Sounds of Summer: Live Music in Oshawa This August

Hull-born, Hamilton-raised, Toronto-based, internationally renowned producer and artist Daniel Lanois will be performing at the Regent Theatre Monday August 18, 2025. Lanois and Brian Eno were the production team for U2’s American breakthrough album The Joshua Tree as well as the Euro-centric Achtung Baby. Lanois has produced for Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, Neil Young (Le Noise is a masterpiece), and most recently Arcade Fire.

Daniel Lanois is at the Regent Theatre in Oshawa on August 18.

Lanois is also a multi-Grammy and Juno winner and a musician in his own right with some great records behind him including Acadie and For the Beauty of Winona as well as Belladonna, one of my favourites of his. The early work of this now 73-year-old at his and his brother’s studio in the Hammer, Grant Studios, includes Simply Saucer, Martha & the Muffins, Spoons, and Raffi. Lanois has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, a lifetime achievement award at the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards and is invested in the Order of Canada. His current project, a trio, will be playing at the Regent in a Blackrose Entertainment presentation in association with Oshawa station CKDO. Starts at 8 p.m. The Lanois Trio includes drummer-vocalist Jermaine Holmes and bassist-vocalist Jim Wilson and began in a church in Berlin, Germany. The vocal harmonies in that setting are what set Lanois off on this leg of his musical journey, and I’m sure he will no doubt be impressed with the interior soundscape of the heritage Regent Theatre.

The Biltmore Theatre in Downtown Oshawa.

While a global superstar headlines the Regent in August, across King the local dominates at the Biltmore as it’s an Oshawa-owned enterprise. Diana Cerovich runs the club on behalf of her family, who inherited the business after the father died due to COVID-19. Diana, along with general manager Jacob Haymada, have been running things since.

We reached out to Diana to ask about what makes Oshawa’s music scene different. “There are so many strengths to our music scene — community being the biggest. We have a wide network of folks that have been built up over decades from all walks of life. These people have dreams, vision, passion for what the scene is and what it could be. It's ever changing but always growing in new and interesting ways and folks here aren’t afraid to take risks to try something new. Word of mouth, meeting of minds, celebrating each others’ successes and coming together to support each others’ initiatives are huge strengths that help support what we are trying to do here in our small corner of the scene,” she says.

Diana Cerovich, Proprietor of The Biltmore Theatre.

The Biltmore is the cornerstone for Oshawa’s music scene and very much a cheerleader for the city and its musicians. It’s core to what Di sees as her role as owner-operator and resident. “If we can further showcase to not just Durham, but Ontario and Canada as a whole that there is so much talent and things happening here then we can continue to drive folks to visit, push for more funding to projects that impact the music and arts sector, and just give space and a spotlight to all the amazing people and things happening here in Oshawa,” she says. And for concert-goers, some advice: “If you’re coming for the show, we have many fabulous restaurants downtown to visit beforehand like Avanti’s, Berry Hill, 70 King, Brew Wizards and the list goes on. And of course pop in over at our local record shops just a stone’s throw away like Kops Records and Another Spin before coming to the show. After the show you can check out some of the other local venues and bars to just cap your night out. There are so many fantastic local businesses that deserve love … we always try to make sure folks know that there is something for everyone here because that’s what Oshawa is — a place for everyone to experience passion, creativity and create memories that last a lifetime.”

Lear Haven is at The Biltmore Theatre August 8.

Much of that passion and creativity will be on stage this month with three shows featuring Oshawa/Durham Region-based artists. Friday, Aug. 8 features rising rock act Lear Haven, with Stuck on Planet Earth, Cevilain, and James Blonde; Saturday, Aug. 9 local legend DJ Domn8t will be spinning the hits from across the decades; and on Aug. 23, metal rockers Valyear will be hosting an album release party with Byrdy, Psychlo, and Revmatic.

Bond Street Event Centre brings global and local together with Our Lady Peace co-

founder and Canadian Walk of Famer Mike Turner joining ’80s tribute act The Bomb

for a run through all the chart-toppers from The Cure to INXS to Tears for Fears and all

in between.

So take the advice of those who live here, work here, invest here, check the local talent

out — plus you never know what global superstar will just show up too. Oshawa’s like

that.