GRANT AVENUE STUDIO MARKS 50 YEARS WITH A LANDMARK SEASON OF MUSIC, COMMUNITY, AND CELEBRATION

 

Photos I Website I Facebook I TikTok I Instagram I X

HAMILTON, ON — Grant Avenue Studio, one of Canada’s most storied recording facilities, is entering its 50th year with a season that reflects everything the studio has always stood for: exceptional music, deep community roots, and an unwavering belief in the power of live performance and authentic artistry. From a landmark anniversary celebration to a national awards partnership, 2026 marks a milestone year for the Hamilton institution and the musicians and fans who have made it legendary.

50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Grant Avenue Studio turns 50 this year, and the studio is honouring the occasion in a way that is as open-armed and community-minded as the institution itself. A year-long celebration is underway, culminating in an outdoor ticketed summer event — a gathering of live music, speeches, familiar faces, giveaways, and a music market showcasing local talent. Proceeds will benefit a charitable cause. A date will be announced in the coming weeks. A new commemorative 50th anniversary logo has been unveiled and is available for media use.

SECOND ANNUAL ROAD TO SUPERCRAWL

Back by popular demand, the second annual Road to Supercrawl returns this spring at Mills Hardware, Hamilton. Presented in partnership with Supercrawl, 25 bands will compete across five nights of live music, vying for a recording package at Grant Avenue Studio, a coveted spot on the Supercrawl main stage, and a suite of video, photo, and promotional prizes. The series finale will take place at Bridgeworks in August where the winner will be announced, and every competing band will perform on the Grant Avenue Stage at Supercrawl in September. Band announcements are coming in the weeks ahead.

JUNO AWARDS 2026: FORGED IN MUSIC POP-UP CONCERTS

Grant Avenue Studio was proud to be a supporting partner of the 2026 JUNO Awards Hamilton Host Committee, contributing to the Forged in Music Pop-Up Concert Series — a programme of live music experiences brought to unique and unexpected spaces across the region in the lead-up to JUNO Week. The partnership reflects the studio’s longstanding commitment to amplifying Hamilton’s music community on every stage available to it.

GRANT AVENUE STUDIO PRESENTS (GASP)

Grant Avenue Studio Presents (GASP) is the studio’s ongoing concert series, capturing world-class artists (with an emphasis on local talent), performing their songs live off the floor at Grant Avenue. Equal parts intimate session and cinematic document, GASP is a front-row seat to Hamilton’s remarkable depth of homegrown talent. New episodes are releasing regularly on the studio’s YouTube channel — subscribe to stay current with every new session.

HAMILTON CIVIC MUSEUMS: PUNCHING IN EXHIBITION

Grant Avenue Studio is honoured to be featured in Punching In: The Work of Hamilton Music, a new exhibition at Hamilton Civic Museums celebrating the city’s thriving music scene and the craft behind the songs. The inclusion is a fitting recognition of the studio’s half-century as a creative home for Hamilton musicians and a quiet engine behind some of the most enduring recordings to come out of this city.

ABOUT GRANT AVENUE STUDIO

Founded 50 years ago in Hamilton, Ontario by Daniel Lanois, Grant Avenue Studio is one of Canada’s premier recording facilities. At the heart of Studio A is a vintage MCI JH500C console outfitted with API preamps — a customised version of the same board used on landmark albums including Back in Black, Hotel California, and Cowboys From Hell. The studio is owned and operated by Mike Bruce (entertainment & real estate entrepreneur and musician), Marco Mondano (owner of DC Music), with Head Producer and Engineer Andrew Lauzon — a Grammy-nominated, internationally touring multi-instrumentalist — and Debbie Bruce (Operations Manager) leading the creative team. Grant Avenue is a recording studio, a community hub, and a living piece of Canadian music history.