London, ON – Jones Entertainment Group (JEG) is celebrating its 95th year by entering a new long-term partnership and venture with the London International Airport (YXU) and Western University Students’ Council (USC). The idea behind this new venture is to create the largest musical event that London and area has ever experienced.
Rock the Runway has announced their two nights of their 2025 inaugural festival. Teaming up with Western USC, London International Airport and 97.5 Virgin Radio, they present Friday, September 12th featuring Noah Kahan, Myles Smith, The Strumbellas & more and Saturday, September 13th #USCPurpleFest feating Marshmello, BBNO$ & more.
“Scott McFadzean, CEO of YXU, reached out to us eighteen months ago and invited us to the airport for a site visit. As soon as we stood in the middle of the northwest runway, I knew we had something special.” said Brad Jones, President of JEG/Rock the Park. “We are so proud of the brand we have created with Rock the Park over the last 21 years. We didn’t want to compete with ourselves, so the natural fit is to cater to the 40,000 plus students that come back to Western and Fanshawe each September. Most of these students are not in London in July and do not attend Rock the Park, so early September was a perfect time for our new addition. I then met with Jeff Armour, COO of USC, and we both knew immediately we were going to build something exceptional together, not just for his students, but for music fans far and wide.”
“The London International Airport is thrilled to be the host location for the inaugural Rock the Runway concert series and cannot wait to welcome guests from across Ontario and beyond to our amazing airport and Canada’s first UNESCO City of Music.” said Scott McFadzean, President and CEO of the London International Airport. “The airport takes great pride in serving and supporting our community and with this great new concert partnership with JEG, we look forward to continuing to host world-class events for years to come.”
“This partnership marks a new chapter for the USC. As we celebrate 60 years of empowering students, it’s inspiring to see how far we’ve come—and how much bigger our vision has grown,” said Jeff Armour, Chief Operating Officer, USC. “Rock the Runway, in collaboration with JEG and YXU, unlocks new opportunities for our student leaders to create unforgettable experiences for Western students.”
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with JEG and YXU to bring back our iconic PurpleFest concert at Rock the Runwaythis year. But this partnership goes beyond just a concert – it’s about making sure students feel like they’re a part of the larger London community,” said Kathleena Henricus, incoming USC President. “By building stronger ties between campus and the city, we’re helping students see London not just as a place where they study—but as a place they can truly call home.”
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
NOAH KAHAN
2x GRAMMY® nominated Vermont singer & songwriter Noah Kahan has exploded from his New England roots into the global mainstream. At the core of his music are vulnerable lyrics and an unfiltered yet relatable honesty, as the critically acclaimed artist pens songs straight from the heart and cracks jokes with his signature, self-deprecating sense of humor. Throughout his career, Kahan has become globally renowned for his singular mix of Folk, Americana, and Rock, landing more than seven billion streams and a 4x Platinum Certification for his hit single “Stick Season.” His widely adored Double Platinum-Certified album Stick Season and its breakthrough single are inspired by his hometown of Strafford, Vermont and earliest musical inspirations and songwriting heroes—from Paul Simon to Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)—conveying a vivid representation of what he loves, fears, and struggles with most passionately. He followed up the album’s massive global success with his sold-out “Stick Season Tour” and two extended versions of the record—Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) and Stick Season (Forever), which both surpassed sales of the original and featured new singles “Dial Drunk” and “Forever,” as well as collaborations with the likes of Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, Hozier, Gregory Alan Isakov, Gracie Abrams, Sam Fender, and Lizzy McAlpine. Along the way, Kahan received various accolades, including two GRAMMY® nominations. Internationally, he received a nod from the BRIT Awards for “International Song” for “Stick Season” (2024), which captured the title of “the official biggest song of 2024” in the UK. Kahan’s latest “We’ll All Be Here Forever World Tour” saw him performing in sold-out stadiums and arenas around the globe, including two sold-out nights at Boston’s iconic Fenway Park. The shows were livestreamed to benefit his mental health initiative The Busyhead Project, which has raised over $4 million dollars to date to expand access to mental healthcare and fight the stigma around mental health. His live album, Live From Fenway Park, was released following the career-defining shows as the final installment of the Stick Season chapter.
MYLES SMITH
British singer-songwriter Myles Smith returns with his latest release, Nice To Meet You, a lively yet introspective track capturing life’s twists and turns. The song follows the journey of someone enduring challenges until an unexpected connection changes everything. Beneath its infectious beat, Nice To Meet You explores resilience, companionship, and rediscovering a sense of belonging.“It’s inspired by stories from friends in my life,” Mylesshares, “a reminder that the right person can change everything, often when you least expect it.”
Accompanying the single is a striking video shot in Austin, Texas, directed by the visionary Kimberly Stuckwisch. The video brings the song’s themes to life, blending the city’s vibrant atmosphere with moments of intimacy andconnection, amplifying the song’s exploration of resilience and unexpected encounters.
