Hamilton is steeltown, or at least it was. Home to two major steel manufacturers both of which lay largely idle today it has a reputation as a blue collar, working person’s town. About an hour west of downtown Toronto, it’s the butt of many jokes and the home of Tim Hortons with hardly a Starbucks to be found and the CFL hall of fame.
It’s also the home of some of Canada’s most talented musical talent: Daniel Lanois grew up there, Tom Wilson of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and Lee Harvey Osmond calls it home, Luke Doucet and Melissa McLelland of Whitehorse called it home for a while. Martin Short & Eugene Levy met at Hamilton’s McMaster university and the rest, as they say, is comedy history. The Niagara escarpment–the spine of this country–runs nearby.
Ash & Bloom are an acoustic duo in the tradition of Simon & Garfunkel and the Everly Brothers whose fine debut (which I reviewed here http://nodepression.com/album-review/album-reviews-oh-susanna-mama-kin-and-ash-bloom) features a tribute to their hometown of Hamilton, and it couldn’t be more deserved.
The video showcases the people and places that have inspired so much creativity. Watch, enjoy, visit–maybe for the end of summer Greenbelt Harvest Picnic, which is one of the finest days of live music you’ll find anywhere.
