The War & Treaty at The Colonial Theatre

The War and Treaty. The name itself represents the pull between trauma and tranquility, music inspired by darkness and despair that ultimately finds a higher spiritual purpose. A rising act in the Americana field, are a married duo comprised of Michael and Tanya Trotter, which have received comparisons to Ike and Tina Turner. Separately and together, they’ve tried on numerous stylistic identities and artistic approaches. Long before she met Michael, Tanya (nee Blount) dueted with Lauryn Hill in Sister Act 2 and recorded sultry, mid-’90s R&B slow jams in a Toni Braxton vein. Michael sang in church, and during a tour of duty in Iraq, was dealt the singular sacred duty of paying tribute to fallen comrades in song, before striking out as a smoothly seductive R&B singer-songwriter. After teaming up in life and music, the pair dabbled in sleek soul updates under their combined surnames. But they also drew inspiration from voices embraced as touchstones across generations and genres — Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and Nina Simone among them — and ultimately settled into a rootsy aesthetic animated by the range of their musical experiences.

Durham County Poets at St. Kieran Arts Center

Popular at music festivals and venues across eastern Canada, the Durham County Poets are a lively and soulful group, who write and perform an eclectic blend of blues, folk and rock, with tinges of country, gospel and swing tossed in for good measure.

They are five seasoned musicians, all of whom are songwriters, who work together individually and collaboratively in composing their music. Delving into a variety of styles and genres, their musical influences include a broad range of artists. From The Band to Dire Straits, Leon Redbone to James Taylor and Neil Young, they have managed to put it all together to create their own musical style. The obvious joie de vivre expressed while performing together is reflected in the good-time feel that the band creates, which has been captivating their audiences consistently since their inception 6 years ago.

Fronted by Kevin Harvey, a self proclaimed blues crooner on lead vocals, The Durham County Poets also feature David Whyte on electric and acoustic guitars and vocals, Neil Elsmore on acoustic guitar and vocals, Carl Rufh on double bass and vocals and Rob Couture (formerly of The Echo Hunters) on drums and percussion.

Tickets: $12.00 adults / $10.00 under 18