Episode includes music from Daddy Long Legs; August Eleven; and Housecat. 

Sam Varteniuk is the Executive Director at The Registry Theater in Kitchener. Sam is also a community builder, and spends a lot of his time helping individuals and organizations in the arts community connect with one another and with opportunities for space, funding, and other kinds of supports. He makes The Registry accessible community organizations, and is a strong advocate for the arts in our community.

Maria Colonescu has been an active creator for almost fifteen years, working in both theatre and film as an actor, director, writer, designer, editor, and producer. She holds an MFA in Advanced Theatre Practice from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Midtown Radio listeners will know her from last year’s excellent season of radio dramas which she directed and produced.

Guests: 

Alana Decker (A. Decker) is a visual artist, youth program facilitator, and certified Therapeutic Art Mentor who integrates creativity with mental health advocacy. Her art serves as a tool for healing, empowerment, and raising awareness of social issues, exploring themes of identity, mental well-being, and self-expression. By blending affirmations, poetry, and artistic imagery, Alana fosters dialogue that inspires resilience and self-reflection. Her work has been featured in solo exhibitions such as Remembering All That I Am and When Passion Takes the Lead, as well as Black and Free at the Ken Seiling Museum and the Homer Watson Juried Show. Alana's public art includes Accepting Myself As I Am, displayed on a planters box, and the collaborative mural Unity in Bloom. Through workshops, murals, and exhibitions, Alana connects with communities, encouraging creativity and growth.

Hailing from Kitchener, Ontario, Painting Pelicans is an indie rock band that blends honest lyrics, indie charm, and a little bit of everything else into their sound. What started as a collaboration between Jonas and Harry, quickly morphed into a full fledged band, adding Thomas on drums and Noah on bass/guitar. With one album already under their belt, and an EP on the way, Painting Pelicans is doing what they do best: making good music and putting on fun shows.

Music Featured: Twas Now (Show You Mine), Rachel Hickey (River), Painting Pelicans (Don't Leave) 

Guests: 

Aashay Dalvi is the founder of Rad Riot Books, a radical online bookstore based in Kitchener-Waterloo that prioritizes queer, migrant, and translated anti-racist literature. They are a queer advocate and activist and have performed standup comedy across the GTA at Glad Day Bookshop, SoCap Comedy and Tammy's Comedy Nights in Toronto and at Pinch Cabaret, Together We're Boisterous and Drag Open Stage at AOK in Kitchener-Waterloo. They are also a playwright, writer and performing artist who recently finished their second artist residency at the Registry Theatre. The film they co-produced at the artists residency “Ushers” premiered in November at Ed Guelph. They worked on a documentary that premiered at the Inside Out Film Festival last summer. They previously hosted the Rainbow Reels Queer & Trans Film Festival in K-W and act as our resident film and television for On The Scene!

Mike Elliott is a multi-talented musician, known as a distinctive guitar player, harmonica player, vocalist, songwriter, and band leader. Active in the Ontario music scene since 1992, Elliott has made a significant impact through his dynamic performances and original compositions. His notable festival appearances include the Kitchener Blues Festival, Summer’s End Festival in Waterloo, West Coast Blues Festival in Goderich, Jazz and Blues in the Village in Sarnia, and the prestigious International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. With a career spanning over three decades, Elliott continues to captivate audiences with his heartfelt performances and vintage tone. Whether leading a band or producing new music, Elliott remains a vital force in the blues and roots community. 

Tim Lee has spent more than half his life as a professional musician and has thousands of appearances under his belt. Most of that time was spent touring in Canada and the US with his own trio or as a sideman for a number of stellar personalities from the Blues world. Lately, Tim has been living and travelling in the UK, bringing his solo show to clubs, festivals, and parties, far and wide. He also enjoys bringing music to the streets and can be spotted busking regularly. Tim’s show offers a variety of original songs, and a few old favourites, peppered with a story or two, all from the Blues and Americana world. He mixes old with new, vintage with modern, and backs it all up with his thirty-plus years experience as a touring musician.

