Dave Gunning and Mark Lang

Dave Gunning and Mark Lang play The Carleton on Sunday 19 July, a double bill that brings together two singer-songwriters from opposite sides of the world. The night is built around their latest records: Lang's Wild Swans and Gunning's Field Notes. Both are out now, and the set will draw from them.

Dave Gunning is a local name around here. He's from Pictou County, and he's spent more than two decades on the road with fifteen albums to his name. He's picked up a few awards along the way — multiple East Coast Music Awards and a Canadian Folk Music Award — and he's known for a warm stage presence and a sharp wit. His songs tend to focus on everyday heroes and the hard truths that come with them, rooted in the stories of working people and small-town pride that shape his writing.

Mark Lang comes from Australia, an acclaimed singer-songwriter who's touring Wild Swans across the country. The two of them sharing a bill means you'll hear from both of their new albums in one evening, with the set built around the material they've each just released. Between them, they cover a lot of ground — Gunning's Nova Scotian folk and Lang's Australian songwriting meeting on the same stage.

The show is at The Carleton, 1685 Argyle Street in downtown Halifax. Tickets are C$40 plus HST.