Alongside Nice To Meet You, Myles has released his eagerly awaited EP, A Minute, a seven-track collection featuring fan favourites like Whisper, Stargazing, and Wait For You. Together, the songs take listeners on a heartfelt journey across borders and experiences. Reflecting on the EP, Myles says,“My last EP captured where I was then, but I’ve grown a lot since, both personally and as an artist. This project reflects that growth. I’ve experimented more – whether it’s diving into raw emotions in Wait For You or collaborating with James Bay on Waste to explore lasting connections. Each track feels more personal, like Whisper, where I find comfort in someone close, or Nice To Meet You, which captures life’s unpredictability. The past couple of years have deeply shaped me, and that’s woven into the music. I have new stories to tell, and I’m excited to share them.”
The EP, Myles explains, is deeply personal, touching on connections, time, and the often-overlooked spaces in between. “Each song tells its own story, but they all tie into growth, reflection, and the impact relationships have on who we become. As a whole, A Minute is about finding clarity in uncertain times, whether in relationships or life itself. It’s about those small moments that end up meaning the most.” ... Read More
THE STRUMBELLAS
Ever since forming in 2008 and releasing their debut album, 2012’s My Father and the Hunter, two-time JUNO award-winning alternative group The Strumbellas have steadily released follow-ups containing every ounce of stomping, hand-clapping, alt-country gusto, from 2013’s We Still Move on Dance Floors to 2016’s Hope to 2019’s Rattlesnake. They’ll soon round the corner with a brand-new fifth studio album, Part Time Believer, a collection that signals The Strumbellas’ grand return and rebirth.
Now with Jimmy Chauveau on board as lead vocalist, The Strumbellas spent the last four years writing, recording, and whittling 50 songs down to 12. Honed by producers Ben Allen (Gnarls Barkley, Kaiser Chiefs), Keith Varon (Machine Gun Kelly), Stevie Aiello (30 Seconds To Mars), and Dave Schiffman (RHCP, The Killers), Part Time Believer continues The Strumbellas’ long-standing tradition of blending anthemic, brightly coloured compositions with yearning, contemplative lyrics.
“I think people often feel like things are escaping them, or they’re trying to grab on to something — happiness, gratitude, professional or personal goals — and for some reason, they just can’t get there,” says David Ritter, who handles piano, organ, percussion, and vocals. “Even if they get the thing they want, it doesn’t feel the way they thought it would. A lot of these songs are about trying to, like, figure out why we’re all feeling this way, and how we can find more peace in our lives.”
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
#USCPurpleFest
MARSHMELLO
Marshmello’s star continues to rise as the famously masked Grammy-nominated artist and producer breaks boundaries across the industry. With chart-topping singles and collaborations with the likes of Juice WRLD, Halsey, Khalid Demi Lovato, Bastille, Kane Brown, Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers, Manuel Turizo, and many more, Marshmello has clocked a staggering 15 billion streams across Spotify alone. With over 55 million monthly listeners on the platform, he’s one of the top 25 most streamed artists in the world on Spotify and the third-most- subscribed artist on YouTube. Featured on the cover of the Forbes magazine “30 Under 30” issue, Marshmello has proved to not only be an innovative producer, but a forward-thinking businessman with his own brand of chocolate-filled marshmallows (“Stuffed Puffs”). In 2022, Marshmello was nominated for a Grammy in the best dance/electronic album category. His single “Numb” with Khalid entered the top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated as the “Song Of The Summer” at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Marshmello’s latest release “Tempo” with Young Miko follows the success of recent Marshmello tracks like “Como Yo :(” featuring the Argentine star, Tiago PZK. Earlier this year, Marshmello celebrated mega releases “Esta Vida” with Urbano powerhouse Farruko and smash hit “El Merengue featuring Manuel Turizo — which earned Marshmello’s first ever #1 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay Chart and a nomination in the 2023 Latin Billboard awards for best Tropical Mix. Marshmello is also nominated for Crossover Artist of the Year. These Latin collaborations mark a new era of Spanish music releases for Marshmello. In addition to his latest releases, Marshmello teamed up with ESPN’s Monday Night Football to remix the iconic “Heavy Action” theme song and was named the music curator for the 2022-2023 NFL Season. His cooking show, Cooking With Marshmello, relaunched after the first season brought in a global audience of over 250 million fans. Marshmello also recently became the first artist ever to collaborate with Coca-Cola and cocreate a limited-edition flavor and has also announced his first ever “Cooking With Marshmello” Cookbook which goes on sale November 7th.
BBNO$
TICKETS
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, May 22nd. Follow @RockTheRunwayLDN + @WesternUSC + @flyyxu for more details
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Contact details:
Myriah Kay
Marketing Director
JEG, Rock the Park, Rock the Runway
myriah@jonesentertainmentgroup.ca
519-672-1559