Local music lovers will have the chance to see rising Canadian female rock artist Avalon Stone in Sarnia in the coming weeks for not one — but two — live performances.
The 20-year-old from Kitchener, ON., will take the stage at Rustr Music Hall on March 16 for the venue’s St. Patty’s Party, along with Sarnia rockers Born Riot, and Canadian alternative rock band Stuck on Planet Earth.
Stone returns to the area on April 19 as part of the Road to Revelree event — which showcases emerging artists vying for a lineup spot at the 2024 Revelree Music Festival happening July 19 and 20.
She’ll take the stage at 8:45 p.m. at Collide Lounge in downtown Sarnia.
The singer-songwriter, who has been performing since age 11, has played more than 300 stages in Ontario, drawing from rock influences like Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath, Smashing Pumpkins and The Cranberries.
Having led her own classic rock band for nearly a decade, she emerged as a solo artist with her 2023 single, “Forget You” to international acclaim.
Her sophomore single, ‘Harder,’ is a deep dive into the struggle against mental confines, intrusive thoughts and innocence lost, she explains.
“Every one of us has experiences that teach us hard lessons” Stone says, “and a lot of the time we get stronger because of them, but sometimes they really knock you down and you feel like you can’t get up again.”
With its grungy sound, heavy blues undertones, and a soul-stirring guitar solo, ‘Harder’ showcases a blend of Stone’s musical roots and her contemporary alt-rock edge.
"It's about being real and not sugarcoating the struggles,” she says, adding that the song offers a realistic portrayal of mental health battles.
“Sometimes you’re not okay right away. Sometimes the intrusive thoughts are winning, and you don’t have the energy to fight them. Sometimes you find it in you to break through and carry on.
“I’m not here to tell my fans how to feel,” she continues. “I’m here to tell them it’s okay they don’t know yet.”
Tickets to Avalon Stone’s live performance at Rustr are available here.
Tickets to Avalon Stone’s live performance at Road to Revelree are available here.