Mars Hotel, an authentic Grateful Dead tribute band, will be taking the stage in support of Friends of Music Therapy. The show is at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on Nov. 3 at 8 p.m.

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Hi folks,

I’m Mike, the new assistant editor at Norris-Whitney Communications, publisher of Canadian Musician, Canadian Music Trade, Professional Sound, and Professional Lighting & Production magazines. I just wanted to quickly introduce myself to our readers and friends.

Not surprisingly, I am a huge music lover and always on the lookout for great music, new and old, as well as interesting music-related people and stories. Really, it’s not the music but the people behind the music, in all corners of the industry, that make this a great job. Having worked in journalism for the past three-plus years, writing about everything from politics to environmental stewardship to sports, I can say without hesitation that the people in the music industry are the most entertaining and enjoyable to speak and work with.  I have done work for the CBC, Quip magazine, The Huffington Post Canada, and for my new co-workers at Norris-Whitney as an intern and freelance writer.

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After debuting with Tic Toc Tic in 2009, Vancouver-based post-modern pop duo The Zolas have played across the country and watched their profile expand. With Ancient Mars, their second full-length dropping TODAY, the band further showcases their poetic lyrics while adding some extra edge by way of reverbed pianos and hard, minimalist beats.

CM caught up with Zach Gray (vocals, guitar) and Tom Dobrzanski (piano) to chat about the record and the band’s other endeavors, like their current cross-Canada tour and working with producer Chuck Brody.

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