Music Featured: Flesh Eating Ghouls by Blue Freezie, Night Stalker by McVittie, Call My Name by Tim Lee

Follow On The Scene online at: @onthescenekw 
On The Scene is produced by: Allison Dyjach, Darek Reidel, Shelby Bolitsky, and Deren Atkins

Hosts Allison Dyjach and Darek Reidel hear from J-One about her lifelong passion for hip-hop and community, and how she has found family and connections within the local KW hip-hop community when she moved here a few years ago to pursue a degree in Music Therapy at Wilfrid Laurier. They also chat with Deren about his newly launched podcast, Scene2Sceniq that explores how local KW artists create, and how sometimes taking the "scenic route" in creativity leads to incredible projects. 

We also see the return of the ever favourite 3 Stars of KW, and Darek quizzes J-One in another special Lightning Round!!!

Guests: 

J-One is completing a music therapy degree here at Laurier while also performing music as an R&B and Rap artist. J-One has performed in KW at various open mics, house shows, and community events, as well as part of the evolve series at Laurier. She is currently working on a documentary that profiles the impact of music in her home country of Jamaica. 

Deren Atkins is a local musician and producer at Midtown Radio. He created a brand new podcast that is airing on Midtown Radio Tuesday nights at 7pm called Scene 2 Sceniq. Every episode he interviews a new guest who is a local artists and does a deep dive with them into their songwriting process and musical journey. Deren is also a huge nature guy so chats with artists about how they draw inspiration from the outdoors. 

Music Featured: Stuck by AP, Why by J-One, It'll Be Good by Rachel Hickey

Follow On The Scene online at: @onthescenekw 
On The Scene is produced by: Allison Dyjach, Darek Reidel, Shelby Bolitsky, and Deren Atkins

The pair hung out on the "red" carpet as guests entered the cinema, mingled, and chatted about their excitement film. They invited anyone to come pop by and chat about their connections to the film or wonderful world of wrestling! Throughout the hour their guests included: 

Sara Geidlinger
Colin Hunter
Warhed
Alison Hunter 
Bruce Thundersteen 
Revna
Coral Andrews
Sidehustle
Orange Julius

To find out more about the film, check out: https://therefmovie.com/

Hosts Allison Dyjach, Shelby Bolitsky, and Darek Reidel hear from Jordan about his new EP release "The Window Seat" and how he was able to create a concept album of complex emotions. They also chat with Brenda about their newly launched magazine "In Process: Visiting Creatives In Their Spaces" that profiles local artists, as well as their upcoming interactive "Nap Tour" event happening in Victoria Park. 

We also see the return of the ever favourite 3 Stars of KW, and Darek premieres his very first lightning round with our guests!

Guests: 

Jordan Long is a piano-driven singer-songwriter from here in Waterloo. Having played piano since the age of five, he was inspired to create and share original music after attending a concert in Vienna where he recognized emotions in the music that he had never seen expressed before. This experience made him feel deeply connected, and he hopes to offer that same feeling to others, especially his friends. Jordan Long's music is influenced by his classical training as well as artists like Bon Iver, and fellow Canadians Oscar Peterson and Joni Mitchell. His music is also influenced by his life experiences growing up in the region, and studying math at the University of Waterloo. 

Brenda Mabel Reid is a multidisciplinary artist living in Kitchener. Their work deals with the complexity of care relationships and thinking about ethics in urban living, often in ways the artist finds humorous or clever. Their practice regularly engages the public in collaborative art and learning experiences, from large-scale projects to interactive time-based installations. Currently, they are tackling questions of care through combinations of media, including textile, animation, printmaking, sound work, photography and sculpture. 

Music Featured: Dropkick by Painting Pelicans, L is B by Jordan Long, Cliffhanger by Avalon Stone

Follow On The Scene online at: @onthescenekw 
On The Scene is produced by: Allison Dyjach, Darek Reidel, Shelby Bolitsky, and Deren Atkins

Guests: 

The 74 Experience is a new events group putting together local concerts with diverse bills all around Waterloo. Their vision is to create an amazing space where new and local artists can shine, believing in the power of music to connect people and inspire creativity. By giving fresh talent a platform, the 74 Experience aims to build a vibrant community where every beat and note tells a unique story. Putting their first show together just a few months ago in March of this year, the group is now hosting regular shows at established venues including Midnight Run, Revive, and Room 47, and some unique outdoor spaces. 

HouseCat is an indie-pop trio from Kitchener-Waterloo. Composed of Caleb Huizenga, Emily Gilbart, and Shannon Lee, their debut EP, The Porch Orange was just released in July. Their music can be described as catchy, devastatingly sad, and a little morbid.

