Where: Hangar 34
Liverpool
L1 0BS
United Kingdom
Manchester
What: Ron Sexsmith @ Hangar 34
When:
This is an 18+ event
Ron Sexsmith and his band made their last appearance in the UK in November 2024 with his acclaimed Sexsmith at Sixty tour before Ron extended his stay to record a new album at London’s Eastcote Studios with long-time collaborator Martin Terefe. That trip sparked a wave of inspiration, including the album’s title, Hangover Terrace, which Ron describes as a metaphor for the emotional residue left by the pandemic years. “It speaks of this hangover I feel from the last few years of pandemic and life knocking us around,” he reflects. The album moves away from the rural contentment of his recent work and delves into something more wounded and introspective, shaped by personal loss, strained friendships, and a rawer worldview.
Recording in London for the first time since 2007, Ron found creative freedom working with Terefe, whose spontaneous style helped reimagine songs daily. The sessions at Eastcote became a revolving door of musical talent—featuring past collaborators like Claes Bjorklund and Ed Harcourt, as well as surprise guests, including guitarist Robbie McIntosh and even producer Chris Kimsey. One of Ron’s favourite contributions came from Nora Joy Stephens, a young songwriter from his hometown of Stratford, who lent her voice to the album’s closing track. The songs explore themes both timely and timeless: the housing crisis in Camelot Towers, grief and gratitude in When Will the Morning Come, and spiritual musings in Angel on My Shoulder—a kind of counterpoint to his earlier Speaking With the Angel.
Now 61, Ron continues to write with the same introspective honesty that’s marked his career, shaped by new perspectives and life’s ever-changing terrain. He still walks daily to untangle lyrical knots and often composes at whichever instrument is nearby. “I never worry about repeating myself,” he says. “The 31-year-old Ron couldn’t write these songs.” With 17 studio albums under his belt and songs covered by everyone from k.d. lang to Rod Stewart, Sexsmith remains one of Canada’s most cherished songwriters. His memories of childhood in St. Catharines continue to surface in his music, including new tracks like Cigarette & Cocktail and Burgoyne Woods. Reflecting on it all, he’d offer this to his younger self: “Don’t give up. Be patient. Stay focused on what’s real.”
How Much:
www.bandsintown.com InStockLiverpool
L1 0BS
United Kingdom
Who: Ron Sexsmith
Folk
Ronald Eldon (Ron) Sexsmith (born 1964) is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario, currently based in Toronto. He is known as a songwriter’s songwriter, with a gift for melody, insightful and understated lyrics, and an expressive, affecting voice.
Sexsmith started his first band at 14. After moving to Toronto he formed the Uncool and released his cassette Out of the Duff, and a year later, There’s a Way. Meanwhile, he worked as a courier, and released Grand Opera Lane in 1991. On the strength of this album he earned a contract which led to the self-titled album Ron Sexsmith of 1995. Between 1997 and 2001, Sexsmith released three more albums before the acclaimed Cobblestone Runway in 2002.
2004’s album, Retriever, a more pop-oriented album than those before, is dedicated to Elliott Smith and Johnny Cash. In 2004 he was invited by Grammy-Award-Winner Bill Frisell to perform at the German RuhrTriennale in the renowned concert series Century of Song together with songwriter Jesse Harris.
In 2005, he released a collection of songs recorded with drummer Don Kerr during the production of Retriever, called Destination Unknown. The same year, he also won a Juno Award for songwriter of the year, for the song “Whatever It Takes”.
His first five albums are generally melancholic folk-pop with simple, elegant melodies, accentuated use of guitars and economic application of other instruments. On his sixth album, Cobblestone Runway, producer Martin Terefe changed the style to include a more lavish use of synthesizers. Retriever is considered his most “poppy” album.
With Time Being, however, he has proven that he hasn’t forgotten his roots as a folky singer-songwriter.Top songs are Secret Heart (well covered by Feist) and Strawberry Blonde(sublime economic evocative narrative lyrics). Time Being was released in 2006 and he’s since releasedExit Strategy For The Soul in 2008.
For photographs and additional information visit Ron Sexsmith’s website, www.RonSexsmith.com.