MUSIC

Can We Wake (Single, June 2025)

A call to action, a plea for change, and a tribute to the power of humanity, “Can We Wake” is a collaboration between singer/songwriter Jane Gowan, and engineer/producer Annelise Noronha. In addition, friends Stephen Stanley (guitar, vocals), Mel Hilmi (vocals), and James Bunton (drums) add their talents to create a joyous anthem for troubled times. The song is a labour of love and friendship, delivering a shared hope for a peaceful and more caring world. LISTEN NOW.

String of Lights (2021)

String of Lights is the 4th release from Toronto’s The Real Shade. Showcasing the long-standing musical partnership between singer/songwriter Jane Gowan and indie rock veteran Tim Vesely (Rheostatics, Violet Archers), the album is an authentic and inspired testament to artistic collaboration.

These songs first came to light when Jane attended the Music Residency at the Banff School for Arts and Creativity in the fall of 2019. Back in Toronto, recording began at the Woodshed studios just prior to the pandemic hitting hard. The subsequent lockdown required Gowan, Vesely and drummer Don Kerr to navigate the challenges of tracking the remaining parts in separate spaces and then employing Vesely’s powers of musical alchemy to create the final works.

String of Lights is a voyage into dimensions both real and imagined. Drawing inspiration from Canadian literature, family lore, and sweeping landscapes, the music pulls you into alternate realities and re-designed fables. Gently rolling piano infuses with warm guitars and subtle rhythms. This is a musical journal written in indigo ink on faded paper, designed to help you see more clearly, while dreaming in colour.  LISTEN NOW.

Horizon Diaries (2018)

“These ten moving songs explore our frontiers, both personal and geographic. We follow street photographer Vivian Maier, landscape painter Tom Thomson and others “fixing for adventure” as they roam from the mighty Fraser River to outer space to roads so familiar we could drive them in our sleep. And the music that takes us on these journeys is unvarnished but warm and rich in love, wisdom and hope.” — Tim Falconer, author of Bad Singer LISTEN NOW

One Last Show of Hearts (2011)

One Last Show of Hearts is the follow-up to the band’s classic debut, Highway. It was recorded on a series of Sundays in the winter months of 2011. Jane worked with friend and part-time band member Tim Vesely to create a simple-yet-lush group of songs that address human nature and circumstance: the victories, the defeats, the way home. LISTEN NOW.

Highway (2010)

The debut album that encapsulated the band’s spirit and soul: partly sweet, partly salty. The songs are both polished and raw, with evocative lyrics, warm textures and simple arrangements. The album is produced by friend and part-time band member Tim Vesely (Rheostatics, Violet Archers). Featuring the band’s first lineup of Jane Gowan (lead vox, guitar, piano, trumpet), plus bassist Mary Harmer (Weeping Tile) and drummer Cam Giroux (Oh Susannah, Violet Archers, Holly McNarland). LISTEN NOW.

ABOUT

The Real Shade (formerly “Shade”) is a Toronto-based indie-pop band known for its no-nonsense style, sweet harmonies, and well-crafted songs.

The project started in 2007 when songwriter/bandleader/side woman Jane Gowan (Spygirl, Fear of Drinking, The Neins Circa, Belinda Bruce) moved from Vancouver to Toronto and decided to front her own band. What started as a lo-fi rock ’n roll outfit eventually evolved into a project that embraced other musical styles, most notably Americana and Indie Folk.

The band has seen a few different lineups, but a consistent collaborator has been Tim Vesely (Rheostatics, The Violet Archers). Tim engineered and produced all 4 albums to date, and has often performed with the band on both drums and guitar. His production, instrumentation and vocals are integral to the album’s atmosphere and sound. However, the newest single “Can We Wake” is a first-time collaboration with musical friends Annelise Noronha, Stephen Stanley, Mel Hilmi and James Bunton. The song is a joyous pop anthem for uncertain times.

