The Peterborough Memorial Centre Celebrates a Successful Summer Concert Series

As summer comes to an end the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC) is celebrating the success of their PTBOLive Summer Concert Series, hosted at the Enbrige Energy Stage.

Giles says that the Mini Pop Kids concert on August 15 had the highest attendance. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Jeremy Giles, Facility Manager at The Peterborough Memorial Centre said that while restrictions made it difficult to gather, the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it the need to do just that.

“Our whole existence is to be a meeting place for the community and for the city of Peterborough and for the people who live there,” he said. “Our industry is an escape, it’s something for people to do and come together and celebrate and have fun and let loose a little bit.”

Throughout the summer the PMC hosted 18 events with thousands of attendees passing through the venue safely.

Giles said through PTBOLive summer series, the project was able to support ten local businesses.

Companies involved included Porter Sound, That’s A Wrap Catering, Til Death BBQ, Peterburgers, The Entertainment Group, Market Hall, Showplace, Peterborough Museum and Archives, Peterborough MusicFest and Don on the Job.

By collection donations through ticket sales PTBOLive donated $580 to Peterborough Arts Alive Fund, which provides financial assistance to charitable arts organizations.

The PMC is now transitioning back to indoor events as COVID-19 restrictions lift. Giles says he hopes that next summer is business as usual at the PMC, but the success of this summers concert series proved that they can adapt as needed.

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Local Musician Reaches Milestone With Their First Big Gig

It was a surreal moment for local artist SJ Riley, performing her first large-audience show at the PTBOLive Summer Concert Series in the Peterborough Memorial Centre parking lot on Friday.

Sarah-Jayne Riley better known by her stage name SJ Riley, had her latest song “Mansion of Broken Hearts” filmed at a haunted house in Lakefield. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Riley opened the show for country music star Chad Brownlee with a six-song set — five originals and one cover song — including her signature-titled songs, “Whoever This Was Written To” and “Mansion of Broken Hearts.”

The singer/songwriter had only performed two shows prior to this performance, one at The Black Horse Pub (July 11) and The Garnet (July 17) earlier in the month.

"When you think about gigs like this, until you’re on stage doing it, how absolutely fun it is,” she said. “I had a blast.”

SJ Riley with her band, the “SJ Riley Band” performing on an overcast evening on the Enbridge Energy Stage. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Playing live was a breath of fresh air and a sign the world was giving a sense of normalcy according to Riley.

“I think it’s the first step to a time where people come together again,” she said. “There’s nothing like coming together with a group of people and sharing an experience.”

During the pandemic, SJ Riley was doing acting gigs and filming music videos at Treblecock Studios located in downtown Peterborough.

Several of her music videos were produced by the local studio to occupy her time until live concerts were allowed again due to the pandemic.

“Peterborough is fantastic,” said Riley. “The people of the city are amazing, the artists in this city here are amazing, there’s so much here so I’m just absolutely honoured to be a part of it.

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Peterborough's First-Ever Drive N' Drag Show In the Books

Peterborough’s first-ever Drive N’ Drag show filled the Peterborough Memorial Centre parking lot where fans danced all night on Saturday.

A fan celebrates her birthday at Saturdays Drive N’ Drag show. Photo By Angela O’Grady

Despite on-and-off torrential downpours during the show, local drag performers Ms. Madge Enthat and Sahira Q were in the spotlight on the Enbridge Energy Stage. They joined other stars such as Tynomi Banks, BOA, Virgo, Tash Riot, Baby Bel Bel with host Dancing Phil.

Performers danced and lip-synced to music from famous artists like Whitney Houston and Beyonce during a night filled with expression and energy.

“Sometimes it’s really hard to express yourself and this is a form of expression or an outlet to release frustrations,” said Tynomi Banks.

Photo By Angela O’Grady

Fans were seemingly unbothered by the weather and danced along with the performers - some embracing the rain and some hiding under their umbrellas.

One on-scene security personnel speculated that the Drive N’ Drag show may have been one of the busiest PTBOLive performances to date.

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Local Band Returns to the Stage Opening for Big Wreck at PTBOLive Drive-In Concert

It was a long absence of playing live shows due to the pandemic for Heaps but they made a return in a big way, opening for Big Wreck on Friday.

