What's Happening in London, ON…

Celebrated Canadian blues musician Matt Andersen will return to London, Ontario as part of his upcoming tour.

The western Ontario city has a special meaning for Andersen, as it was where he first studied music and began performing it. Andersen lived in London and was enrolled at the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology in the late ‘90s. During this period of time, he would attend live shows at The Scot’s Corner and played in front of strangers for the first time at open mic events.

Andersen didn’t find immediate success in the recording industry, and returned to his native New Brunswick to start the band Flat Top. Since then, he has been nominated for a Juno Award and won several East Coast Music Awards. The guitarist and singer-songwriter has performed alongside blues legends like Bo Diddley and Gregg Allman, as well as rock artists like Randy Bachman and April Wine.

The Canadian blues scene is not always the most prominent and may struggle to get radio play, but gets attention through tools like poster printing and flyer printing, as well as simple word of mouth among enthusiasts.

This stop in London is part of a tour in support of Andersen’s latest album, Halfway Home by Morning, which he says mixes the blues with R&B and soul. The concert will take place on this evening, May 2, at London Music Hall. Amy Helm, daughter of The Band’s Levon Helm and a Grammy-winning singer in her own right, will also perform.