STEVE POLTZ ANNOUNCES EXTENSIVE CANADIAN TOUR FOR SPRING 2026 SUPPORTING NEW ALBUM, JOYRIDE
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steve Poltz announces his return to his Canadian roots with an extensive 17-date spring tour across Eastern Canada, kicking off April 15, 2026. The Halifax-born artist continues his momentum following sold-out theatre runs and massive responses at major festivals across Australia and the US, bringing his “good old-fashioned sing-along” show to intimate venues throughout the Maritimes, Ontario, and Quebec. The tour supports his 14th solo album, JoyRide, a collection of “unsaturated, unadulterated art” that captures the chaos and poetry of his creative life.
Recorded in East Nashville with producer Dex Green, JoyRide represents a raw, unfiltered approach to recording. “Capturing me in a studio is like convincing a whirling dervish to stop spinning long enough to sign a bill into law,” says Poltz. The album embraces a spirit of “no seatbelts, no helmets,” featuring “real humans making real noise in real time”. The sessions utilized the legendary rhythm section of Bryan Owings and Christopher Donohue—best known for their work with Emmylou Harris—to create a natural, organic feel.
The new collection highlights Poltz’s penchant for contemporary collaboration, featuring co-writes with industry heavyweights like Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon and Jim Lauderdale. On the track “Love a Little Bigger,” Poltz and Herman turned a spontaneous chorus into a “rowdy” anthem that serves as a “singalong reminder to forgive faster and swim more often”. The album also features “Fixin’ Up,” a track Poltz wanted to capture the essence of a moment in Andy Frasco’s kitchen, where the song stopped Frasco from doing dishes to ask, “What the hell is this? I love it”.
True to his reputation as a “musical trickster,” Poltz infuses the record with humor and storytelling. The track “The Son of God” recounts a dream conversation with Jesus about “buying some Funk and Wagnalls encyclopedias,” while “Hairlift” rhymes “Mao Zedong” with “well hung” in what Poltz calls a “little bit of humor that leaves you with a sideways smile”. The title track, “JoyRide,” is described as a “love song to the road” that feels like “a warm hug after a long road trip”.
Steve Poltz 2026 Tour Dates:
April 15, 2026 – The Union Street, Berwick, NS
April 17, 2026 – The Carleton, Halifax, NS
April 18, 2026 – The Carleton, Halifax, NS
April 19, 2026 – The Carleton, Halifax, NS
April 20, 2026 – The Frolic & Folk Pub & Grill, Iona, NS
April 21, 2026 – Decoste Centre, Pictou, NS
April 22, 2026 – Charlotte Street Arts Centre, Fredericton, NB
April 24, 2026 – Royal City Mission, Guelph, ON
April 25, 2026 – Marsh Street Community Centre, Clarksburg, ON
April 26, 2026 – Aeolian Hall, London, ON
April 29, 2026 – Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON
April 30, 2026 – The Spire, Kingston, ON
May 1, 2026 – Red Bird, Ottawa, ON
May 2, 2026 – Red Bird, Ottawa, ON
May 3, 2026 – Motel Chelsea, Chelsea, QC