Live Webcast Feb 6th, 7:30pm to 8:30pm

February 6th, 2012 – Metalworks Institute Backstage Pass Featuring RIK EMMETT – 7:30pm to 8:30pm

On Monday, February 6th from 7:30pm-8:30pm EST, Metalworks Institute Backstage Pass introduces the amazing RIK EMMETT up close and personal in the south auditorium of Metalworks Institute 3611 Mavis Road, Mississauga. Watch and listen to him perform some of his songs and talk about performing, songwriting and his experiences in the music business.

Rik Emmett gained international notoriety as the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist with Triumph. Four gold & platinum decades in the music biz got him into the Canadian Rock Hall of Fame, the Music Industry Hall of Fame and the Junos Hall of Fame, with a few ‘Best Guitarist’ awards in various categories garnered along the way. Determined to remain a moving target, he followed up Smooth Jazz awards in ‘05 and ‘06 with the worldwide release of a progressive rock project in ‘07, followed by his participation in the acoustic guitar trio TRIFECTA, with Oscar Lopez and Pavlo, which garnered a JUNO nomination as Instrumental Album of the Year in 2010, after extensive national touring.

His 2011 release is the 17th of his independent career. Entitled “reCOVERy Room 9“, it’s an acoustic duo with Dave Dunlop, featuring nine cover songs from a wildly eclectic range of pop music. Rik remains an innovative music educator and continues his commitment to prolific and conscientious music-making with plans for three new solo album releases this year, as well as a book on the music biz, co-authored with Dr. Andrew Scott.

Metalworks Institute Backstage Pass, offers a live and online audience an inside look into the craft and business of some of Canada’s best musicians and performers. Presented by the Metalworks Institute Music Performance & Technology Programs, this brand new streamed forum presents these artists up close and personal to an audience of developing vocalists, guitarists, keyboardists, drummers and bass guitarists and music fans across the country. Participants have the opportunity to ask questions live in person, via twitter or online chat during these streamed events.

Located just outside of Toronto, Metalworks Institute is the educational creation and natural extension of renowned Metalworks Studios, home to some of the world’s most successful artists and producers. Diploma programs have been designed for those who wish to understand the complexities of the entertainment industry and build a successful career on a solid base of knowledge. We are providing an opportunity for students to explore their art through the understanding of its science.

TO JOIN THE LIVE AUDIENCE, PLEASE RSVP TO:
rsvp@metalworksinstitute.com (space is limited, so RSVP NOW!)

JOIN US ONLINE, EMAIL US AT:
backstagepass@metalworksinstitute.com (space is limited, so email NOW!).
Information will be emailed to you closer to the date regarding login.

To View the Facebook Event Click Here

For Media Inquiries please contact Sarah Konowal: sarah@metalworksinstitute.com or 905-279-4000 ext. 1720

For more information about this event call (905) 279-4000.
http://metalworksinstitute.com/events/mwi-events/

The Troubs to play the NYCB Theatre at Westbury in New York warming up for Louisiana Music Hall of Fame’s hard-rocking Zebra!

About the venue

Recognized by audiences and performing artists as one of the most comfortable, friendly, and acoustically-inviting theatres in the greater New York metro area, the NYCB Theatre at Westbury presents a broad range of acclaimed performers geared to virtually every entertainment taste and interest.

View Album Details!

Released in 1997, this was the album that launched Rik’s independent record label in 1996 – a collection of nylon string classical fingerstyle pieces.

Featuring 10 instrumental tracks Ten Invitations From The Mistress of Mr. E is the first installment in a guitar trilogy, otherwise known as the Open House Collection released merely six months before Swing Shift, which is meant to cover the basis of Rik Emmett’s guitar teaching.

Now available for the first time as a digital download!

View full album details here!

View Album Details!

Released in 1995, the concept of The Spiral Notebook became quite clear “keep it simple”. This album features 11 tracks including the singles “Let Me be the One” and 1992’s “Anything You Say”.

Now available for the first time as a digital download!

View full album details here!

Rik Plays ‘Red Barchetta’ w/ Neil Peart Drums!

For the first time Rik Emmett of the classic Canadian rock power trio Triumph sang and played guitar in a unique “virtual collaboration” with a member of another legendary Canadian rock power trio, Rush. Rik performed as a guest artist with fantasy rock band “Sonic Elements” on a cover of the song “Red Barchetta” which features drums performed by legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart via a music software sample library called “Neil Peart Drums” by Sonic Reality. Dave Kerzner, CEO and founder of Sonic Reality, put together a unique music project called “Sonic Elements” where various singers and musicians of progressive rock perform and record along with sampled musical elements from the music software Sonic Reality creates for musicians.

“At Sonic Reality we record (aka “sample”) the sounds of musical instruments and drum grooves so that musicians can use these deluxe sound elements in their own music on the computer or mobile devices.” says Kerzner “I created the Sonic Elements music project to not only show what these inspiring Sonic Reality sounds are like in musical context but to also explore giving songs an alternate reality with different fantasy combinations of musicians and authentic sounds.”

A premium example of such a fantasy rock scenario is “Red Barchetta” featuring Rik Emmett which is another take on the classic Rush song with new life brought to it by Rik’s passionate performance and interpretation.

Listen to an audio clip preview of Red Barchetta featuring Rik Emmett: http://soundcloud.com/sonicelements/red-barchetta-feat-rick-emmett

Here’s what Rik Emmett had to say about the project:
“It was such a great day in the studio, jamming out to Neil’s incredible tracks, getting to play virtual ‘basement band’ and laying down my versions of Geddy & Alex parts. I felt like I had been transported back to 1980 for an afternoon. ‘Red Barchetta’ is one of my absolute fave RUSH songs… like an exciting, Ray Bradbury-esque SF short story, told by a progressive rock band… so to get a crack at it, with the actual drum takes that Neil performed, was an ‘artistic’ challenge – almost like accepting a dare.” Says Emmett “This is like “Rock Band” for the seriously, deeply committed.”

