Midtown Conversations

Guest host @allisondyjach chats with Kitchener punk-rockers @redoutput about releasing their first new single in 2 years, "Rafters," and they look back at the incredible 2023 the band had. We also sit down with Owen Tester, lead guitarist from @livingroomforsmall_ to discuss the local pop-punk band's new EP release "WHEREVER U GO" and play a special KW lightning round...does Owen prefer the farm animals in Waterloo Park, or the swans in Victoria Park?! Tune in to find out!

The show also features new music releases from local musicians including singer-songwriter @amandabraammusic 's newest single "Pink Paper Hearts" and...

Join host Danielle Deveau, live from the SDG Idea Factory in Kitchener, for this music cities talk featuring Shain Shapiro (author of This Must be the Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better). With guests Betty Anne Keller (Rock This Town); Paul Kalbfleisch (The JOY Experiments: Starting a New Conversation on City Building); and Amit Mehta (Good Company Productions).

Host Danielle Deveau chats with playwrights Maria Colonescu, Steven Elliott Jackson, and Ciaran Myers about:

-how they found careers in theatre
-what it’s like working in this region
-the challenges of finding space, funding, and audiences
-how a regional arts council could help make our local creative economy better

All the writers have work in the upcoming season of Midtown Radio Dramas.

Big thanks to our Midtown Conversations sponsor Grand Valley Construction Association.

This week on Midtown Conversations, host Danielle Deveau visits KWAG for a tour of the new exhibition SOS: A Story of Survival, Part II - The Body.Curator Darryn Doull walks us through the works, which collectively consider the impacts of climate change, war and conflict, and food and housing insecurity on our living bodies. Viewers are asked to consider: How will we survive as our shared environment collapses around us?

We also chat with Amy Smoke, whose work with Land Back Camp (alongside Bangishimo and Erik O'Neill) is featured in the show. 

Host Danielle Deveau interviews STEPHEN PREECE, President of the Grand River Jazz Society and founder of The Jazz Room in Waterloo, Ontario.

We talk about:

 -how The Jazz Room found a home
 -the importance of live music and supporting artists in our communities
 -the challenges that local cultural organizations continue to face

We also dig into the archives for an interview with MARY-CATHERINE PAZZANO that Allison Dyjach captured for @onthescenekw last year.

They talk:

-the road to becoming a working musician
-favourite local venues @thejazzroom and @reg...

Host Danielle Deveau chats with Danny Michel about his new album: Ghost Town.

Interview discusses:

the process of writing and recording this album (spoiler: it was really hard)what inspired himhow many times does every song need to be fully recorded and mixed...really....what it's like being a solo artist in Canadahow long has he actually been collaborating with Rob Carliand what does he REALLY think about all those carnival rides featured in his video for "The Point of No Return"

In this clip from Midtown Conversations, host Danielle Deveau sits down with KW city builders Melissa Bowman and Sarah Marsh to discuss some of the most contentious issues facing our cities and how we can solve them. 

In this episode of Midtown Conversations, host Danielle Deveau is joined by local author, music historian, and CKWR radio host Coral Andrews for a feature conversation.

In this episode of Midtown Conversations, host Matt Rappolt sits down with community activist Kamil Ahmed, one of the organizers Community Fridge KW. Kamil talks about the genesis and growth of the project, how it subverts the power dynamics of the traditional "charity" model, and why mutual aid projects are so important for tackling inequality in our communities.

Host Danielle Deveau discusses "Neighbourhood Character" with our Cities Panel. What is it? It is a reasonable concept for planning conversations? With guests Melissa Bowman (Citified Substack); Sam Nabi (TriCities Hip Hop & Full Circle Foods); and Sam Glass (Arts Build Ontario).