Career Highlights:
- Raised $3600 for the Canadian Women’s Foundation on solo music tour
- Created and developed innovative music video for the deaf
- First Prize : National Anthem Song Contest
- Olympic Torchbearer Nominee
- NXNE Showcase Now Magazine “Critics Pick”
- WWII Documentary film “War Music” featured on BBC’s The Movie Café, CBC Sunday
- Four songs from the album "31" are featured in Eric Schaeffer's award winning new film "Boy Meets Girl"
*Music Samples * http://www.download-card.com/davidporteous/
*Contact * davidporteousmusic@gmail.com
*Website * http://www.davidmusic.ca ** Genre ** Singer/Songwriter
David Porteous is a Canadian solo singer/songwriter, music producer, filmmaker and multi-instrumentalist who currently resides in Toronto, Canada.
Now 32-years-old, Porteous began writing music at age 11, had his first radio play on CBC Radio 2 at the age of 14, was nominated as an Olympic Torchbearer, won First Prize in a National Anthem Song Contest, and has created 31 solo music releases.
Over the years Porteous has toured extensively in Canada, the UK, Europe and performed at top music festivals such as NXNE, CMJ (New York), Havnekulturfestival (Denmark), Music City North, Acoustic Edinburgh (UK), and Canadian Music Week.
His passionate on-stage performances and lead guitar work have also landed him opening slots with many talented artists, including Emm Gryner, Peter Katz, Matthew Barber, Neverending White Lights, Rob Lamothe, Lindy, Matt Norris and the Moon, and Nellie McKay.
2015 was a big year for Porteous as he headlined a music tour to raise money for the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Jessica Howard, a Senior Writer at the Canadian Women’s Foundation said “The funds raised will help women and girls across Canada move out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence. Thank you, David!"
Porteous’ motivation for planning this charity tour came from him learning of the work done by the Canadian Women’s Foundation. “It’s freighting to think that 21% of women in Canada are raising their children while struggling with poverty” said Porteous. “The Canadian Women’s Foundation is there to help women across the country who deserve the well needed support. It brings me great joy to be able to support the Canadian Women’s Foundation with this music tour.”
Including an anonymous corporate donation, the tour raised over $3600 for the foundation.
Porteous’ latest album, entitled 31, was recorded in his bedroom. "I began recording music when I was 15-years-old, and I quickly learned how liberating recording music at home could be. I decided to record and mix 31 in my bedroom to relive that experience" said Porteous. The artwork for the album features a photo taken by his mom of him holding a guitar when he was 3-years-old. Four songs from the album 31 are featured in the new film Boy Meets Girl, directed by Eric Schaeffer. Schaffer is best known for films like If Lucy Fell (starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Ben Stiller) and the TV series Gravity. Boy Meets Girl premiered in New York January 2015 and has won over a thirty film festival awards.
Porteous has never shied away from pushing himself creatively speaking and has developed an innovative music video for the deaf. “As vibration is a common characteristic of both sound and light waves, I began by transcribing my music into colour,” said Porteous. “For example, the musical note A shares the same frequency as the colour of a naval orange.” The music video was a feature on the CBC's national news network. "It's so compelling and intriguing…it takes the musical experience to a whole other level" said Asha Tomlinson, host of CBC News Now.
When Porteous heard about the stage collapse at Downsview Park in Toronto hours before Radiohead were scheduled to perform, he was quite devastated. Scott Johnson, Radiohead's drum technician, was killed in the incident. Even though Porteous did not know Scott personally, he has been a big Radiohead fan since he was 15-years-old and empathized with Scott’s family and the entire Radiohead team for their loss.
In turn, Porteous decided to hold a series of benefit concerts in memory of Scott Johnson, and used the funds raised at one of the concerts to purchase an electronic drum kit which he donated to the Fort York Library in Toronto in memory of Scott. Philip Selway, the drummer for Radiohead, loved the idea so much that he decided to copy Porteous’s idea and donated a drum kit to the Manchester Central Library alongside Guy Garvey (Elbow) and Stephen Morris (Joy Division). The event was held on BBC Radio. Hear Philip talk about the drum kit donation as well as Porteous’ involvement: missingapril.com/philipselway.mp3 (3min clip)
When Porteous was 22-years-old, he followed the footsteps of soldiers who fought in Europe during World War Two. While visiting battlefields, cemeteries and monuments, Porteous carried a guitar and wrote and recorded music, on-location, based on his experiences. The film and CD, entitled War Music, were featured on CBC Sunday as well as BBC's The Movie Café. War Music is currently being used as a teaching tool at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and the film is now available to watch on YouTube for free.
"Any project of such wide scope has potential for missteps, but Porteous's earnest songs, which we literally watch him write on the battlefields of Europe, bring some urgency to events that for many of us are usually just pieces of history. And that's no small feat." - blogTO.
Solo Shows 2015
August 28, 2015 Mississauga, Canada
August 23, 2015 Toronto, Canada
August 22, 2015 Ottawa, Canada
August 19, 2015 Belle River, Canada
August 18, 2015 Charlottetown, Canada
August 17, 2015 Halifax, Canada
August 15, 2015 St. Andrews, Canada
August 13, 2015 Moncton, Canada
August 12, 2015 Fredericton, Canada
August 10, 2015 Montreal, Canada
August 8, 2015 Kingston, Canada
June 21, 2015 Brantford, Canada
June 19, 2015 Toronto, Canada
June 8, 2015 Prague, Czech Republic
June 7, 2015 Prague, Czech Republic
June 6, 2015 Zittau, Germany
June 5, 2015 Berlin, Germany
June 1, 2015 Copenhagen, Denmark
May 31, 2015 Copenhagen, Denmark
May 30, 2015 Odense, Denmark
May 29, 2015 Malmö, Sweden
May 28, 2015 Amsterdam, Netherlands
May 26, 2015 Amsterdam, Netherlands
April 30, 2015 Toronto, Canada
March 28, 2015 Toronto, Canada
March 26, 2015 Toronto, Canada
March 20, 2015 Hamilton, Canada
February 6, 2015 New York, USA