Desert Stranger w/ special guests Nick James Beaton and James Leclaire
at LIVE! on Elgin
Desert Stranger:
Desert Stranger is the songwriting project of Ottawa-based musician Andrew Gharib, crafting cinematic, layered songs that unfold gradually and leave a lasting emotional imprint. Rooted in storytelling and atmosphere, his music balances intimacy with scale—inviting listeners into moments that feel personal without being overstated.
Drawing from the emotional reach of artists like U2, the introspective edge of Matthew Good, and the grounded intensity of Kings of Leon, Desert Stranger’s songs explore heartbreak, identity, and personal history with restraint and intention. His 2022 debut Maybe I’m Blind introduced this approach through themes of privacy and cultural roots, featuring tracks such as “Maybe I’m Blind” and “Interstellar.”
Desert Stranger’s live performances build in waves—beginning sparse and intimate before opening into fuller, immersive passages that fill the room. The experience mirrors the feeling of hearing a great story: something you carry with you long after the night ends.
Nick James Beaton:
Nick James Beaton is an Ottawa based singer/songwriter, producer and guitarist. His influences are steeped in electric/acoustic blues, folk, americana, rock and pop. He performs his own music but has also toured nationally/internationally as a guitarist/backup vocalist with Autumns Cannon and Kristine St. Pierre.
James Leclaire:
From fist pumping, stomp-your-feet workingman anthems to soulful ballads of love, heartache and loss; James Leclaire's songs are reminiscent of Springsteen, Petty, Dylan, and Waits. Intensely thought-out lyrics grind through raspy vocal cords with powerful emotion to produce rich, dark imagery that can really punch you in the heart.
In 2020, James went into the studio to record new material and by mid 2023 he had finished 38 new songs. Some of which include guitarist/mandolinist Kevin Breit(Norah Jones), drummer Ed Toth(Doobie Bros), guitarist/pianist John Fraser Findlay(Juno Nominee) and harmonicist Mickey Raphael(Nelson/Young/Dylan/Stapleton).
James has been releasing new singles monthly since August 2023. The first ten compiled into his 2024’s album Come On In, the following eleven became 2025’s Self Deconstruction, and the next 10 will create 2026’s The Deal. The monthly singles will continue to flow into a 2027 record as well.
March 21st, 2026
220 Elgin Street, 2nd Floor
7:00pm Doors \ 7:
