Royal City Tribute Shows Planned

06/05/09 3:53pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Two separate Royal City tribute shows will be held in Guelph, Ont. and Toronto in connection with the release of the upcoming Royal City B-sides and rarities compilation that's due out June 23 through Outside Music.

The first show will take place at Guelph's E-Bar on June 24. Tickets are $10 and proceeds to go Out On The Shelf, Guelph's queer library and resource centre. The Toronto show happens June 26 at the Tranzac and it'll once again cost you $10. Proceeds to go the Tranzac and Toronto Cat Rescue.

Former Royal City drummer and current FemBots member Nathan Lawr, Two-Minute Miracles' Andy Magoffin, Quest For Fire's Chad Ross, Gentleman Reg, I Am Robot And Proud, Anagram's Jeff Peers, Jenny Omnichord, Noah23 (a.k.a. Noah Mintz), Ohbijou's Steven LuChuck and Constantines' Will Kidman (who's playing as Woolly Leaves) are among those who will play their favourite Royal City songs at the gigs.

Royal City formed in Guelph at the beginning of this decade and included singer/songwriter Aaron Riches, Jim Guthrie, Simon Osborne and Lawr. Their At Rush Hour The Cars debut came out in 2000 through Guelph's esteemed Three Gut Records and was followed by the acclaimed Alone At The Microphone a year later. Lawr left the band in 2002 and was replaced by former Super Friendz drummer Lonnie James.

The band's lineup also briefly included Feist, Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett and former Blue Rodeo keyboardist Bobby Wiseman. Royal City disbanded in 2004 following the release of Little Heart's Ease.