The full release of the song “Red Barchetta” by Sonic Elements featuring Rik Emmett is coming in Q1, 2012 and is part of a larger collection of songs with Sonic Elements and other guest artists performing with Neil Peart Drums by Sonic Reality.

Neil Peart DrumsYou can follow progress on the Sonic Elements project including upcoming video clips with Rik Emmett here: www.facebook.com/sonicelements

Youtube: www.youtube.com/sonicelementschannel
Sonic Reality and Neil Peart Drums: www.sonicreality.com/products/neil-peart-drums/

Press Contact: marketing@sonicreality.com

View Album Details!

Rik Emmett LIVE At Berklee

Recorded live in 2000 at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, this album features six unreleased tracks (seven if you count the novelty “Berklee Rocks”) not found on any studio recordings.

Now available for the first time as a digital download!

LIVE at Berklee features 18 tracks available now for $0.99 each, or purchase the entire album for only $9.99 (save $8!)

View full album details here!

The Troubs – Live on 101.7 FM!

Christmas with The Troubs – Wednesday December 21st, 4- 6pm (EST). A fun and informal behind-the-scenes radio special with Rik and Dave -strung-out and on the road through 2012- with host Spud Wharton of CHIP 101.7 FM. Listen online!

Broadcasting on 101.7 FM throughout the Ottawa Valley, Quebec, and Ottawa, you can also tune in to CHIP 101.7 FM online for the worldwide broadcast!

This episode will be the shows finest interviewing Rik and Dave about classic road stories, never heard tales, the recording of RECOVERY ROOM 9, Carol Channing, how to order wine in Buffalo, how to get lost in cab outside Chicago, how to kill David Foster, what guitars and strings The Troubs are currently using, what they’re currently listening to, Spud’s stink-eye, Dave’s head fall, and more!

Oh, and a lot of great music… of course.

Tune in Wednesday December 21st, from 4- 6pm (EST).

Available for Limited time!

Recorded in the fall of 2011 at Room 9, reCOVERy Room 9 is the new album by The Troubs and features versions of nine classic songs! Now available at MapleMusic.com in CD format.

Also, just in time for the holidays and for a limited time is the reCOVERy Room 9 Collector’s Bundle!

Limited Edition Bundle includes:

1. reCOVERy Room 9 CD
2. 1 Dave Dunlop Guitar Pick
3. 1 Rik Emmett Guitar Pick
4. 1 “Galaxy Song” Lyric Sheet autographed by Rik Emmett and Dave Dunlop

Featuring classic covers including I Hear You Knockin’, Message In a Bottle, The Boys of Summer, Superstition, Always a Woman, Born to Run, I’ve Just Seen a Face, Have a Little Faith In Me, and Monty Python’s The Galaxy Song!

View full album details here!

The Toubs live at Hugh’s Room Dec 9th!

The Troubs play a hometown gig this Friday (Dec. 9th) at Hugh’s Room in Toronto!

Rik and Dave will be featuring some material from their brand new studio CD, reCOVERy Room 9 – nine somewhat unexpected and startling cover songs, performed as an acoustic duo and captured in the friendly research lab/hothouse environment of Dave Dunlop’s ‘Room 9′ studio.

The tune stack includes:

1. I Hear You Knockin’
2. Message In a Bottle
3. he Boys of Summer
4. Superstition
5. She’s Always a Woman
6. Born to Run
7. I’ve Just Seen a Face
8. Have a Little Faith In Me
9. The Galaxy Song

Rik says “We’re hoping that people will find this work surprising and entertaining. We’re taking some chances with the repertoire, which is a lot of fun. But this material, in an acoustic duo context, is also extremely challenging, and we know some folks might take umbrage with us reworking sacred, definitive masterworks. But these are songs that we love, too, and we’re paying our respects, and just offering our best.”

The Troubs writing/recording project arose in 2006 from the public response to Rik‘s instrumental duo performances together with Dave during Emmett’s concert gigs. The material on the first album centered on an acoustic roots showcase for serious guitar lovers. The follow-up came a year later, with LIVE at Hugh’s Room, a recording of a set captured in the fabled Toronto concert club on Wednesday December 13, 2006.

Emmett (of Canadian rock band Triumph) and Dunlop (from the rock band Full Nine) first played together during a master class session at the National Summer Guitar Workshop in 1990. The latest ‘reCOVERy Room 9’ collection features Emmett on lead vocals and guitar, while Dunlop expands on his role of lead guitarist and producer.

The Dec. 9 Hugh’s Room date will follow on the heels of a mini-tour for the duo in New England and the eastern seaboard, where they will conclude the run with the honor of two nights at the legendary Iridium nightclub in New York, accompanied by the Les Paul Trio on a Monday night – the house gig that Lester made famous. The prolific and industrious Emmett still books around a dozen acoustic solo or duo weekends a year, an equal number of electric rock band shows, as well as finishing off his commitment to the Juno-nominated PRO Trio (with Pavlo and Oscar Lopez) with a dozen tour dates back in early 2011. He also maintains a pace of at least one new album every year, and expects two more new solo albums to show up in early 2012.

View Album Details!

reCOVERy Room 9, the new album by The Troubs!

Recorded in the fall of 2011 at Room 9, the latest album features versions of nine classic songs including I Hear You Knockin’, Message In a Bottle, The Boys of Summer, Superstition, Always a Woman, Born to Run, I’ve Just Seen a Face, Have a Little Faith In Me, and Monty Python’s The Galaxy Song!

View full album details here!