Rockers Foreigner will bring their historic Farewell Tour to Brandon for a show at the Keystone Centre on May 14, 2024. Hear them perform classics like "Juke Box Hero", "Urgent", "Cold as Ice", "Hot Blooded", "Double Vision" and more. Tickets are on-sale this Friday (November 14) on Ticketmaster or by calling 204-726-3555. Set to begin on May 3, 2024 at the Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, BC, FOREIGNER will be joined by Headpins, one of Canada's 80's hit-makers.

The Manitoba Country Music Association celebrated the hard work and talent of Manitoba's country music community again this month. The annual Manitoba Country Music Awards gala handed out the hardware at The Club Regent Event Centre on November 4. Emma Peterson was the big winner this year, picking up wins in three categories: Female Artist of the Year, Interactive Artist of the Year, and Music Video of the Year. Jade Turner was a double winner with Song of the Year and Single of the Year for "Deadweight". Hosted by Canadian country music star Aaron Pritchett, the event handed out the hardware and featured performances by Peterson and Turner as well as Emerging Artist Award winner Catie St.Germain, Desiree Dorion, Don Amero, Male Artist of the Year winner Jason Kirkness, Album of the Year winner Kendra Kay, Mitchell Makoons, Roots Artist of the Year winner Nelson Little, and The Sean Taylor Band. MCMA partnered with Indigenous Music and MusicWorks to host a roundtable for artists on what country music radio wants to hear on November 3 featuring Pritchett, Dorion, David McLeod of NCI FM & Indigenous Music Countdown, 730 CKDM's Alex DeVries, Naomi Kay from Now Country 104.7 & NCI FM, and moderator Shaneen Robison-Desjarlais of Indigenous Music / Manitoba Music. The MCMA is a non-profit organization, dedicated to the promotion, development, and enhancement of all aspects of Manitoba country music at the local, national, and international level. The MCMA endeavors to create venues for the promotion of Manitoba country artists through sponsorship of its own events and involvement in other organizations' events. Check out this year's winners... 2023 MANITOBA COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Emma Peterson MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Jason Kirkness GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR Petric NCI FM INDIGENOUS COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD Brandi Vezina FAY WALKER SONG OF THE YEAR (SONGWRITERS) “Deadweight” – Jade Turner (Writers: Jade Turner, Crystal Shawanda) ROOTS ARTIST, DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR Nelson Little EMERGING ARTIST AWARD Catie St. Germain MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR “Got It Back” – Emma Peterson SINGLE OF THE YEAR “Deadweight” – Jade Turner ALBUM OF THE YEAR Homegrown Heart – Kendra Kay INTERACTIVE ARTIST, DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR Emma Peterson FANS' CHOICE Quinton Blair COVER/TRIBUTE ARTIST, DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR The InClines – Sweet Dreams of Patsy Cline ALL STAR BAND OF THE YEAR – GUITAR Lachlan McLean ALL STAR BAND OF THE YEAR – BASS Jon Mushaluk ALL STAR BAND OF THE YEAR – DRUMS Josh Ayers ALL STAR BAND OF THE YEAR – SPECIALTY (BANJO, FIDDLE, MANDOLIN, KEYS, STEEL) Michael Audette RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR 730 CKDM AM (Dauphin) RADIO ON-AIR PERSONALITY OR TEAM OF THE YEAR Brian Cook DAUPHIN'S COUNTRYFEST FESTIVAL OR EVENT OF THE YEAR Manitoba Stampede & Exhibition VENUE OF THE YEAR The Royal George Hotel (Source: www.manitobamusic.com)

