ECMA Friday Night Showcases
May 9th, 2025
The Rockhouse & The Majestic
Dee Hernandez, With Violet, La Patente, DeeDee Austin, Quote The Raven & Logan Richard
Friday night was a busy one for ECMA showcases, and it was definitely the kind of night where you wished you could be in multiple places at once. I started off by catching the end of Dee Hernandez’s set at The Rockhouse. Her music blends her Cuban roots with R&B, funk, and pop, and it was the perfect way to get everyone grooving for the night ahead.
Next up was With Violet, a band I’ve seen a handful of times already. They always put on an entertaining show, connecting with the audience and with each other in a way that feels genuine and fun.
Every ECMA week I attend, there’s always one artist I’ve never heard before who completely catches my ear and sticks with me for years after. I think this year, that band will be La Patente. What a wild show. They were absolutely shredding on the banjo and rocking out on the upright bass. Even though I didn’t understand the lyrics (since they were in French), they had my full attention for their entire set.
Then it was time to run up the street to The Majestic, where a packed house was being captivated by DeeDee Austin. She had just been eliminated from Canada’s Got Talent the week before, which only made us a lucky crowd to catch her in St. John’s instead.
Local favourites, Quote The Raven, hit the stage next. Their beautiful harmonies and incredible songwriting had the room completely locked in.
Logan Richard closed out my night. The PEI-based artist reminded me a bit of Newfoundland’s own Tim Baker. My favourite moment of his set was when he brought out Quote The Raven to add harmonies on his song “Rolodex,” just like they had done on their previous tour together.
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