Music: Gonna Be Something by Act of Nature, Without You by Joshua Pascua, Falling by HouseCat

Theme Song: Wow!!! by Top Pocket 

Follow us for more updates on Instagram @OnTheSceneKW💜

Guests: 

Coraline James is an alt folk musician from Kitchener whose music feels like a therapy session from your friendly neighborhood mythical sorceress. Last month she launched a brand new music series called Song/Craft which is a songwriting focused concert hosted at TWB Co-op Brewing Company on Sunday afternoons once a month. The audience is invited to sip craft beer while immersing themselves in the craft of song. 

Pink Lemonade Records are a local record label based in KW and Cambridge behind a dozen artists from Canada and the UK. They regularly host amazing punk, rock, and alternative shows in the area including their Long Weekend Band Crawl series in Uptown Waterloo, Saturdays Are For The Scene at The Yeti Bar, and the Summer Short Can at Shortfinger Brewing Co.

Music: Hide and Seek by Courtney Wolfe, Giddy Heart by Coraline James, Don't You by Red Carpet Revival 

Theme Song: Wow!!! by Top Pocket 

Follow us for more updates on Instagram @OnTheSceneKW💜

Guest: Sara Geidlinger is a local multimedia storyteller - podcast host, photographer, filmmaker, and producer, she does it all. She is also an occasional guest host for On The Scene! She just released her most recent film called “Hip Hop Hope” The documentary film created by Bonn Park Media shines a light on Waterloo Region’s burgeoning hip-hop scene, showcasing the victories and challenges experienced by many local emerging and established artists. 

Music: Damaged Goods by Paige Warner, Summer by Coast Town featuring Ayesha Ahad and Dave Hjin, & Yours For Evermore by Mason Smyth 

Theme Song: Wow!!! by Top Pocket 

Follow us for more updates on Instagram @OnTheSceneKW💜

Guests: 

Sara Geidlinger is a local multimedia storyteller - podcast host, photographer, filmmaker, and producer, she does it all. She is also an occasional guest host for On The Scene! Sara teamed up with Colin Hunter, creator of Kayfabe News, a satirical wrestling news website, to direct The Ref Didn’t See It, a celebration of the unsung heroes of wrestling - the referees! The pair have been visiting wrestling studios, particularly Off The Ropes Studio in Kitchener to chat with referees, wrestlers, and everyone that plays a role in getting a wrestling show up in the ring. They released their official teaser last month and we are excited to hear more about it.

Music: Living Room for Small (JUST LIKE U), Rachel Hickey (River), Onion Honey (Holiday Hootenany)

Guests: 

Mackenzie Jordan is a local musician, producer, and operator of Locust Ridge studio in New Hamburg. He is also one half of the rock duo Cheap Shirt. The band released their first album in 2021 and is gearing up to release their second album tomorrow on November 17th. It’s called You’ll Pay For this and is full of 11 intricately crafted songs that tow the line between vintage and modern rock. 

DJ Jess is a local dj, event host, and community leader. She began DJ-ing back in 2009 in Thunder Bay and when she moved to KW she switched over to the decks. She now DJ’s full time and has a passion for supporting the electronic music community, and bringing people together through music and dance in various ways. She is the founder of the Under The Bridge dance series as well as Open Decks KW.

Music: Eric Jackson & the Willow River Band (Whiskey and Wine), Cheap Shirt (Are You Still a Musician?), Red Output (Washed Out Twilight)

Guests: 

Neal Moogk-Soulis is the concert organizer at Emmanuel United Church. He started hosting Side Door Access shows at the church in 2019 and has since hosted dozens and dozens of musicians. From local artists to touring acts across Canada that are coming through, from folk to rock, hip-hop, pop, and more! He’s here to tell us about how the concert series started and the busy season he’s had this fall!

Danielle Deveau is the co-founder of Midtown Radio and current host of the weekly show Midtown Conversations. She also teaches in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Waterloo. She conducts research on cultural scenes, mapping, and regional creative economies. Since May 2023, Danielle has been the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, and she has also been producing a set of Radio Dramas for Midtown Radio that just kicked off last weekend!

Music: Eric Jackson & the Willow River Band (Everybody Knows), Housecat (Play Dead), Blue Freezie (Flesh Eating Ghouls)

Guests: 

Veronica Tease and Mable Sugarbush are local burlesque performers that take the stage with Sassy Ray Burlesque shows in town! Mable started her burlesque craft back in 2019, while Veronica only started one year ago. This duo makes up the Rayettes and have shown off their dance and burlesque moves at Sugar Run, Up Lounge, Evo, and more! We can’t wait to hear more about their journeys getting into Burlesque and what’s next for them! 