VIDEO

UPCOMING SHOWS

TIM VESELY & JANE GOWAN
The Brockton, Nov 6, 2025
TICKETS

Check out live footage from past shows on our youtube channel:
WATCH LIVE FOOTAGE

RECENT SHOWS:

SATURDAY, DEC 11, 2021
ACOUSTIC HOUSE CONCERT (Private Event)
JANE GOWAN (piano) & TIM VESELY (guitar)
Celebrating new releases by The Real Shade and The Violet Archers

SUNDAY, FEB 16, 2020 @ THE TRANZAC CLUB
THE REAL SHADE COMMUNION BAND
Jane Gowan - vocals, guitar, keyboard
Stephen Stanley - vocals, guitar
Andy Maize - vocals, trumpet
Ryan Myshrall - bass
David Kitching - drums

WEST COAST TOUR, May 2020 (cancelled)

MAY 7 @ THE DASHES (Vancouver, BC)
with Tony Wilson/Patsy Klein Duo

MAY 8 @ THE DASHES (Vancouver, BC)
with Julie McGeer

May 9 @ THE GUMBOOT CAFE (Roberts Creek, BC)
with Steve Wright

May 14 @ THE DUNCAN SHOWROOM (Duncan, BC)

May 15 @ THE NANAIMO BAR (Nanaimo, BC)
with Uncle Rico

MAY 16 @ SMOKE & WATER (Nanoose Bay, BC - now closed)

PAST PERFORMANCES

PRESS

REVIEWS: STRING OF LIGHTS

All the glowing warmth, nostalgic beauty and welcoming serenity of a late-summer sunset. — Darryl Sterdan, Tinnitist

REVIEWS: WAITING FOR GOOD NEWS (single)

….too impressive to ignore. — Great Dark Wonder

…an absolutely beautiful, reflective single, perfectly composed and stunningly performed, gorgeous in its simplicity and 1,000,000 times more powerful because of it. —A & R Factory

REVIEWS: HORIZON DIARIES

…sweet harmonies and delightfully airy make-up. Straight forward and honest, the band keeps to their formula of fun and engaging emphasis of and for life. — Come Here Floyd

At the cross roads of stripped-down vintage rock and new school indie pop, you won't find a sound like theirs anywhere else. —The Hippie Historian

At a point where gentle and drifting Americana meets ambient folk music and discerning indie explorations hook up with the infectiousness of pop, you find The Real Shade and songs such as Moving Gaze. It is a wonderfully lyrical creation and as part of the album Horizon Diaries forms part of a musical montage which explores all aspects of our world. — A&R Factory

..both the earlier and new albums have that pop sensibility seldom captured in music today. I have heard six of the songs from Horizon Diaries and have already crowned it the best the band has created yet. You will be reading a lot about them in future columns. — Frank Gutch Jr.

REVIEWS: ONE LAST SHOW OF HEARTS

...there should be a home for bands that can so consistently craft smart, crisp pop songs and as long as Shade keeps writing records like One Last Show of Hearts, herohill will proudly yell from the rooftops hoping people to listen. – Bryan Acker, Herohill*

Through these seven songs, I get everything I could want—melodies which are good enough on their own but are made so much better by the harmonies—songs perfectly fitted to Gowan's perfect/imperfect voice. – Frank Gutch Jr., Rock and Reprise

...a lovely warm tone and a bit of a vintage feel. – Tiana Feng, Ride the Tempo

...unexpected hues and intricate instrumental weaves...a smart and witty playfulness – Jim Di Gioia, Quick Before it Melts

…créative et accrocheuse…très bonnes chansons qui méritent une écoute attentive. – 500 khz 

REVIEWS: HIGHWAY

This one’s a no-brainer – listen to Highway. – Canadian Musician Showcase

...Not one note on this compact 10-song, 36-minute record feels forced and that is very, very rare these days.– Bryan Acker, Herohill

Highway... is a gem. There is something very refreshing and unpretentious about the album and Gowan’s songwriting, as simple as it is, is outstanding in that simplicity. – Frank Gutch Jr., Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say

...a surprisingly strong, original effort...professional as hell. –Todd Sikorski, Skope Magazine

Gowan's lyrics are genuine and real. The music is both polished and raw, as well-produced indie music ought to be. –Chris Menezes, Suite 101.com

ARTICLES / FEATURES

Music, Canadiana, and Everything in Between: An Interview with Jane Gowan of The Real Shade
The Hippie Historian, September 9, 2018

Catching Some Rays with Jane Gowan
Jimmy Rae, Skope Magazine, April, 2011

Nine Questions with Jane Gowan
Interview with Trevor Rogers, Nine Questions for Musicians (2011)