(From left to right) Warren Frank (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Tanner Paré (drums), Freddy Kwon (lead guitar and backup vocals) and Nathan Truax (bass). Heaps had shared stages with bands like Hollerado, The Sheepdogs and The Trews. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Both bands performed at the PTBOLive drive-in concert series at the Peterborough Memorial Centre parking lot on Friday.

The Peterborough/Lindsay-based band felt playing a live show again was a breath of fresh air since musicians and people had the urge for live concerts.

“It feels so great to be playing shows,” said Warren Frank, Heaps’s lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. “It’s been a really long time since September of 2020 when we last played.”

While Heaps has shared the stage with well-known bands like Hollerado, The Trews and The Sheepdogs, they have not taken for granted the opportunities they have been given.

“(It’s) Pretty great opening for bands bigger than us, giving us new exposure and a new audience,” said drummer Tanner Paré.

“Some nights you don’t want to play any shows but now that we’ve had a year where it was all taken away, we’re not taking it for granted for a minute,” said Frank.

The timing for the band performing live concerts could not be better since Heaps were promoting their latest album “What Is Heaps” released less than a year ago.

The album contains 11 songs with featured title tracks such as “You Were There” and “Get It Back”.

After the show, the band said they are booking shows and plan to play at Algonquin College later this month.

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PTBOLive Kicks Off Summer Concert Series With Opening Night

The PTBOLive Summer Concert Series opened its 20-show series at the Peterborough Memorial Centre parking lot Friday night.

Jeremy Giles, Market Hall Manager Chad Hogan, Coun. Keith Riel and Emily Martin on the Enbridge Energy Stage during setup of the opening night. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Kicking off the series is Classic Albums Live performs Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon on the Enbridge Energy Stage.

“We’ve got a local stage, local production crew, a local food truck and local artists on the state throughout the summer as well,” said Jeremy Giles, PMC facility manager. “It’s really a good local feel and it’s nice to do this for the community.”

The Enbridge Energy Stage at the PMC parking lot. Two digital screens accompany the stage at each side. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Concert-goers attend the show in their parked vehicles in front of the stage to comply with COVID-19 health protocols.

The series is a collaboration presented by Peterborough Memorial Centre, Showplace Performance Centre and Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.

“We haven’t done anything for live music in a long time,” said Emily Martin, Showplace general manager. “Having an outdoor event is really easy to do in terms of being able to bring large numbers of people together.”

“The city has been waiting for something like this,” said Councillor Keith Riel. “It’s a night for the family and I think people need a break.”

Pink Floyd is one of three Classic Albums Live performances of PTBOLive. Photo Courtesy of Peterborough Memorial Centre.

The following is the current lineup of the series:

• June 25 Classic Albums Live performs Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

• June 26 The Jim Cuddy Band with special guest Express & Company

• June 27 Splash N Boots

• July 2 Big Wreck with special guest Heaps

• July 9 The Reklaws with special guest Jesse Slack

• July 10 The Trews with special guests Adam & Cale Gontier from Saint Asonia

• July 16 Classic Albums Live performs Led Zeppelin's Zeppelin II

• July 19 “The Father” Drive-in movie night

• July 23 Chad Brownlee with special guest SJ Riley

• July 24 Drive’N Queens, Peterborough’s first-ever drive ‘n drag show

• Aug 7 Shaun Majumder with Ali Hassan

• Aug 14 Sinatra with Matt Dusk

• Aug 15 Mini Pop Kids Live

• Aug 16 12 Mighty Orphans Drive-in movie night

• Aug 20 Classic Albums Live performs The Beatles' Abbey Road

• Aug 27 Jackson Delta with Emily Burgess & The Emburys

Tickets are on sale now at the PMC’s website or by phone at (705) 743-3561.

Tickets range from $100 per vehicle to $200 per vehicle plus fees (vehicle occupancy must be in accordance with the highway traffic act.) Fans are encouraged to get their tickets early as space is limited as stated in the press release.

Food is available on site but guests are permitted to bring their own food and non-alcoholic drinks for the event.

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