Sep. 3/07 - Europe picks up on "Ghosts" in a big way. - Once again, Europe is leading the pack when it comes to sales and reviews/chart placings. We reported how John knocked Bob Dylan off the top of a chart in Brussels a few weeks back. Since then, playlists have been circulating with songs from "Ghosts" in heavy rotation, and reviews have been surfacing from over the pond. And FINALLY, "Ghosts" broke into the college charts here in Canada, placing 9th last week on the CHRY-FM folk and roots chart in Toronto.

Aug. 31/07 - CBC-TV shoot special featuring John TODAY! Public welcome. - The CBC in Ottawa is doing a two part shoot on John and the Ottawa music scene/business etc. for their "Living in Ottawa" show. The first segment will be shot in the CBC studio and will be about making a CD independently.

The second segment is where we need a few good peeps! At approx 2:30 today, we'll be staging a mock "open mic", hosted by the amazing Amanda Rheaume, at Quinn's Ale House on Bank St. near Sunnyside (nestled right between the Mayfair Theatre and the Barley Mow). We need some "audience" members for an hour or two. Thanks in advance!

Aug. 13/07 - Tickets for Ottawa CD Release Party on sale here. - Ticket for John Allaire and the Campistas' CD Releases Party are on sale at the e-store right here. They are also available through TicketWeb (a Ticketmaster company). Tickets are $8 in advance, and will be $10 at the door, if available. So pick 'em up early!

Also, while you're here, check out the latest live video from some of the summer '07 concerts on the visuals page.

Aug. 1/07 - DYLAN-SLAYER! "Ghosts" bumps Bob Dylan off the top of the charts in Belgium. Like the album before it (Thank You Waitress!- 2005) John's latest, Ghosts of the Royal Motel, continues to be very popular in Europe. In fact, just this week, Ghosts bumped Bob Dylan's Modern Times off the top slot at Radio ZRB in Brussels, Belgium. The chart activity sparked a flurry of sales in Europe, to the point that sales overseas are once again outstripping Canadian sales. The chart is below.

Radio ZRB - Brussels, Belgium, July 23rd, 2007

Jul. 27/07 - Ottawa CD RELEASE PARTY announced. John Allaire and the Campistas will play their official CD Release party for Ghosts of the Royal Motel at Zaphod Beeblebrox, 27 York St., on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2007. There will be plenty of special guests and the doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now here for $8.00 advance (the door price will be $10.00).

July 14/07 - Today's Ottawa Citizen (Patrick Langston):

Jul. 11/07 - Ottawa Sun (Denis Armstrong) Ottawa Bluesfest Review - Earlier in the night, Ottawa's John Allaire played host to a bunch of guest vocalists with a set of laid-back rock and blues on the Black Sheep stage.

Accompanied by his band The Campistas with Jeff Tanguay, the former Town Cryer proved to be a workhorse, cranking out a highly entertaining and personal hour of music with a little help from his friends, including a duet of "Angels" with Amanda Rheaume, another with his 13-year-old daughter Hilary on "Blue Skies " and a rocking encore cover of Elvis Costello's "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding?"

If you missed John Allaire last night, he's doing a set at the Rainbow Bistro tonight. Link.

John Allaire and Amanda Rheaume sing on the Blacksheep Stage during the 2007 Bluesfest at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 10. (Ottawa Sun Photo By Sean Kilpatrick)

July 7/07 - 48 hours of CD launching REMINDER! The new CD, "Ghosts of the Royal Motel" has arrived and we're shipping! Go to the e-store to pick up your copy. And not a moment too soon either, because John and the Campistas are playing this Tuesday, July 10th at the Ottawa Bluesfest on the Blacksheep stage. We're on at 6:15 sharp, so get down there early and set up camp there for the night, because the incredible Todd Snider, and the unbelievable Alejandro Escovedo are playing right after us, as well as other amazing acts at the festival that night, suceh as George Clinton, Los Lobos and Randy Newman. Wow, what a night!

And we're going to keep things going the next night (July 11th) at the Rainbow Bistro, opening up for Elmer Ferrer (Cuba) and Chris Duarte (Atlanta) and the "guitar hero jam". Another, not-to-be-missed event!

July 5/07 - Ghosts of the Royal Motel now shipping! Shhhh... don't tell a soul (actually, tell everyone!), but an advance shipment of "Ghosts" has been received and made available to those who faithfully visit the website. Go to the e-store now and pick up a copy before the price jumps by a couple of bucks next week. And get a free T-shirt too!

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