Throughout their fourteen years delivering the best in Blues, Rock, and Soul live music in the Huntsville area, at the storied Etwell Concert Series, Bill and Jeanine Spring have strived to offer “a listening experience for fans of blues and rock music, but also a party atmosphere in a remote rural setting surrounded by nature. It’s a place where families can come out and enjoy and support live music in a non-commercial setting.”
Far more intimate and inclusive than a larger, theatrical venue, the Etwell Concert Series is an opportunity for music lovers to get up close and personal with some of the more compelling touring acts working throughout Canada. Relaxed, familial, and fun, crowds gather at 2012 Etwell Road every Sunday afternoon in the summer, bringing their own seating, snacks, and beverages in a natural amphitheatre-like configuration around live bands that often generate a level of energy and excitement for music enthusiasts. In a tradition similar to the deep south Mississippi juke joint, the bands and the audience join in and celebrate the universal rhythmic appeal that the Blues inherently contains. Swaying, clapping, singing, and dancing are staples of this form of musical expression, engaging audiences to feel joy and a sense of being part of the sound experience, which is its living purpose. Those who love and know this music find it recharges the emotions, lifts away worries and concerns, and lets the soul sail free for a few precious hours.
While most bands might not articulate it this glamorously, blues musicians know it’s a magical exile, and they have found a home to return to at Etwell, year after year, knowing that the appreciative, listening audience attending is there to truly immerse itself in the power of the music.
“We’ve realized over the years that (while) we haven’t necessarily targeted it, it is enjoyed mostly by seniors, because it’s music in general from the old blues songs up to modern day, but I have to say, it’s music from the 50s through the 70s. So, we tend to draw a senior crowd. We have started to draw more of a younger crowd who have an appreciation that it’s not just blues; it’s rock and soul music. It’s a wide variety of music and bands that come, appeal to a certain crowd, but we allow kids in for free, in general that’s how we’ve progressed and we’ve realized that that’s the crowd that we’re drawing with certain bands that we had connections with and over the years we’ve expanded those connections to a mix of bands we’ve had in the past and new bands,” Bill Spring points out. As the years have gone by, the appeal of the live festival, open setting, is an ideal and reasonably inexpensive excursion for families to really enjoy live performances.
“The audience is a listening crowd, that really is something that the musicians are attracted to and want to come back to, as opposed to like a bar scene or something,” Bill smiles, reflecting on the many memorable moments arising from so many years of successfully hosting these shows throughout the summer, augmented by indoor shows held at the Huntsville Legion throughout the autumn and winter months. “And often it’s a dancing crowd!”
Bill Spring, a superb musician himself, along with his wife Jeanine, started the Etwell Concert Series to help out bandmate, singer, and friend Jackie Rogue, who lives in Nova Scotia with an established career, by featuring her at an inaugural show, primarily to raise funds to aid her travel expenses back home. Initially, the series was conceived to be a stopover for touring bands or a pick-up gig on off-tour days. Bill had to source bands mainly through his own connections and membership in the Toronto Blues Society. Many of the bands returning year after year start their tour schedules at Etwell or choose the venue as an additional highlight of their summer calendars. Morgan Davis, Paul James, and Juno award winner Paul Reddick have been familiar faces at Etwell as prized showcases every season.
With a small floor level stage, a suggested twenty-dollar donation, and ample covered seating with expansive area for more self-seating, the shows are often attended by two hundred people. Bands take the opportunity to really dig into their craft with set lists and song choices not necessarily part of their usual show, giving audiences a glimpse into the mastery and skill necessary to survive and succeed as live touring performers. Legendary acts like Jack De Keyzer, Hogtown Allstars, and Paul James, exceed expectations with their riveting and compelling command of traditional blues, songwriting originals, and passionate instrumental prowess. Additionally, over the past several years, Etwell has included some of the best local Huntsville musicians as opening acts for the main stage, an opportunity for regional players to fully display their talents to a positive audience.
Included in every season’s series is a concert from Tobin Spring, Bill and Jeanine’s talented songwriting son, an accomplished guitarist, solo performer and band leader, who on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at 6:45 p.m., will reprise an exciting encore performance ‘The Rolling Stone Show,’ that Tobin’s band displayed as part of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts sold out shows earlier this summer.
As the Etwell Series has expanded and progressed over the past fourteen years, Bill acknowledges that all success rests firmly with the team of volunteers who work diligently to ensure enjoyable and treasured shows happen each week for audiences who attend, rain or shine, to witness some of the best live music available.
Etwell offers exceptional music and ambience including wood-fired pizza, served up piping hot during band breaks. Moreover, it is a special Sunday afternoon promise to experience live music in a manner unlike any comparable venue in the Huntsville area.
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So grateful. It’s always an enjoyable time at etwell music!
Fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Thanks Bill and Jeanine and volunteers for making Huntsville a terrific place to live.
Brilliant Summer Season. Best in My recollection .Best dollar value in Muskoka!