Music: CxViolet (Adelaide), Noelle Frances (Turn Me Inside Out), Paige Warner (Stockholm Syndrome) 

Guests: 

Juanita Metzger has a passion for community, slow travel and hyper local experiences which make guided walking tours the ideal business for her. Since moving to the region in 2000, Juanita has worked in neighbourhood community development with a focus on placemaking, urban space and getting people engaged and connected to the place where they live. After coordinating and and leading walks with Jane’s Walk Waterloo Region for six years she founded Stroll Walking Tours. 

Onion Honey may hail from Ontario’s tech capital, but they make foot-stomping, toe-tapping, hoedown-ing folk music like an old-fashioned string band. Dave Pike, Esther Wheaton, Leanne Swantko, and Kayleigh LeBlanc play traditional tunes made new and original songs that sound old; like their name, Onion Honey’s music is sweet and sharp and savoury, a remedy for many ills, and a recipe for a good time. In May they released a brand new 15 track album called Foul Weather Friends, and they also just re-started a residency here at Grand Trunk Saloon on the first Wednesday of every month. 

Music: Sam Nabi (Motives), Janice Jo Lee (Take a Walk With Me), Onion Honey (Here In This Town) 

Guests: 

Manny Manila is a Filipino, trans drag king based in Waterloo. He had his start at the UW Drag Club and is now an independent artist. Manny always brings the party with his devil may care attitude and charm. 

Loublu is a indie rock band new to the KW music scene but has been creating music since 2017. 2 of their members moved from Sao Paulo Brazil to Kitchener in 2021 and teamed up with 4 local musicians to create a new 6 piece setup for the next chapter of Loublu. They are in the process of recording their next EP and are set to play a show at Jane Bond this Sunday.

Music: Halloween Animals (John), Lucas Stagg (Local Favourite), Loublu (Higher) 

Guests: 

Roshan James is a Tibetan-Indian multidisciplinary artist, poet, and musician, living as a settler in southwestern Ontario. As part of the South Asian diaspora, Roshan researches and experiments to create work that embodies decolonization, identity, timelessness, mindfulness, purpose, and healing. Entrenched in her work is anti-oppression advocacy and representation of marginalized, queer, and melanated voices to help dismantle colonial, capitalistic systems. You have seen her work around town including a mural on the Gaukel Block, and she just released a new book of poetry called Pink Moon.

Ben Metcalf is the co-owner and cellarman at Arabella Park Beer Bar. Arabella Park opened its doors in 2016 and is now a staple in KW for an incredible selection of curated beer, wine, cider, and non alcoholic beverages too. Ben has been at Arabella Park since the beginning as a bartender, changed roles over the years, and is now the person making all the decisions on the big blue board. 

Music: Western Swing Authority (Happy Chickens), Treephones (Fuzzy Dream Machine), Amanda Kind (Slow Dance)

Guests: 

Caleb Khuu is a versatile guitarist based in the KW region fluent in many styles of music spanning from jazz to hip hop to country and everything in between. He became interested in music starting from a very young age, experimenting with many instruments until he found his calling with the guitar. As a session musician he has had the opportunity to perform in many notable venues including Hugh’s Room, TD Niagara Jazz Festival, Sunlife Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival, and The Jazz Room in addition to many others. He is also passionate about music education and maintains a busy teaching studio, and has just debuted a brand new show Inside the Musical Mind on Midtown Radio. 

Hyness is a three piece rock band from KW that formed in 2017. They’ve played at notable music festivals including Hillside and Riverfest Elora, and still play regularly locally and in Toronto and Hamilton. They just released a brand new single last week and are gearing up for a ton of more new releases and a show this weekend at the one and only Jane Bond! 

Music: Feral Minks (Slowing Me Down), Rachel Hickey (Back on Track), Hyness (Julia)

Featuring music from: Alyssa DVM (Wasting My Time), Joshua Pascua (Slipping Away), and Saigon Hookers (Just Another Day)

Guests: 

Joshua Pascua is a singer songwriter, music instructor, and TikTok creator. With TikTok videos with over 100 thousand views, playing a variety of instruments and crushing it on vocals, Joshua is making a name for himself. Heavily influenced by classic funk, soul, and disco, he’s been gaining a reputation for his energetic and engaging live performances. He has performed locally at Maxwell’s, the Kitchener market, and most recently opened for Dom Vallie for KW Famous’ Art Hop in Downtown Kitchener. 

