Latest news with #LouisThomas
CBC
26-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Halifax Music Fest head hopes festival keeps concertgoers closer to home
The head of a Halifax company co-organizing a three-day music festival that is expected to attract tens of thousands of people this weekend to the Garrison Grounds hopes it means people can stay closer to home for shows, rather than hop on a plane and head out of province. Louis Thomas, president of Sonic Concerts Limited, said with a growing population in the city, it's a good time to put on a large-scale, multi-day concert. "Not only do we feel that's an opportunity, we feel it's important to provide things for the citizens to do as well ... this is a long term sort of process," he said. "It's not like one and done here, hopefully." Thomas said the last time Sonic put on a multi-day event comparable to this weekend's Halifax Music Fest was its 2012 Summersonic event, although that was smaller in scope. This weekend's festival features four bands a day. The headliners are Nickelback on Friday, Lenny Kravitz on Saturday and The Killers on Sunday. On Thursday afternoon, a couple hundred workers were on site doing prep work for the festival, along with lots of heavy machinery. Thomas said the crews are all local. "This is genuine," he said. "We're doing this because we live here and we want this to succeed." Thomas said that while the Garrison Grounds is being set up to allow for a capacity of 30,000 people per show, as many as 22,000 people are expected each day. In choosing a rock music festival, Thomas said he didn't want to compete with existing festivals in Atlantic Canada, such as country ones like the Cavendish Beach Music Festival in P.E.I. or the YQM Country Fest in Dieppe, N.B. The decision to open the festival doors at 4 p.m. AT each day was deliberate, said Thomas. He hopes attendees grab lunch in the downtown beforehand and then go out afterwards to support businesses in the downtown area. Weather forecast After a few days of blistering heat, temperatures will cool this weekend, said CBC metorologist Ryan Snoddon. While Friday night should see mild temperatures and light winds, Saturday is looking dicier. "Concertgoers should prepare for wet weather as it appears we'll see showers arriving throughout the afternoon and evening," he said. "Steadier rain looks more likely late evening, overnight and into early Sunday, however, as the system pulls away the rain will taper to showers throughout the day." Snoddon said there's a slight risk of a few lingering showers for Sunday evening's show. Appeal to artists Thomas said he thinks the downtown setting will be attractive to artists because it means they won't have to travel for hours after getting off an airplane, or go very long from their hotel to the venue on the day of the show. "We've obviously got lots of transport lined up, but as soon as everyone realizes, 'Oh, it's right there,' you know, they [will] walk," he said.
CTV News
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Rock returns to the hill: Halifax Music Festival begins Friday
Nickelback performs during the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston This weekend, the sound of rock music returns to the Garrison Grounds in Halifax, N.S. The first ever Halifax Music Festival gets underway this Friday, marking the return of large-scale concerts to the site at the foot of Citadel Hill. Headlined by Nickelback, Lenny Kravitz, and The Killers, the three-day outdoor festival will be a milestone weekend for Halifax's live music scene. 'We just really want to get this hill back into action again,' said Louis Thomas of Sonic Entertainment Group in an interview with CTV Atlantic's Katie Kelly. 'It's crazy to think Nickelback last played here in 2007. It's just really great to have them back, and have them really support the notion of coming back here.' Louis Thomas Louis Thomas of Sonic Entertainment Group is pictured at the Garrison Grounds ahead of this weekends' Halifax Music Festival. (CTV Atlantic / Katie Kelly) Nickelback headlines Friday night, topping a lineup that includes The Glorious Sons, Big Wreck, and Tenille Townes. Saturday features Terra Lightfoot, Amanda Marshall, Ben Harper, and Lenny Kravitz. Sunday closes with Said the Whale, Lights, Alvvays, and The Killers. Thomas says the event has already drawn major interest from across the Maritimes. 'Lots of people from outside the province are coming in for sure,' said Thomas. 'We know New Brunswick likes rock.' Construction is currently underway on-site, with fencing, food vendors, and a massive stage being installed. VIP ticketholders will have access to elevated decking, flushable washrooms, and a dedicated entrance. 'The VIP is fantastic,' said Thomas. 'It's all high-end.' One of the weekend's most anticipated performances comes from Canadian pop-rock singer Amanda Marshall, who spent part of her childhood in Halifax. 'The summer that I turned 11, my dad got a job in Halifax,' Marshall told CTV Atlantic's Katie Kelly over zoom. 'I spent three of the greatest pre-teen years of my life there.' Marshall's mother worked at the Lord Nelson Hotel, just a block from the Garrison Grounds. 'To get to come back now and play in this particular place, in a place that I'm familiar with, is so exciting,' said Marshall. 'We're so excited about it. It's gonna be great.' For organizers, the goal goes beyond one great weekend. 'We want to be able to do this again next year,' said Thomas. 'The notion is… live here and experience everything here.'
