Perhaps better known for sweaty rock shows, The Town Heroes are equally comfortable in an intimate acoustic environment (aka the Patchwork living room). Either way The Town Heroes want you to be entertained. Born and raised in small town Cape Breton, Mike Ryan and Bruce Gillis have played together for the past 16 years—touring 9 countries, releasing 7 critically acclaimed albums, raising over 30k for charity (including Feed NS and The Red Cross), and winning an array of industry awards—13 Music Nova Scotia Awards, 5 ECMA’s.
Anthemic choruses, danceable arrangements, and tender falsettos highlight their catchy yet thoughtful songs. At heart, a perfect soundtrack for contemplating life with a bounce in your step. Musically, the band blends their 90’s alt-rock influences with singer-songwriter stylings in the vein of Neil Young or Ryan Adams. On stage they move like intense caricatures—soaked in sweat, pushing every chord, note and beat to the limit. A structured wall of sound emerges; familiar yet distinctive. Take a listen to Poets
The Town Heroes have shown dedication to their craft and prolific output throughout their career. Each album has garnered them an increase in fanbase, industry recognition, and bigger stages and venues. The band won Music Nova Scotia’s “Entertainer of the Year” in both 2021 and 2022—the only act to ever win two years in a row. They have risen to be one of the most popular and sought-after bands on the East Coast of Canada.
In addition to their music, the band has become known for their ability to make people laugh. Through comedic videos gone viral, online bingo, unexpected wardrobe, operating late night sandwich stands at music festivals, amusing acceptance speeches and interviews, the band has earned a reputation for making people laugh.
Though vastly different, the band has found a way to balance these two sides in a seamless, cohesive manner. They see it as a crucial, necessary part of what they do. In a world where so much negativity fills the news, where the media endlessly focuses on the bad, The Town Heroes want to bring something positive into it all, as small as it may be. They see it as necessary because it is: it’s who they are. That’s something they’ll never change.
Since 2018, The Town Heroes have raised over $30,000 for various charities. Done entirely through grassroots initiatives on their social media, the band’s philanthropic side has supported groups like Feed Nova Scotia, The Red Cross, various animal shelters, and even paid for life saving hospital treatment for a young Colombian boy who singer Mike had met on his travels.
The band released their 7th full-length album SINGIN’ on June 21st, 2025. The album is a 9-song collection of songs that each reflect memories of the past—both the good and the bad. Each track serves as a vignette, offering listeners a journey through the corridors of time and nostalgia.
From “Hockey Fights” — a fun, youthful recollection of falling in love at a hockey game while fights are taking place on the ice in front of you—to “In Your Head” — a song about zooming out and looking at your life from 30,000 feet and seeing that the little things that bother us often aren’t that big a deal. Each song looks at how we perceive memories and how the past comes to shape who we are. Sometimes it’s a warm nostalgia smothering you in all the best ways, other times it’s a punch in the gut you’re still trying to come to terms with.
Ultimately, the album is a reminder of our shared humanity. It reminds us that despite our unique stories and backgrounds, we all navigate the same fundamental emotions and experiences. Through its honest and heartfelt exploration of the human experience, SINGIN’ fosters a sense of empathy and unity, encouraging us to embrace our commonalities and support one another through the ever-changing journey of life.
Join us for The Town Heroes on Saturday, September 19. It will be a rare intimate, acoustic show. Tickets are $30.
Like all of our house concerts, 100 % of the door will go directly to the artists. We provide the stage, chairs and hopefully a room filled with eager listeners. Snacks and soft drinks will be offered; otherwise it is BYOB (feel free to bring what ever beverage you wish to enjoy). Bringing music-loving-friends and visiting family members is strongly encouraged. So gather some friends – grab your tickets – and head on over – easy as that! See you soon
And check out the ‘Upcoming’ page for news of NEW shows!
Monique & George
@PatchworkHConc / facebook.com/PatchworkHouseConcerts
Patchwork Threads 