Hung is the new supergroup in town made up of members from Hawkeyes, The Miniatures, Speakeasies, Parkas, Darlings Of Chelsea, and Saigon Hookers. Canada’s first “real” punk rock n’ roll supergroup, Hung deliver high-octane, high-attitude, and high-swagger. After playing a few shows locally at Dive Bar and Maxwell's, they are ready to head to the studio to record their first album. 

Guests: 

With over 20 years of restaurant and sommelier experience, Wes Klassen joined business partners and friends Jon Rennie and Rob Corrigan to start Odd Duck Wine and Provisions 3 years ago. They started as a pop up food experience - doing quick stints and collaborations at breweries, bakeries, and more all around town. Now 6 weeks ago, they have opened up a permanent space here on Ontario St - a sit down restaurant, bar, and take out counter and bottle shop. 

Aashay Dalvi is the Anti-Oppressive Consultant for Midtown Radio, they are the founder of Rad Riot Books, a local radical bookstore that prioritizes queer, migrant, and translated anti-racist literature. They are a queer advocate and activist and have performed standup comedy across the GTA and locally. Aashay is also a huge film and pop culture buff so they were the perfect person to provide us with some inside info into some movies that are playing locally!

Music: Madison Galloway (Doors), Clarissa Diokno (Any Other Way), Excuse Me. (The Coast)

Guests: 

Miranda Campbell is the owner of White Tiger Vintage in Downtown Kitchener. She opened the store 12 years ago in 2011 and it has now become a staple for unique items in the Downtown core. Miranda loves focusing on the sustainability of thrifted clothing as well as the value of finding old gems of clothing. She is organizing the Way Cool Vintage Market this weekend on Gaukel St which will host 20+ vintage vendors, music from DJ Good Dr, and a pop up bar from Goldie's Convenience. 

Allison Brown's musical rambles have taken her across Canada on several occasions; playing music from atop hay-wagons to festival stages, concert halls to living rooms, campfires to stone amphitheaters, churches and record stores, coffeehouses and honky-tonk saloons to aboard moving passenger rail cars. She performs solo with guitar and voice, but often teams up with musical friends for a variety of unique collaborations. This weekend she is making her performance return to Kitchener with a show at the Yeti Bar alongside Barry James Payne. 

Music: Rachel Hickey (High - Live from The Loft studio), Conor Gains (Light Shine In), Allison Brown (Don't Wait Too Long)

Music: Monday Morning Whiskey (Skipping Stones), Frank Dux (Wuddup Todd), and Sam Nabi (Confidence - Live)

Music: Red Output (Nostalgia Divine), The Macqueens (Ordinary Man), & Romeo Sex Fighter (Psycho Killer - Live at White Rabbit)

Guests: 

Peter Pearse-Elosia is a local entrepreneur and the founder of Digimillenials - a platform that CELEBRATES, ELEVATES and AMPLIFIES African Culture in Canada and across North America. Peter has brought that same spirit to KW when he moved here 2 years ago by creating Afronights in KW - local events that celebrate African culture through karaoke nights, watch parties, and his weekly radio show. This weekend he hosts Afrovibes on Gaukel in collaboration with KW Famous. 

Craig Beattie is the CEO for Perimeter Development - the folks behind the landmark Google Building in Downtown Kitchener, and the new Breithaupt Block Parkette space behind it as well. Perimeter has worked on a ton of spaces especially in Downtown Kitchener including The Walper Hotel and surrounding block, the block where CBC Radio is located, Cafe Pyrus' home, and others around the city.

Music: Eric Jackson and the Willow River Band (Only a Livin'), Saffron A (I Believe You), Alysha Brilla (Womyn)

Featured Clips: 

-Allison Dyjach interviews Frankie Flowers on March 30th at Grand Trunk Saloon in Downtown Kitchener
-Sara Geidlinger interviews the Saigon Hookers on April 6 at Jane Bond in Uptown Waterloo
-BeccaHosts quizzes Allison and Darek on music trivia on March 23 at Goldie's Convenience in Downtown Kitchener

Featuring music from Lucas Stagg (Local Favourite), The Essential Letdowns (In The City), and Space Pope (Planet Express)

Guests: 

Sefora Catana is a local film content creator. In 2019 she combined her passions of film, art, and home design to open up Catana Studios. 