Music has the incredible power to evoke emotions, transport us to different moments in our lives, and create lasting memories. When a band celebrates a significant anniversary, it's not just a marker of time but a testament to the enduring impact their music has had on their fans. One such band, Clubbing Fraggles, is gearing up to celebrate a remarkable milestone, 16th anniversary. Their journey through the years has been a testament to the power of music to bring people together, and this anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on their remarkable career. The group began their musical journey in June of 2007, when a group of talented individuals with a shared passion for music came together. The band’s name is an homage to the ’80s television series "Fraggle Rock," since their focus was going to be on 80’s music they wanted their name to reflect that. The “Clubbing” portion was intended to be interpreted as a nightclub or venues where they would be performing. All three original members remain today. "Our first show was at The 40 here in Brandon. I believe it was at the Band Jam for Cancer and there would have been approximately 150 in attendance when we played. None of us can really remember playing it! We do remember being stoked to play a show with other bands at one of Brandon’s best live music venues." said band member Tim Epp. "Clubbing Fraggles decided to go with a “uniform” for the simple fact that it identifies the band members and gives us  a consistent look on stage." Over the years, Clubbing Fraggles has gifted the Westman region with an array of chart-topping 80's hits that have left an indelible mark on the local music scene. "These days we are averaging around 24 shows a year. "We have done upwards of 30 shows in a year, and as we are all still working day jobs, that’s a lot of weekends! Sometimes we play two different shows in one weekend. At the end of this month into the beginning of December we have four shows on the books." As Clubbing Fraggles prepares to celebrate their 16th Anniversary at The 40 on December 2 , fans can look forward to a special event and guest appearances. They will be augmenting their core band with additional instrumentation and there will be a different look to the band that evening. Clubbing Fraggles would like to invite everyone to join them for this extra special celebration. To guarantee your entry tickets are $10 and available at the bar in The 40. Entry at the door will also be available for $10 on a first come, first served basis.

Dauphin's Countryfest, Canada’s Longest Running Country Music Festival, is thrilled to announce the first round of artists for its 35th-anniversary celebration. This year's festival is a nostalgic journey back to the roots of Countryfest, featuring an incredible honky-tonk, two-steppin' lineup that will have country fans reminiscing about the good ol' days in Dauphin. The 35th annual Dauphin's Countryfest, proudly dubbed "35 and Still Alive," will take place from June 28th – 30th 2024 at the festival's iconic site Selo Ukraina in Dauphin, Manitoba. The lineup, revealed in this initial announcement, includes some of the biggest names in country music history: Alabama, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jo Dee Messina, Mark Chesnutt, and Diamond Rio are among the mainstage artists performing this year, along with the Great Canadian Roadtrip package featuring Michelle Wright, Jason McCoy and Doc Walker. Another exciting group hitting the main stage is The Frontmen – consisting of Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, Richie McDonald formerly of Lonestar, and Tim Rushlow formerly of Little Texas, coming together as one super group that will perform decades of chart-topping hits. It wouldn’t be a proper throwback without some 90s queens of Canadian country music, we are proud to be bringing Patricia Conroy, Lisa Brokop, and Beverley Mahood to the PlayNow Main Stage to deliver some powerful performances that will keep you dancin’ all day long. “Join us in Dauphin as we put the Country back in Countryfest, and we celebrate 35 years of incredible music, unforgettable moments, and community spirit,” said Promoter Rob Waloschuk. TICKETS & CAMPING AVAILABLE Weekend passes, VIPs, camping and seating goon sale November 13th at 10:00 AM CST and can be purchased online at www.countryfest.ca or by calling 1-800-361-7300. Pre-sale for members started October 23rd and ends on November 3rd.  A new payment plan lets customers reservetheir ticket packages for only $100 down. CONNECT WITH COUNTRYFEST ONLINE www.countryfest.ca www.facebook.com/dauphinscountryfest www.instagram.com/dauphinscountryfest

Aaron Pritchett will bring his cross-Canada Liquored Up Tour to Brandon early next year. A gold-certified, multi-award winning entertainer, Pritchett will perform on February 23, 2024 at The 40. Matt Lang and critically acclaimed country rocker Cory Marks will join Pritchett on 29-date tour. Tickets for the Liquored Up Tour go on sale October 27 at 10:00am* local time. Ticket pre-sale begins October 25 at 10:00am local time with code LUTOUR. (see www.aaronpritchett.com for pre-sale link)