BBC News
23-06-2025
- BBC News
Isle of Man street drug dealer boasted about making £800 a day
A drug dealer who boasted about making £800 a day by selling cocaine on the Isle of Man's streets has been jailed for seven Thomas was caught by undercover police officers during an August 2023 crackdown on drugs in Douglas's night-time 27-year-old also tried to import £17,966 of cannabis through the post, and was additionally caught in a covert recording while arranging to sell drugs for another man in a hotel sentence at Douglas Courthouse, Deemster Graeme Cook said drugs brought "misery" to many families and individuals on the island. The court heard Thomas had been introduced to undercover police officers during Operation Nightjar and had sold them individual wraps of cocaine on three occasions between 18 and 26 August was also implicated in drug dealing between October and November the same year when police reviewed recordings made in another man's hotel room, which had been the audio files Thomas was instructed to break down about 3lb (1.35kg) of cocaine into smaller court heard Thomas was also heard bragging about making up to £800 a day while selling the Class A drug. 'Selling misery' After failing to appear in court for the Nightjar offences, Thomas then attempted to collect a parcel containing a large quantity of cannabis that had been intercepted at Braddan sorting office in February advocate said his client had been a "useful idiot" who had been "sent up effectively as cannon fodder" to collect the parcel for someone said the 27-year-old's claims of making large sums of money were "bragging and could well have been exaggerating", adding: "He made an incredibly stupid mistake for no real benefit to himself.""He is fronting up to the situation now," he said Thomas was a "very trusted foot soldier" for a larger drug dealer and was "certainly not at the bottom of the supply chain".Deemster Cook concluded that Thomas had "had a good time selling misery on the streets" and that "the sooner we get people like you out, the sooner the island will become a safer place". Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Global News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Lenny Kravitz joining big name acts coming to Halifax this summer
Grammy-award winning musician Lenny Kravitz will be headlining the second day of a Halifax outdoor music festival this summer, joining other big name acts like Nickelback and The Killers. Halifax Music Fest, which runs June 27 to 29, will be set up at Garrison Grounds at Citadel Hill — in the heart of downtown Halifax. The president of Sonic Concerts, which is putting the festival on alongside Mighty Quinton Concerts, said it's been a long-awaited announcement. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'There's been a lot of buzz about the festival, and we're grateful to everyone for sticking with us while we finalized plans,' Louis Thomas said in a statement. 'We're really looking forward to seeing Halifax light up with music, and we're proud to be welcoming both artists and fans to our vibrant city.' Story continues below advertisement Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. In addition to Lenny Kravtiz, the line-up for June 28 includes Canadian pop-rock singer Amanda Marshall and Canadian song-songwriter Terra Lightfoot. As previously announced, June 27's line-up includes Nickelback, The Glorious Sons, Big Wreck, and Tenille Townes. June 29 will see The Killers, Alvvays, Lights, and Said The Whale take the stage.
Irish Independent
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
St. Anthony's go through as Newtown United fightback falls short in Jim McLaughlin Cup clash
St. Anthony's 4 Newtown United 'A' Wicklow People Today at 02:30 Michael Gray scored St. Anthony's fourth goal in the 59th minute to wrap up a home win against Newtown United in the Jim McLaughlin Cup quarter-final, as they won 4 goals to 3. The first goal came in the first minute, Louis Thomas sent a free from the sideline on the right just inside his own half into the box, it skimmed off a Newtown defender's head and fell into the path of Jamie Kelly on the left side of the box. The midfielder was all on his own and finished it into the bottom right corner.