Monika Kitor is the host and creator of KW Creative Circle - a local open mic and creative writing circle series. These started last summer as a chance to bring people together post pandemic and explore their art in a welcoming and supportive space. 

Music: Mandippal (Soldier), Onion Honey (Hellcat Etiquette), & CxViolet and The New People (Oh My)

Guests: 

Brian Schied has been playing shows in Waterloo Region for the past decade. He plays in several punk and metal groups including Bad Egg, Stolos, Spook The Beast, and Fat Scheid and The Merry Melodies. He was also the former General Manager and booker of Chainsaw when it was open (RIP). Brian is a big supporter of the local music community and currently runs the KW Punk Metal and Hardcore community groups on Facebook and Instagram. 

Rob Hern is a beer lover, BJCP certified judge, and avid home brewer who has been working in the beer industry for the last ten years. He started home brewing at Trent University and launched Short Finger home brewing supply store in 2015, and expanded to become a full service brewery in 2018! Since then Short Finger has become home to many amazing events including concerts, laser tag competitions, festivals, art markets, food pop ups, and more. 

Music:

STEVEDAVE (420AM), Christian Economides (Way Back Home), Bad Egg (ActivismTM)

Guest: 

MacsØs is alternative hip hop from Kitchener, Ontario. He began his journey with his first guitar on his 7th birthday, a gift from his parents who supported his dreams since day one. With beginning in the local metal and punk scene, he managed to transpose the aggression of heavier music into his brand of hip hop, releasing his Mac the Martian EP in 2022. MacsØs drops his sophomore album on all platforms April 16th titled "Better Days" which reaches into deeper topics about substance abuse, misdiagnoses, and recovery. 

Music:

Saffron A (Reckless Driving), Dana K and the Remedy (Nuthin'), MacsØs (Gucci Fanny Pack), Mary Catherine Pazzano (I Can't Believe You're in Love With Me), and Amanda Braam. 

Guests:

Saigon Hookers are a 3 piece rock band from Kitchener, Ontario that started in 2005. During their time as an active band they released 5 albums and toured regularly across North America. The band took a hiatus in 2018, but they still love to keep in touch, make music together, and hope to reunite for shows when possible! 

Featuring music from Saigon Hookers, I, the Mountain, STEVEDAVE, Young Lungs, Wayfarer, and more. 

Guests:

Wayfarer is a rock band from Kitchener that formed in 2009. Their music is a perfect blend of early 2000’s emo and contemporary punk. They have been a staple of the KW punk rock scene over the years playing shows locally and touring across the province. In 2019 they released a full length album Reckless Spring to celebrate their 10 year anniversary as a band together. 

Frankie Flowers is a local genre bending artist heavily influenced by post-punk and 80’s dark wave. She has released 6 singles since 2020 and played shows in KW, Toronto, and Montreal. She will be playing a showcase at Canadian Music Week in Toronto on April 5th. 

Featuring music from Death Party Playground (The Count), A Short Walk to Pluto (Phantom Dream), and Frankie Flowers (SEROTONIN) 

Guests:

BeccaHosts AKA Rebecca Neil is a trivia, bingo, and games host here in KW. She has been hosting trivia and bingo nights for 7 years and has started her own business, "BeccaHosts Entertainment." She can be found hosting various trivia leagues, Disney trivia, country trivia, 90’s trivia, classic rock music bingo, and so many more themed events almost every night of the week. 

Aashay Dalvi is the Marketing Lead and Anti-Oppressive Consultant for Midtown Radio. They are the founder of Rad Riot Books, a local radical bookstore that prioritizes queer, migrant, and translated anti-racist literature. They are a queer advocate and activist and have performed standup comedy across the GTA.

Featuring music from I, the Mountain (Little Wild) and JP Sunga (In My Bones). 

Listen to hear Aashay's recommendations and reviews on these three films! 

Guests:

Logan Aultman is a young Canadian actor from right here in KW. After participating in musical theater classes he started acting professionally with a role in Odd Squad and his role as Gunter in CBC’s Homeschooled. He was nominated for this role as Best Supporting Actor at the Toronto Webseries Festival. Logan can be seen in the Nickelodeon movie Snow Day as Eli Welch on Paramount Plus. He also enjoys writing stories with two stories published in Canadian anthologies.

