Willem Cowan w/ Cowboy Medicine & Nick Zubeck
JUNE 27TH, 2026
8 PM
$15 in advance/ $20 at the door NOTAFLOF
Nick Zubeck:
Nick Zubeck is a Toronto born, Guelph based musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist known for his eclectic and inventive style, blending elements of folk, rock, jazz, ambient, and experimental music. He has been active in the music scene for more than three decades and has developed a reputation for thoughtful songwriting, expressive vocals, and intricate guitar work. Nick has recorded and released a number of original LP’s, including Hiding Out And Laying Low (2003), Tracker (2008), Saltwater (2008), Skydiving (2016), Venusian Blues (2020), and Echo Park (2023). He also composes and produces instrumental ambient music under the moniker Maud Gonne.
In addition to his solo work, Nick has collaborated with a wide range of artists and musicians, further expanding his creative reach and musical palette. As a sideman, he has worked with Sun Kil Moon, Great Lake Swimmers, Sandro Perri, Dana Sipos. Barzin, Donovan Woods, Royal Wood, Roxanne Potvin, Rich Burnett, Priya Thomas, and many others. Nick has toured extensively and internationally, having played many of the world’s great stages and festivals, notably Pitchfork Fest, Hillside, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Royal Festival Hall in London and The Town Hall in NYC.
Cowboy Medicine:
A duo project created on a foundation of friendship and shared passions, Cowboy Medicine is rooted in tight harmony and story telling. Kale and Lane bring their chemistry and folksy indie influence to the stage, showcasing their shared experiences and the growing pains of life.
Willem James Cowan:
In a Willem James Cowan song, the entire world spills out from the smallest detail. He never sacrifices the vividness of the narrative for a borrowed platitude or a hackneyed phrase. Writing and recording in London, Ontario, Cowan draws inspiration from great wordsmiths like Elliott Smith, Dan Mangan, Joni Mitchell, and Sufjan Stevens. He lets his characters breathe in the verses and choruses, and he’s laser-focused on the emotion and authenticity tucked into the dark corners of his stories. In “Apartment” he sings of nostalgia and how we are haunted by the ones we’ve loved: “Three years from tonight / I won’t remember your body / But I will remember your light / Alone in an airport lobby”. His taut hooks and driving rhythms draw us into the narrative, rooting for the characters as they careen toward salvation or demise.
Cowan’s process is varied but often begins with a few chords and a mumbled melody until something sticks. Perhaps his focus on lyrics stems from his discomfort with placeholders. Where many songwriters start with nonsense or simple phrases and write the final lyrics in the editing stage, Cowan’s unfold as the song progresses. The story never takes a back seat to the overall creation, and the songs carry this clarity into the studio and the live show. Cowan’s alternately confessional and celebratory show has graced the stage of NXNE, VENUExVENUE, and Summerfolk where he left audiences wondering whether they want to cry sad or happy tears.
