08/19/2026
🎸 BP Live & Local puts St. Thomas musicians in the spotlight 👨🎤
For local musicians, getting in front of an audience can be one of the biggest challenges of the job. In St. Thomas, one local restaurant is helping change that — one Thursday night at a time.
St. Thomas Boston Pizza (Boston Pizza St Thomas) is taking part in BP Live & Local, a national Boston Pizza initiative running from Victoria Day through Labour Day. Every Thursday from 8 to 10 p.m., local musicians take the stage, giving both established performers and those just starting out an opportunity to play for a live audience.
For Boston Pizza St. Thomas, live music is nothing new. The restaurant has featured local performers for more than a decade and was consulted by Boston Pizza management for feedback before the national summer campaign was launched.
Among the musicians taking advantage of the stage is Cam Grant, a seasoned performer and member of Full Petty Fever, a Tom Petty tribute band. Grant recently brought his solo act to the restaurant, performing songs by The Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival and, naturally, Tom Petty.
Grant, who is approaching retirement from his role as Sound, Light and Audio Technician at London's Canada Life Place — a position he has held since the venue opened in 2002 — knows the value of experience both on and off the stage.
"Things like BP Live & Local can only help the music industry," Grant says. "You give the local guy a chance to cut his teeth because not everyone has 40 years of experience."
For emerging performers, that experience can be invaluable.
"This will help you develop on stage," Grant explains. "They'll learn how to pick songs, how to work the crowd, and when to talk and when not to talk."
The opportunity isn't only valuable for performers. It also gives local audiences a chance to discover artists they may not otherwise encounter.
Boston Pizza has a long history of providing a stage for aspiring musicians. Before the Arkells became Juno Award winners and festival headliners, frontman Max Kerman performed at an open mic at a Boston Pizza while building his musical career.
The Arkells have since partnered with Boston Pizza on the BP Live & Local campaign, even surprising a Boston Pizza location in Sarnia with a live performance when the initiative launched.
For St. Thomas Boston Pizza co-owner and general manager Andrew McEwan, who has been with the restaurant for more than 20 years, the program is an opportunity to celebrate the talent already in the community.
"A lot of these artists have a hard time finding places to play," McEwan says. "So giving them a platform and making our guests happy just goes hand-in-hand."
The St. Thomas location is also one of the communities selected to host the BP Before They Get Big Tour. On September 4, The Redhill Valleys will bring their Americana and alt-country sound to the Railway City.
With interest expected to be high, McEwan is recommending guests make reservations for the show.
And while BP Live & Local may wrap up with the summer season, live music won't be leaving St. Thomas Boston Pizza.
McEwan says the restaurant plans to continue featuring live music on weekends throughout the winter, providing local performers with another place to share their music and local audiences with another reason to get out and enjoy it.
Musicians — and comedians — interested in performing at St. Thomas Boston Pizza can contact the restaurant at [email protected].
For an artist looking for a first opportunity, it could be the stage where everything starts. For an established performer, it could simply be another chance to do what they love — in front of a local crowd.
📍 860 Talbot Street
🕥 Mon-Fri 11am-Midnight, Sat-Sun 11am-1am
☎️ 1-519-631-7007
- Story and Photos by Robert Springett.
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