With a little help from my friends: NSO, Sloan's Chris Murphy perform Beatles album

--taken from: CBC News

More than sixty musicians are involved in the performance. (Eddy Kennedy/CBC)

by Jen White

They may not be the original Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but the all-star ensemble of musicians performing the iconic album in its entirety hope people enjoy the special tribute show.

For its major fundraiser this year, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (NSO) has teamed up with Toronto's Art of Time Ensemble and will take the stage at the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John's Friday evening.

Marc David, NSO's music director, says the Art of Time Ensemble events blend pop culture and high art. (Eddy Kennedy/CBC)

"[The audience will] walk away with a very, very special experience with music that they know — a lot of them grew up with this music — but with this special arrangements, special flavour ... a lot of magic," said Marc David, the NSO's music director and principal conductor.

Art of Time has brought in singers to help bring the album to life, including Sloan's Chris Murphy.

Sixty musicians from the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra will take part in the performance on Friday night. (Eddy Kennedy/CBC)

"[Art of Time] pride themselves on putting together events where you have fusion between pop culture and high art," David said.

"They've had arrangements made of this music, wonderful orchestral arrangements, that highlight different sections of the orchestra, so it's a real pleasure for us to work with them."

Murphy's debut with orchestra

Thursday night was the first time that the 60 NSO musicians and the Art of Time Ensemble were able to practice together. David was particularly thrilled that everyone fit on the Arts and Culture Centre stage.

Meanwhile, Murphy said he's elated to be taking part, though he's a little out of his element.

Sloan singer/bassist Chris Murphy says he's a Beatles expert, but still had to do some homework for this show. (Eddy Kennedy/CBC)

"This is the first time I've ever played with an orchestra in my life," said the Sloan singer/bassist.

"They're loud, but they're super musical. And even though I'm a musician, I don't even feel like a musician playing with these people. They're so good," Murphy added.

He'd seen the Art of Time's Sgt. Pepper show before, and was asked to sub in for a friend for this performance.

He's joined on stage by Andy Maize from the Skydiggers and Jason Plumb from the Waltons, who have both participated in Art of Time shows before.

But Murphy said he didn't want to be the only singer out of his element on stage.

"I got Mike [O'Neill of the Inbreds] to do it, because I wanted a friend to do it with me," he said.

"He and I have never done anything like this before. So it's pretty fun. But we are Beatles experts, fanatics, nerds ... so we'll know what's going on."

Murphy says this is the first time he's ever sang with an orchestra. (Eddy Kennedy/CBC)

But the self-proclaimed expert still had some homework to do.

"I did not know all the lyrics to Good Morning Good Morning or Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!, but now I do!" he joked.

"When we were first thinking about it, I was like, 'Yeah I'll sort of be able to do this no problem, I know these songs.' But then I really started to rotoscope ... picked apart all the harmonies that the Beatles and [producer] George Martin would have figured out."

Sloan working on new album

Meanwhile, Murphy said he has some news with his other musical gig.

"Sloan's still at it. Making our must-have twelfth album right now," he said.

Murphy said the band hopes to be mixing the album soon, but is staying mum on any details. When asked for further details, all he would say is, "We're close."

--taken from: CBC News

TUNS on stage at the Sportsmans in Charlottetown

--taken from: The Guardian

TUNS featuring Matt Murphy (Superfriendz/Flashing Lights), left, Mike O'Neill (the Inbreds) and Chris Murphy (Sloan), will be playing the Sportsmans Club in Charlottetown tonight at 10 p.m.

Back Alley Music presents TUNS featuring Chris Murphy (Sloan), Mike O'Neill (the Inbreds) and Matt Murphy (Superfriendz/Flashing Lights) at the Sportsmans Club in Charlottetown Thursday at 10 p.m., with special guest Liam Corcoran (Two Hours Traffic/the Love Junkies) opening the show.

TUNS is a new band of equals, of collaborators, of experienced veterans who sound as exuberant as ever. It’s power pop with intricate melodies, electrifying rock ‘n’ roll written with a deep appreciation for song craft, states a press release.

