#NIAGARAPERFORMS | Virtual Concert Series | Ariana Gillis

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Recording of the original livesteram performance from 31 May

ARIANA GILLIS

Presented by the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

ARIANA GILLIS is an acclaimed singer-songwriter who will bring her soulful talent and outrageously original, melodic and passionate songs to #NiagaraPerforms.

"Ariana's soulful talent has taken up elite residency in what constitutes the very best that songwriting has to offer. On the cusp of 20 years old she was composing material that was outrageously original, melodic and passionate. Now under the wing of multi-talented Americana everyman Buddy Miller the stars are aligned and Ariana Gillis will prove through these recordings that she is no flash in the pan flavor of the month but a force to be reckoned with now and for a very long time." - BERNIE TAUPIN (Lyricist of Elton John)

Not every young Canadian singer-songwriter gets to launch her CD with a live appearance on the US satellite station Sirius XM. The show was hosted by Dave Marsh, author of more than 25 books on rock and roll and known as the “dean of American rock writers” who admits to being her biggest fan.

But that’s how Ariana Gillis, from St. Catharines, Ontario — began to premiere her second album, Forget Me Not. Earlier, Marsh had played a track — “John and the Monster” — from an advance copy of the CD; one response was a phone call from an enthusiastic listener who wanted to know more about the unusual song, and the singer. The mystery caller was Elton John’s lyricist and songwriting partner Bernie Taupin.

Her fans in the industry are many, including luminaries such as Steve Wozniak, Buddy Miller, Bernie Taupin, Bob Ezrin, Josh Ritter, Kevin Breit and Joel Moss, to name a few. Her recent album, “The Maze”, recorded live-off-the-floor in Nashville at Buddy's studio – features lyrics and performances that feel both natural and strangely unique all at once.

Links

• Click here to watch a recording of the original livestream performance. youtube.com
• (click here) for a complete listing of Culture Days Activities in St. Catharines stcatharines.ca

Organizer

FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

THE FIRSTONTARIO PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

Opening its doors in fall 2015, the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre is a 95,000 square foot academic and cultural complex comprised of four state-of-the-art performance venues. The Centre has been a vital component in the renaissance of St. Catharines, serving as the catalyst in thoroughly modernizing the area and reinforcing the brilliance of Niagara Region’s diverse cultural cluster.

Each year the Centre presents Culture Days activities for the Community in partnership with the City of St. Catharines Cultural Services Office, local organizations and artists.

In 2020, Due to COVID, the PAC has initiated a series of digital performances the #NIAGARAPERFORMS series and is pleased to offer feature digital performative experiences during Culture Days.