MOONRIIVR 

Doors: 6pm

Show: 7pm - 9pm

All Ages

“Sounds as if Buddy Holly and Chris Isaak made a record with Damien Jurado. The slow-motion surf on “10,000 Suns” as well as the folk-blues “Run” with its sizzling analogue amps are outstanding.” - Rolling Stone Germany

Seated at one of five tables inside their beloved lunch spot in Toronto’s west end, Champagne James Robertson and Gavin Gardiner are beaming. Everyone here shares the look, it’s an “if you know you know” kind of spot, and everyone here knows. It’s this feeling, this culture, this heart-and-soul-of-our-city energy that MOONRIIVR has embraced since their formation in 2023.

The universe did not have to reach far to pull together the orbits of Champagne James Robertson and Gavin Gardiner, the core of what would become MOONRIIVR. Each has played an integral and vibrant role in the Toronto music scene for the past two decades, and their range of styles, community and skills have come together in an easy and tape-echo filled fit.

Gardiner’s background in vintage and analogue recording, paired with Champagne James Robertson’s passion for composition and instruments of the same era, come together to define MOONRIIVR’s sound. Gavin Gardiner, of Juno & Polaris nominated indie-folk outfit The Wooden Sky and established audio engineer at All Day Coconut (Georgia Harmer, Fiver, Dan Mangan, Jason Collet), was a quick match for Robertson, whose musical collaborations with Dwayne Gretzky, and Tom Wilson have earned him the title of “guitar master” by Rolling Stone.

“MOONRIIVR’s slow motion surf rock harkens back to the days before the music died: a time when country strums and hip-shaking swagger lived side-by-side; and the goal of rock and roll was to make the crowd swoon just as often as it was to make ‘em shout. Despite debuting in the streaming age, the group’s music exists out of time, channeling an AM dial warble and an overplayed 45’s crackle.” - Calgary Folk Fest