Tim Baker

Wednesday, September 18 • 8 PM
The Historic Market Hall

Best known as the writer and frontman of Hey Rosetta!, the Juno-nominated, Polaris-shortlisted, multi-award-winning band from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Tim Baker has certainly made his mark. After 15 years of electrifying performances in stadiums, clubs, theatres, and major festivals worldwide, Hey Rosetta! decided to call it quits in 2017.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Baker transitioned from leading an indie rock band to becoming a profound solo songwriter and producer. His solo LP, Forever Overhead (Arts and Crafts), earned him a Juno nomination for Songwriter of the Year, three East Coast Music Awards (along with several nominations), and a Polaris longlist. In 2019, he released The Eighteenth Hole Variations EP, followed by The Side Door Sessions LP in 2020, and the Survivors EP later that same year. His album, The Festival, released on October 21, 2022, saw him playing his biggest headlining shows yet, including a sold-out performance at Massey Hall in Toronto. By fall 2023, he embarked on his first coast-to-coast solo tour, showcasing his skills as a songwriter and storyteller, further cementing his status as one of Canada’s leading troubadours.

Meanwhile, Sister Ray, the project of Edmonton-born songwriter Ella Coyes, came into being out of sheer necessity—a self-made vehicle designed to examine trauma with brutal honesty. With a voice that soars and scrapes in equal measure, Coyes transforms personal tales of complicated love into universally potent allegories. Raised on the expansive prairies of Sturgeon County, Sister Ray’s music is steeped in a wide range of cultural influences. From gospel bluegrass and ’90s country in their youth to traditional Métis music at home, Coyes learned storytelling rooted in collective value, resilience, and safety.

Their debut album, Communion (2022), is a raw, meticulously-crafted portrait of significant yet ordinary moments—experiences that define the past and shape how one navigates the world. Quickly met with critical acclaim, the album was longlisted for the 2022 Polaris Prize, with Pitchfork hailing it as “a complex study of webs of interpersonal hurt, and a celebration of emotional survival.” Sister Ray has since been featured on Audiotree, Paste, NPR, and more, along with appearances at Pitchfork Festival in Paris & London, Primavera Weekender, and headline and support dates across North America and Europe.

Their latest EP, Teeth (Royal Mountain Records), emerged from a need for space and the consequences of this desire. “I was thinking often about intimacy and avoidance—crawling around to find where my place would be,” Coyes explains. Written and recorded quickly and vigorously over five days with Brooklyn-based duo Ginla as collaborators and producers, the EP features three originals and a spectral cover of “I Never Will Marry,” inspired by Linda Ronstadt’s rendition. Coyes’ yearning tone and staggering honesty permeate Teeth, leading to an opening—vacant, unfamiliar, and with room to breathe.