Mills Hardware PresentsJOE LAPINSKI
with THE DINNER IS RUINED BAND + BEN SOMER
Cinematic indie folk rock, where stories unfold in the glow of golden hour. Joe Lapinski is a songwriter, performer, producer, and sound designer based in St. Catharines Ontario Canada. He performs actively as a solo artist, as well as a member of musical ensembles such as Minuscule, The Woodshed Orchestra, Rita & The Daydreamers, Jon Lepp, Anthony Sweet, to name a few. He is the owner of and head producer at WOW! Recording Studio & Creative Music Space, a co-founder of SOUND SOUND Improvised Music Series, and is a co-founder of the In the Soil Arts Festival, all based in St. Catharines, Ontario. Joe released his fourth full-length solo album, New Day, in June 2025. Co-produced by Dave Clark (Gord Downie’s Country of Miracles, Rheostatics, The Woodshed Orchestra, The Dinner Is Ruined), this new batch of songs explores personal identity, community, love, trauma, and family. As a producer and recording engineer, Joe has worked most recently with Great Lake Swimmers (Uncertain Country) and Abigail Lapell (Juno-nominated Anniversary). He has also worked with Minuscule, Ron Sexsmith, Gordon Lightfoot, Sarah Harmer, Steven Fearing, Suzie Vinnick, Friendly Rich, DRFTR, Kevin Breit, Karen Ng, Michael Herring, Rebecca Hennessy, Tania Gill, THUNDERCLAP!, and many more. He’s produced musical scores and sound design for the likes of Brock University School of Performing Arts, Suitcase In Point Theatre Company and The Shaw Festival, and has also composed soundtracks for film.
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Cult-calibre Canadian noise rock/experimental trio The Dinner Is Ruined Band came out with an experimental sound that was based in blues tradition as well as classic rock, avant noise, and free jazz, earning favourable comparisons to Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band. They were formed in 1991 by Dale Morningstar, Dave "Stovepipe" Clark, and Dr. Pee; their independent cassette, Burn Your Dashiki, was released that same year. In 1993, Raw Energy issued the band's first CD, Love Songs from the Lubritorium. In 1994, their Worm Pickers Brawl was released, and Ice Cream, Drugs, Rubber Goods was issued in 1996. By 1997, the group had signed to Sonic Unyon, who issued Elevator Music for Non-Claustrophobic People (1997), A Maggot In Their Heads (1997) and Ray Charles Kinda Party (2001). On the heels of the last, the band went on to form the backbone of The Country of Miracles (alongside Julie Doiron and Josh Findlayson) , backing the Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie on solo tours as well as albums Coke Machine Glow and Battle of the Nudes (a posthumous third full-length, recorded by Downie with The Dinner Is Ruined Band before his passing, is said to be forthcoming).
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Ben Somer is a North American original, pulling influences from the greats that came before, but wholly responsible for creating his own imaginative world. Ben has a strong sense of the song, a gift for songwriting that brings to mind the legacy of Cash or Dylan, a songwriter who can shine a light on the harder humanities without losing sight of our hopefulness. Produced by acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Jerry Leger, Ben's 2022 album, Ben Somer & the Cold Winter, taps folk and Americana influences. The album's lead single, "Back When", features Somer's backing band the Cold Winter with Dan Edmonds on keys, Jimmy Hayes on guitar, Adam Melnick on bass, and Matt Burns on drums.
Event Venue
95 King St. E., Hamilton, ON, Canada, Ontario L8N 1A9
Tickets