--taken from: The Guardian

UP + Downtown 2017 Day Two and Three Recap

--taken from: Beatroute

Don’t call it a supergroup: TUNS talent shines without resting on members’ prior notoriety.

by Colin Gallant, Jarrett Edmund, Levi Manchak and Brittany Rudyk

We took a break to pop into Rocky Mountain Ice House to see TUNS, side project of Sloan’s Chris Murphy. Although the music itself was basic feel good Canadian rock, Murphy’s personality shined, making quick and clever comments about the DJ’s choice to play Sloan before their set and other little quips. The show was packed with Sloan nerds, nervously clamoring for Murphy’s attention; but not in an obnoxious manner. The endearment of serious fans in the audience fed into TUNS’ performance, energizing those of us who may have been feeling sluggish from a weekend of festivities. That, and their cover of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” were welcome ways to close the fifth year of the festival.

--taken from: Beatroute

Notes from Harvest ’17 Part III - Friday

--taken from: The Brunswickan (read more here)

by Ryan Gaio

I end the night with the TransCanada Highwaymen, a new Canadian supergroup—a Traveling Wilburys of the Great White North, if you will. Its members consist of the Barenaked Ladies’ Stephen Page; Chris Murphy of Sloan; Odds’ very own Craig Northey and Moe Berg from The Pursuit of Happiness. They each play hits they had written for their respective bands, but the songs are reimagined, reinterpreted, reshuffled and reborn (just as I have been). The set is somewhat sloppy, but in the best way; it feels unpredictable and it feels now. They look like teenagers in a garage band who hardly know their parts—but it doesn’t matter, they have heart; they look like they’re once again having fun playing songs they’d gotten sick of strumming. They even launch into silly, spontaneous singalongs—at one point, somehow, the “Na na na na”s from “Hey Jude” become “Na na na na, Jaaaaaaaz Blueeeees.” Soon, everyone under the tent is singing it. I watch Stephen Page lead the band through “The Old Apartment,” and remember that that same song opened the show at the first concert I ever went to. Now, here I am, all these years later, seeing him sing that same song, and I’m writing about it!. Funny how these things turn out, isn’t it? Moe Berg takes lead vocals on the set-ending “I’m An Adult Now;” if this is what being an adult means, I’m okay with it.

--taken from: The Brunswickan (read more here)

Concert for Orillia Youth Centre promises TUNS of fun with supergroup

--taken from: Simcoe.com

Canadian indie-rock supergroup Tuns headlines a Sept. 23 fundraising concert at Burl's Creek Event Grounds in support of the Orillia Youth Centre. Mike O'Neill (left) of the Inbreds, Matt Murphy of Super Friendz and Chris Murphy of Sloan will hit the stage after performances by Skye Wallace and Aurora Blue. - Vanessa Heins/Submitted

by Frank Matys

Dubbing your band a “super” group can be a risky proposition, lest discerning listeners decide the result is anything but.

In the case of Canadian indie rockers TUNS, however, the designation appears well-deserved.

Since 2015, Chris Murphy (Sloan), Matt Murphy (Super Friendz, Flashing Lights) and Mike O’Neill (Inbreds) have been creating and performing infectious power pop laden with soaring harmonies, driving beats, and guitars that crunch and chime.

“I value singing over musicianship; but, those guys — Matt is a really special guitar player and Mike is such a beautiful singer,” Chris Murphy says in advance of a Sept. 23 performance at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds. “And Matt’s a great singer, too.”

All proceeds from the upcoming concert go to support the Orillia Youth Centre.

Skye Wallace and local music-makers Aurora Blue open the show.

“There is going to be a silent auction and the concert,” said Kevin Gangloff, the youth centre’s director. “Everything is coming back to us.”

The downtown facility provides a range of services, including cooking lessons, horse therapy, art and music, along with a well-used drop-in program.

“This year, so far, we’ve had 8,000 visits,” Gangloff said. “Youth of all walks of life are coming through the doors and take part in different stuff.”

The upcoming concert “puts the youth centre in front of different people that might not know what we are doing,” he added.

TUNS formed in October 2015 to play an all-star benefit show organized by Hayden at Toronto’s historic Massey Hall.

“It is really fun and inspiring to play with these great players and singers,” Murphy said of his bandmates. “And they are also old friends of mine.”

The group’s name is an acronym drawn from the former Technical University of Nova Scotia — now part of Dalhousie University.

The school “was where they would have a lawn jam … and every year, bands would play at TUNS,” adds Murphy, a Halifax native. “I had the good fortune to play at the lawn jam, I think in 1989.”

--taken from: Simcoe.com