Ryan Leandres is the owner of the Adventurer’s Guild Cafe in Downtown Kitchener. He opened The Adventurer’s Guild in 2014 with his partner and they are now the home to over 2000 board games, video games, and role playing games! Ryan also recently launched his new Monday night metal show “Free Wizard Radio” on Midtown Radio in February.

Featuring music from Jerelle (Somewhere), Burnaby (Strings), and Clarissa Diokno (Confusion). 

This week we shine the spotlight on Together We're Boisterous, a regular comedy show put on by Pinch and hosted by TWB Brewing!

Guests:

Braeden Etienne is a writer, comedian, poet and performer. He has performed at The Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Guelph Comedy Festival, Ottawa Improv Festival, and Hillside festival. Braeden was the live Comedy Producer behind The Making Box which introduced improv to thousands of individuals through hundreds of classes and shows. He just released a brand new collection of Poetry entitled Threads and he is set to perform at the Together We’re Boisterous comedy show on March 11th.

Ben Gorodetsky is the creative brains behind Pinch - a hub for performing arts events and classes in Kitchener-Waterloo. He is a performance maker, writer, and producer here in Kitchener and has years of experience working in the arts from creating and hosting Edmonton’s experimental Dirt Buffet Cabaret, performing and teaching improv across the globe, and being a nominee for a Canadian Comedy Award. Since moving to KW he now runs Pinch which hosts regular improv classes, monthly cabaret shows, and regular comedy shows. 

Featuring music from Jerelle (Somewhere), Burnaby (Strings), and Clarissa Diokno (Confusion). 

Pink Lemonade Records and Basque give us an inside look into the alternative/punk rock music scene in KW! 

Guests:
Pink Lemonade Records are a local record label based in KW and Cambridge behind a dozen artists from Canada and the UK. They regularly host events shows in the area at a ton of unique venues and are passionate about supporting the local music community in every way. 

Basque are a local 4 piece screamo band from Kitchener.  

Featuring music from Joni NehRita (Common Story), HouseCat (Skeleton Man), and Greber (Nosebleed)

KWFamous came to visit us in August and September to talk about some of their summer events, but patio parties don’t stop in the winter with KWFamous, so it's time to chat with them again!

Guests:
Sam Staresincic is part of the KW Famous team. KW Famous hosts events all around Kitchener - Waterloo that aim to engage community members and help build connections across the city. KWFamous is all about community pride and collaborations, whether it’s creating merch for famous KW landmarks, taking day trips to visit new spots around the region, or hosting patio parties and roller skating nights. 

Featuring music from Frankie Flowers (SEROTONIN), Adult Recreation Centre (Preacher), and Jessie T (I Can Be Your Margarita)

For any of our listeners out there who may have been in KW around the late 90’s or early 2000’s, you might remember Legacy, the youth arts showcase shining the spotlight on Black joy, culture, beauty, and excellence. After several years on hiatus it’s back.

Guests:
Rufus John, a black Caribbean-Canadian singer/songwriter, entrepreneur, Child & Youth Worker, award-winning youth mentor and the founder of Music Is My Weapon and The Freedom Marching Project. Over the course of the pandemic Rufus released his most recent musical collection The Freedom Marching Project, an EP that features over 40 Black, Indigenous and Racialized (BIR) Artists from around Canada. He is one of the organizers that brought Legacy back to KW.

Selam Debs, a singer, writer, poet and creative. As an antiracist educator, speaker, yoga & meditation teacher and Holistic Life Coach, Selam believes that music is a catalyst for telling our stories and transforming our communities through activism, healing work, spiritual upliftment and Black joy! She is also an organizer of Legacy KW.

Ayesha Ahad is a local singer-songwriter who will be performing at Legacy this year!

Featuring music from Ben Rollo (Long Wave), Ayesha Ahad (Rusty), Living Room for Small (What's My Issue - IDK)

HUGE thank you to our sponsors @dtkitchener and @uptownwaterloo for their support in making this show possible every single week.

Music:
White Knuckle by Dan Walsh
Love Used to Live Here by Amanda Kind
Jeannie and the Sailor by Onion Honey
Red Flags Green by Katy Topham
Another Life by Waterstreet Blues Band
Better Than You Got It by My Son the Hurricane