Downchild Releases New CD

TORONTO, Canada (Top40 Charts/ Downchild Official Website/ www.downchild.com) - Downchild, which has long described itself as "Canada's blues band," will launch its 15th album, the band's first release on the Linus label, at Jeff Healey's Roadhouse in Toronto on Friday March 2.

"Live at the Palais Royale" was recorded last November at a packed house at the legendary dance hall on Toronto's lakeshore - one of the few great old wooden dance venues that still exists in Ontario. The band, augmented with an additional horn player, was on top form, and ran though some Downchild classics, a couple of new tunes, and some rarely heard songs from its early days.

It's the second live Downchild album - the first, recorded at the El Mocambo in Toronto, was called "But I'm on The Guest List" and was released in 1982.

It's been a little over 37 years since Downchild launched its career at Grossman's Tavern on Spadina Avenue; it's been a long journey, marked with good times and hard times, triumph and tragedy, a lot of laughs and a few tears - and through it all, some hardcore, entertaining, and influential music. The band still plays regularly across Canada, as well as at clubs and festivals in the United States.

The band has signed a recording deal with Linus Entertainment, a Toronto-based company with a roster that includes Gordon Lightfoot, Ron Sexsmith, Quarteto Gelato and Sophie Millman; "Live at the Palais Royale" is the first release under the agreement. Linus CDs are distributed in Canada by Universal Music.

WHO: Downchild, Canada's blues band
WHAT: CD release party for "Live at the Palais Royale"
WHERE: Jeff Healey's Roadhouse (56 Blue Jays Way, 416-593-2626)
WHEN: Friday March 2. Doors at 8:00 pm; showtime 9:30 pm
HOW MUCH: $20.00 advance, $25.00 at door