Brian Downton
Bio
Brian Downton
(Brian.L.Downton@outlook.com) - St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada
Brian Downton is an award winning multi-instrumentalist, song writer, performer, studio & touring musician, producer, sound engineer, Child and Youth Care Practitioner, music teacher, and multimedia artist.
Brian Downton is the creator and co-ordinator of the AudiOasis program (formerly Youth on Track). AudiOasis is a multi-platform, multimedia, recording studio, music lesson and jam space for youth at the AMAL Youth and Family Centre. Complete with drums, guitars, keyboard, microphones, and DJ equipment, the AudiOasis studio is a place of music and visual art creation. Youth come to learn an instrument, sing their favourite song, write music, learn how to DJ, and shoot music videos. Using audio and video recording and editing software, youth can record anything and everything they perform, create, and envision.
Brian assists participants with every aspect of the program, from jamming along, to shooting a music video, to recording and editing songs the youth perform. They even create album artwork, posters, stickers, t-shirt designs, and much, much more. There are no limits to what can be done at AudiOasis!Brian has over 30 years of experience with music performance, recording, and music education, and 7 years in the field of Child and Youth Care. Brian brought his passion for music into his field of work to create a therapeutic outlet for youth in care, successfully creating a program that is rewarding and fulfilling. Brian started his music program during a work term at Tuckamore Treatment Centre in 2016.
He has been a long standing figure of the local St. John’s, Newfoundland music scene since 1990 (PotatoBug, JKW, Lizband, We’d Eater to name a few), was active in the Calgary, Alberta music scene from 1999 -2004 (Second Floor Daycare, Chupacabra), performing at the Vans Warped Tour, opened for many internationally famed acts, and toured Canada and the United States numerous times with different projects.
He performed on the Canadian Music Week showcase stage, and Juno Awards showcase stage with Lizband in 2006 -2007.
He performed at the East Coast Music Awards with PotatoBug in 1996.
Brian also performed at the 2018 Dunefest in Langlade, Saint Pierre et Miquelon, France with Regal Rogue and the 2019 Dunefest with Peter Fewer Band and The False Myths.He continues to write, perform and record with different projects of many different genres. He has been a session drummer for many recordings over the years.
Brian currently plays drums, percussion, and piano for the multi-award winning new age/fusion music group XIA-3, featuring the guzheng virtuoso and both East Coast Music Awards and MusicNL award winner Dr. Jing Xia.
The group, formed in 2022, also features local music legend and renowned photographer Ritche Perez on guitar/baritone. FUN FACT: The Ritche character on the hit CBC Television show 'Son of a Critch' is based on the real life of Ritche Perez.XIA-3 have been nominated for many East Coast Music Awards (2026 Global Artist of the Year, 2026 Rock/Alternative Artist of the Year, 2026 Group of the Year, 2024 Global Artist of the Year, 2024 Fusion Artist of the Year), and MusicNL Awards (2025 Global Artist of the Year -winner, 2025 Instrumental Artist of the Year - winner, 2025 Ron Hynes Song Writer of the Year, 2023 Rising Star of the Year - winner, 2023 Instrumental Artist of the Year - winner, 2023 Global Artist of the Year)
XIA-3 are scheduled to play a showcase at the 2026 East Coast Music Awards.
XIA-3 released their debut album, Interworlds, in the spring of 2025.
XIA-3 performed at the 2025 Le Phoque Off! Festival in Quebec City, Quebec. They also performed a showcase and the Awards show at the 2025 MusicNL Awards
The group performed a showcase at the 2024 East Coast Music Awards in Charlottetown, PEI. They have also performed at the 2024 MusicNL Awards Gala and a showcase. In September 2024, they traveled to Calgary, AB to perform at the Mid-Autumn Festival at Studio Bell in the National Music Centre.
The group performed 3 showcases at the 2023 East Coast Music Awards in Halifax, Nova Scotia (including the Music and Industry Awards show Part II), with Jing Xia winning the award in the category 2023 Folk/Traditional Recording of the Year. XIA-3 are recording their debut album later in the year after receiving grants through ARTSNL, MUSICNL, and Factor Canada.
They have performed at the 2023 Dunefest in Langlade, Saint Pierre et Miquelon, France, SappyFest in New Brunswick, Contact East Conference and Showcase, and the MusicNL Awards Show Gala in St. John's.
XIA-3 won the 2023 MusicNL Award for Instrumental Artist of the Year and Rising Star of the Year. They were also nominated for MusicNL Global Artist of the Year, and Brian was nominated for MusicNL Educator of the Year.
Key member of XIA-3, Dr. Jing Xia, won the 2023 ECMA award for "Traditional/Folk Recording of the Year", and was nominated for the 2023 ECMA award for Global Recording of the Year.Brian also plays drums with the St. John's hardcore band Of the Black, opening for acts such as Cancer Bats and Comeback Kid. April 2024 saw the release of their new EP, A Structured Narrative.
Brian played drums as a part of the backing band for Evelyn Jess, performing the release show for her album 'Bare Bones' on May 13, 2023.
The live video and album of the performance, titled 'Bare Bones Live', was released on October 18, 2023.Brian goes by the moniker Personal Space Invaders for his solo efforts, contributing 14 albums of original material (writing, performing, engineering, mastering, and producing) for the RPM Challenge (a global challenge to write and record an album during the month of February).
During the COVID lockdowns, Brian participated in all video performances for the Co-Video Collective (performing on over 50 musical videos).
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