DRR's Rock and Roll Summer Finally Begins!

In a perfect world Dead Root Revival would be playing more shows.

I’m not talking gruelling transcontinental excursions...been there, done that...but it would be nice to fill out our schedule a little bit more. We really enjoy performing together, and performing for you all, but we aren’t going to play for nothing, and we choose to pace ourselves accordingly so as to not fall into a deep financial hole.

Summer can be tough for us, which is a bit of a head-scratcher. My opinion is obviously biased: I feel like we would fit in quite well on many a festival stage. But it’s without fail, a chorus of crickets, in terms of responses we receive to our many applications. I’m not just talking about big time music festivals either. I’m talking rotary club fests, rib fests, beer fests, pumpkin fests...music in the town parks of various municipalities.. you name it, we’ve been rejected/ignored by it! 😄

Another wrinkle summer can throw at DIY bands is that there is so much going on in a Canadian summer, with festivals and free outdoor music events, that it makes it difficult to promote shows or tours. I mean.... it’s always hard. Who am I kidding?!

Oh well, what is one to do but carry on?

Thankfully, we are finally kicking back into action this weekend, when Dead Root Revival performs at a festival that has booked us on a few occasions; the 1000 Islands Regatta in Brockville. We’ll be warming the stage on Saturday evening for Zipperbelly and 90’s hitmakers The Watchmen. We hit the the first chord at 6 PM.

Then, the following Saturday, July 4th, we get back to the good ol’ DIY promotion with our third annual Summertime Shindig, taking place at Two Blokes Cider in Seagrave, ON. This little festival we’ve created has gone pretty well for the first two years, and we hope the success continues in 2026, but like I mentioned above, it is really tough to promote events in the summer. Ticket sales for this event need a big boost over the next week in order to ensure we don’t lose our shirts ( it’s funny how normal the prospect of losing one’s shirt gets after years of facing it down, time and time again) so please spread the rock and roll word. This really is a fun day in a beautiful setting. Kids under 12 get in free, so bring your children/grandchildren and let them run around in the big corn field behind the stage. If they’re lucky maybe the sheep will be out too!

Here’s a video montage of scenes from last year’s Shindig:

Hope to see you out at these events!

Check out Live Music Happenings below for the other events DRR has this summer, plus other shows I have with Tom Savage & Friends, and The Mill-Rights. Also, check out the bottom of this post for another exclusive unreleased song from Dead Root Revival, recorded live at the Broom Factory in Kingston this past April!

Saturday, June 27th - Dead Root Revival at the 1000 Islands Regatta in Brockville supporting The Watchmen and Zipperbelly (6PM)

Sunday, June 28th - Tom Savage & Friends at Spearhead Brewing in Kingston(2-5 PM)

Wednesday, July 1st - Canada Day Celebration with Tom Savage and The Mill-Rights at Spicer’s on Wolfe Island (6-9 PM)

Saturday, July 4th - DRR’s Summertime Shindig at Two Blokes Cider in Seagrave, ON

Sunday, July 5th - Tom Savage and Friends at the Opinicon in Chaffey’s Locks (1-4 PM)

Thursday, July 9th - The Mill-Rights wsg Tom Savage at The Cove in Westport, ON

Saturday, July 11th - Dead Root Revival perform at a private cottage party(you also could book us for a private event. Contact me for details at deadrootrevival@gmail.com )

Sunday, July 12th - Tom Savage & Friends at Spearhead Brewing (2-5 PM)

Saturday, July 18th - Tom Savage & Friends at Spicer’s on Wolfe Island (6-9 PM)

Thursday, July 23rd - Dead Root Revival performs live at Meyers Creek Brewing in Belleville! Looking forward to getting back to town to rock out with our Belleville crew! Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/dead-root-revival-at-meyers-creek-brewing-tickets-1988915132702

Friday, July 24th - Tom Savage & Friends at the ANAF club in Kingston(5-8 PM) **this is the same format as TUNESDAY, with the middle set being an open mic

Friday, August 7th - Wolfe Island Music Fest Warm-up Party at Spicer’s with Tom Savage & Friends (early show, 3-6 PM)

Friday, August 14th - Dead Root Revival perform at The Cove in Westport, ON for the Music Westport kick-off party!! 6 PM start

Saturday, August 15th - Tom Savage & Friends at Spearhead Brewing (2-5 PM)

Saturday, August 22nd - Dead Root Revival returns to the Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield,QC

Friday, August 28th - Tom Savage & Friends at the ANAF Club (5-8 PM)

Last week when I was talking about songs I’ve written on the subject of economic disparity I definitely should have including this one. It speaks to the growing class divide, and how human beings increasingly are valued by the things they own rather than the affect their actions have on others, and the planet we all inhabit. It’s all pretty heavy stuff, but as with many DRR songs, the social commentary comes with a heaping helping of dance floor-shaking rock and roll!

This recording of “Less Than Greater Than” is from our concert at the Broom Factory in Kingston, Ontario that took place on April 11th, 2026.

Hope you dig it!

Less Than Greater Than - words and music by Tom Savage

I’m less than greater than
the sum of your parts
I have trouble keeping up
counting all my false starts

Had a poor run of luck
but I keep on keepin’ on
tomorrow straight to the top
yesterday done and gone

I’m less than greater than everything that you possess
your shiny Cadillac
your luxuriant address

I had dream that something mattered
more than a bank account
content of character
would serve as tantamount

I’m less than greater than
Everybody that I know
They all have jobs and cars and houses
What have I got to show?

Maybe I took a wrong turn
Or I was born into it
But this world don’t seem right
And I don’t seem to fit

I’m less than greater than
You in that Escalade
I keep a spinning my wheels
Figuring how to get paid