Bywater Call
10-17-2026
Often transcending genres, Bywater Call is known for their dynamic, emotional live shows, featuring powerful vocals and exciting interplay between all band members.
A powerhouse seven-piece Southern soul, roots rock outfit from Toronto, Canada; the band is comprised of Meghan Parnell (vocals), Dave Barnes (guitar), Bruce McCarthy (drums), Mike Meusel (bass), newest member, John Kervin (keys), Stephen Dyte (trumpet) and Julian Nalli (tenor sax).
A brand new album "Broken Souvenirs" is scheduled for release on July 29, 2026, and a new single "No One Else" has just been released and is available now. Get your signed copies after this show.
In 2024, Bywater Call was UK Blues Award nominated for International Blues Artist of the year alongside winners Larkin Poe, after having toured extensively in Europe. This year, the band has been short-listed into the top 20 for the same award among many notables in the genre including Larkin Poe, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Beth Hart, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Samantha Fish, Bobby Rush and other notables in the genre.
In August 2023, the band participated in Joe Bonamassa’s third "Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea" Mediterranean Cruise alongside headliners Blackberry Smoke and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and were invited to perform at the All-Star Jam on the mainstage with Bonamassa himself. Guitarist Dave Barnes was also asked to join legendary blues artist Jimmy Vivino (Conan O’Brien’s Basic Cable Band) on stage. In July, Meghan joined renowned pedal-steel guitarist Robert Randolph on stage at his request, at the Briggs Farm Festival in Nescopeck, PA.
“Canadian band Bywater Call are armed and dangerous… The whole band lock in tight, but with the sparkling gems of Meghan’s vocals and Dave’s guitar contributions on show, this album is so damned self assured and pretty special.” – Simon Redley, Music Republic Magazine UK
“Sometimes the right musicians just find each other, and that’s what sounds like happened here. Much has been made about singer Meghan Parnell’s vocals, but I don’t think there’s been nearly enough made of them yet; tuneful yet raw and about as honest as anything I’ve heard in a while… this is a tightly connected group of superior musicians who I think have just started to discover what they’re capable of, as individuals and most importantly: as a group. There’s some rare alchemy going on here, so there is no telling what Bywater Call might create next.” – Tom O’Connor, RockandBluesMuse.com
“The powerhouse voice of Meghan Parnell and the slide guitar master guitarist Dave Barnes form the basis of Bywater Call. Where things are still somewhat civilized on the record, Meghan goes completely wild live vocally. What a set of lungs and concrete vocal cords this woman must have.” – Blues Magazine
Meghan Parnell’s voice is infused with the velvet growl of Joan Osborne, Janis Joplin and Joe Cocker. Behind her Bywater Call the band are a tight funky monster locked to the beat … the music is muscular and full with a smile on its face and a spring in its step.” – Marc Higgins, FATEA, UK
VIDEO 1 - VIDEO 2
OPENER: Jen Kearney - Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Jen Kearney has spent some time seasoning her particular style of original music: Soul, R&B, Funk, Rock and Latin. WBUR called her recently released LP Gas Station Poet “a very timely concept record” and chose it as one of their favorites of 2025.” She has recorded and released six studio albums and an EP, and is a two time New England Music Award nominee for soul/r&b act of the year. Kearney tours both as a solo act and with a full band. She spent 2018-2020 living in London touring the UK/ Europe with her own act and with a 9-piece Latin band called Snowboy & the Latin Section. She has shared the stage with the likes of Maceo Parker, Los Lobos, Daryl Hall, Mavis Staples, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, The Derek Trucks Band and more.
“Jen Kearney is a gifted singer who can belt out a song with the best of them. She puts a refreshing new spin on funk music with thoughtfully conceived lyrics… simply mesmerizing.” - Steve Morse (Billboard/Rolling Stone)
Often transcending genres, Bywater Call is known for their dynamic, emotional live shows, featuring powerful vocals and exciting interplay between all band members.
A powerhouse seven-piece Southern soul, roots rock outfit from Toronto, Canada; the band is comprised of Meghan Parnell (vocals), Dave Barnes (guitar), Bruce McCarthy (drums), Mike Meusel (bass), newest member, John Kervin (keys), Stephen Dyte (trumpet) and Julian Nalli (tenor sax).
A brand new album "Broken Souvenirs" is scheduled for release on July 29, 2026, and a new single "No One Else" has just been released and is available now. Get your signed copies after this show.
In 2024, Bywater Call was UK Blues Award nominated for International Blues Artist of the year alongside winners Larkin Poe, after having toured extensively in Europe. This year, the band has been short-listed into the top 20 for the same award among many notables in the genre including Larkin Poe, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Beth Hart, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Samantha Fish, Bobby Rush and other notables in the genre.
In August 2023, the band participated in Joe Bonamassa’s third "Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea" Mediterranean Cruise alongside headliners Blackberry Smoke and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and were invited to perform at the All-Star Jam on the mainstage with Bonamassa himself. Guitarist Dave Barnes was also asked to join legendary blues artist Jimmy Vivino (Conan O’Brien’s Basic Cable Band) on stage. In July, Meghan joined renowned pedal-steel guitarist Robert Randolph on stage at his request, at the Briggs Farm Festival in Nescopeck, PA.
“Canadian band Bywater Call are armed and dangerous… The whole band lock in tight, but with the sparkling gems of Meghan’s vocals and Dave’s guitar contributions on show, this album is so damned self assured and pretty special.” – Simon Redley, Music Republic Magazine UK
“Sometimes the right musicians just find each other, and that’s what sounds like happened here. Much has been made about singer Meghan Parnell’s vocals, but I don’t think there’s been nearly enough made of them yet; tuneful yet raw and about as honest as anything I’ve heard in a while… this is a tightly connected group of superior musicians who I think have just started to discover what they’re capable of, as individuals and most importantly: as a group. There’s some rare alchemy going on here, so there is no telling what Bywater Call might create next.” – Tom O’Connor, RockandBluesMuse.com
“The powerhouse voice of Meghan Parnell and the slide guitar master guitarist Dave Barnes form the basis of Bywater Call. Where things are still somewhat civilized on the record, Meghan goes completely wild live vocally. What a set of lungs and concrete vocal cords this woman must have.” – Blues Magazine
Meghan Parnell’s voice is infused with the velvet growl of Joan Osborne, Janis Joplin and Joe Cocker. Behind her Bywater Call the band are a tight funky monster locked to the beat … the music is muscular and full with a smile on its face and a spring in its step.” – Marc Higgins, FATEA, UK
VIDEO 1 - VIDEO 2
OPENER: Jen Kearney - Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Jen Kearney has spent some time seasoning her particular style of original music: Soul, R&B, Funk, Rock and Latin. WBUR called her recently released LP Gas Station Poet “a very timely concept record” and chose it as one of their favorites of 2025.” She has recorded and released six studio albums and an EP, and is a two time New England Music Award nominee for soul/r&b act of the year. Kearney tours both as a solo act and with a full band. She spent 2018-2020 living in London touring the UK/ Europe with her own act and with a 9-piece Latin band called Snowboy & the Latin Section. She has shared the stage with the likes of Maceo Parker, Los Lobos, Daryl Hall, Mavis Staples, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, The Derek Trucks Band and more.
“Jen Kearney is a gifted singer who can belt out a song with the best of them. She puts a refreshing new spin on funk music with thoughtfully conceived lyrics… simply mesmerizing.” - Steve Morse (Billboard/Rolling Stone)