at some old, never-before-seen photos that capture some truly special moments in Linda’s career – photos submitted by Linda herself and some that were rediscovered. Trust us, you won’t want to miss these glimpses of music history!

That and so much more in this episode of Strange Grooves!

This episode of Strange Grooves is brought to you by Locarius!

Planning a ticketed event? Book a demo at ⁠⁠https://locarius.io⁠⁠ and mention the Strange Grooves podcast for a discount!

Welcome back, Strange Crew!

We are excited to bring you our first episode of 2025, and it’s a good one! This week, we’re excited to share our chat with Ian Morse, co-founder of Locarius. This online ticketing platform provides competitive pricing and support, especially for smaller artists and venues.

If you’ve listened to the show any time, you know live show experiences, including ticketing, are a hot topic for us and our guests, so we were so excited to chat with Ian about how he and his team are working to change the experience.

We chat with Ian about the creation of Locarious, which operates similarly to Eventbrite but emphasizes transparency, customer support, and fair pricing. We talk about its early adopters, including venues in the Maritimes like Trailside Music Hall, and the importance of fairness and customer-centric business practices in the entertainment industry.

Of course, we dive into Ian’s personal experiences with live music, his favourite artists, concert memories and more!

If you’ve ever been pissed off at how concert ticketing has been in the last several years, you’re not going to want to miss this conversation!

A special treat for Strange Grooves Listeners:

Are you a small artist or venue looking for a fairer ticketing platform? Locarius would love to offer Strange Grooves listeners a demo. You can head over to their website to book one today!

Strange Crew, We got a holiday exclusive for ya! We got to go to Trillium House Studios with Paul Milner to get a behind the scenes scoop on an wicked cool recording session and interview with award winning singer songwriter Andrew Clarke.

Andrew Clarke Rocks Christmas with "Wake Me Up on Christmas Day"

The holiday season just got a serious upgrade, thanks to singer-songwriter Andrew Clarke and his brand new Christmas single, "Wake Me Up on Christmas Day." This isn't your typical holiday track—it's an all-star jam session of guitar gods and world-class instrumentalists creating a song that’s as festive as it is unforgettable.

We hope you enjoy this conversation and have a fun and safe holiday, Strange Crew!

This episode of Strange Grooves is brought to you by Locarius

Planning a ticketed event? Book a demo at ⁠https://locarius.io⁠ and mention the Strange Grooves podcast for a discount!

A Conversation with MuchMusic OG VJ Rick Campanelli

At Strange Grooves, we love celebrating the iconic moments and people that shaped music culture—and when we had the chance to interview Rick Campanelli, one of MuchMusic’s original VJs, we were beyond excited!

We grew up watching Rick, learning from him and finding new music and resonating with artists in ways we could have never imagined. We had the privilege of chatting with Rick about his legendary time at MuchMusic, his journey in the entertainment world, and what he's up to now. Here's a quick look back at his career and why this interview meant so much to us.

For anyone who grew up in Canada during the '90s and early 2000s, Rick Campanelli (aka "Rick the Temp") is a household name. Joining MuchMusic in the mid-'90s, Rick became an instant fan favourite. His relaxed style, quick wit, and genuine love for music made him the perfect host for the channel. Over the years, Rick became a fixture on Much on Demand, hosted live events, and interviewed some of the biggest stars in music, from rock icons to emerging pop stars.

His time at MuchMusic wasn’t just about playing music videos anc meeting incredible celebs—it was about connecting with artists and fans in a way that helped define Canadian music culture. Rick wasn’t just a host; he was a true fan of the artists he interviewed, and that authenticity made him unforgettable and still does to this day. You feel his energy on the screen, at events, and we are so stoked we got to chat with him.

This episode of Strange Grooves is brought to you by Locarius!

Planning a ticketed event? Book a demo at ⁠https://locarius.io⁠ and mention the Strange Grooves podcast for a discount!