Hailing from Saskatoon, Wide Mouth Mason is a blues/rock/roots trio renowned for their fluid, agile musicianship and dynamic live performances. Shaun Verreault on lead vocals, guitar and three-slide lap steel, and Safwan Javed on drums and percussion have produced a decades-deep catalogue including many rock radio hits, multiple gold records, and a track on the classic million+ selling Big Shiny Tunes 2 album. Wide Mouth Mason has played clubs, theatres, arenas and festivals, toured with The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and ZZ Top, and appeared in the Al Pacino/Colin Farrell film The Recruit (and on its soundtrack). The band has completed a new record called Late Night Walking — produced with Ryan Dahle and featuring Big Sugar’s Gordie Johnson on bass — which will be released Sept 8, 2023 through Toronto's We Are Busy Bodies.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music
•
The Commandos are a fun-loving four-piece explosion of rock and roll covers straight outta Hamilton, Ontario. Specializing in genres they grew up loving, The Commandos play '90s alternative and punk rock hits with authenticity and passion. Their on-stage energy engages audiences with sing-alongs, drink-alongs and wireless guitar shenanigans. Equally at home on a festival stage, at a private party, or in a bar, The Commandos deliver memorable performances for any occasion.
••
ABOUT GSKT
On October 31, 1997, at the age of 19, David Angus received a kidney transplant from his father, Ken. This marked a new start in David’s life after living with kidney disease since he was six months old. In April 2016, David was aware that the 20th anniversary of this remarkable event was fast approaching, and he saw an opportunity to use this milestone to give back to others. His idea was to host a charity concert to support Hamiltonians living with kidney disease to raise awareness for the adversity that influenced most of his life. Within a few minutes of running the idea by his father, Ken was on board. By the end of June of that year, David had connected with the Kidney Foundation of Canada to host a concert to support Hamiltonians with kidney disease to vacation at Lions Camp Dorset. This amazing facility was developed for individuals on dialysis to have a family getaway without missing their life saving treatment. With a few ideas thrown around, David’s close friend, Taryn Bastead, adorned this concert’s name as Guitar Strings and Kidney Things. On October 28, 2017, Guitar Strings and Kidney Things was held at Collective Arts Brewery in Hamilton. Headlined by Canadian legends, The Lowest of the Low, and supported by Gauer (formerly as The InBetwe3n) and comedian Adrian Cronk, the sell out crowd on hand raised over $13,000 for the cause. On May 4, 2019, David and Ken returned to Hamilton as Guitar Strings and Kidney Things raised over $27,000 to support St. Joseph’s Hospital’s redevelopment of their Charlton Campus dialysis unit. Their efforts helped to make the unit more patient centered for the over 600 people who receive treatments each week. For David and Ken, there is always more work to be done.