Mike Mass and the Late Nite Lineup played for the first time in Harmony Square on Friday, August 21, 2026.
The Hamilton-based group performed for the first time in Brantford in 15 years, as part of the Music in the Square, City of Brantford’s summer concert series. The band has previously played in Hamilton, Niagara Falls and the St. Catharines Region, but has started to expand their market starting this year.
Lead singer and guitarist Mike Mass said they reached out to the organizers at the City of Brantford and were later invited to play at the Harmony Square.
“It is a cool event, I just reached out to the organizers, and they thought that we would be a good fit to come out and play some of our songs, and we are happy,” said Mass. “We loved the dancing. There was a lot of dancing.”
Key player and backup vocalist Mike Cino said the show helped them reach a newer audience that they hadn’t explored before.
“It is not often that you have a city that will invite musicians from out of town,” said Cino. “We knew some faces, but obviously, a bunch of the people dancing, we had never met before.”
Mike Mass also appreciated and was surprised by how many people and family members showed up to see the band play, including several who danced from their balconiwa and in the square.
“They always come out and support us when they can, when we are not playing super late,” said Mass. “It’s always good to see the kids and the music listeners, really young, hoping that they will come and see us when we are 75 years old, like the Rolling Stones.”
Guitarist Andrew Bentham-Riley said they perform mostly original songs but sometimes do covers too, which helps keep the crowd engaged.
“We do most of the originals, but some covers can keep people engaged, and we like the engagement that we saw tonight, for sure,” said Bentham-Riley.
Residents like Gay Beaumont attended the concert and hoped for more events in Harmony Square.
“I wish there were events like this every weekend, and the weather is nice from the summer, right through the fall, until December first,” said Beaumont. “It would be beautiful to use the square.”
Jennifer Middleton, Special Events Supervisor at the City of Brantford, said the summer concerts have helped draw crowds throughout the summer.
“The turnout has been fantastic, and the atmosphere is exactly what we hope to see in Harmony Square,” said Middleton. “There’s a real sense of community as families, friends and visitors come together to enjoy the music, connect with one another and make the most of the summer season.”
