Ridge

"The way History was meant to be told!"

"Nations start wars, but young men do the dying". Often called “the battle that made Canada”, Vimy Ridge resulted in over 10,000 Canadian casualties.

Small Town Big Ideas presents Brendan McLeod and the JUNO-nominated group, The Fugitives, performing Ridge, an unforgettable tribute to the more than 10,000 Canadian casualties of Vimy Ridge. Through direct storytelling, theatre, and live music, the show examines misconceptions and varying perspectives around the battle, while drawing parallels to other formative events in our nation’s past. Featuring inventive musical interpretations of WWI soldier songs (often referred to as ‘Trench Songs’), Ridge probes difficult yet necessary questions about how and why we grieve. Ridge is a vivid, kinetic ride through history, as well as an intimate, personal examination of our connection to the past that passionately argues against the exploitation of young lives.

“Riveting…The way history was meant to be told.” – Entertainment Vancouver

“Poignant and sobering” – The Globe and Mail

Event Information

Date: Wednesday, Apr 30 2025

Time: 7:30 PM | Doors open at 6:45 PM

Location: Grace Tipling Hall, Shelburne, ON

Tickets: $40/person

Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Please note that a no recording policy is in effect during the event.

Purchase Tickets

Meet The Fugitives

Band Biography

The Fugitives are an acoustic folk-roots group headed by songwriters Adrian Glynn and Brendan McLeod. They’re joined by banjo player Chris Suen (Viper Central) and violinist Carly Frey (The Coal Porters). Over their first five albums, they’ve amassed a JUNO nomination, 6 CFMA nominations, and toured extensively through Canada, Europe, and the UK.

Performance highlights include major Canadian folk festivals, a Glastonbury performance, and a tour supporting Buffy Sainte-Marie. In 2020, the band created RIDGE, a WW1-centered theatre show. Ridge has been performed at theatres across Canada and was named a Globe & Mail Top Arts Pick of the Year.

The band has earned a reputation for unforgettable live shows, brimming with complex harmonies, infectious storytelling, and top-notch musicianship.