Allison Crowe will perform a number of tunes from her new independent CD, Tidings: Six Songs for the Season, in concert at UVic on Friday.

In Concert

What: Allison Crowe (with Terra Grimard)

When: Friday, 8 p.m.

Where: Phillip T. Young Recital Hall (MacLaurin Building, University of Victoria)

Tickets: $15 (Lyle's Place, Ivy's Book Shop)

Bouncing back from a soured record deal, Allison Crowe will perform a festive Christmas concert in Victoria on Friday night.

And next week the Nanaimo singer's one-hour Christmas TV special will be broadcast across Canada.

With her University of Victoria show, Crowe celebrates the release of her new independent disc, Tidings: Six Songs for the Season. As well as traditional carols, the CD includes songs by Leonard Cohen, the Rolling Stones and Sarah McLachlan. Since its release last month, the recording has been broadcast on radio stations across Canada.

In concert, Crowe will sing songs from Tidings as well as new original material. She is joined by bassist Dave Baird and drummer Kevin Clevette.

Vancouver singer Terra Grimard opens the show.

The 22-year-old singer-songwriter regrouped this fall after her deal with U.S.-based Bardic Records fell apart. Although Crowe had already recorded tracks for the label in New York City, she was unable to get Bardic to put her deal into writing. Finally, after nine months, the singer pulled the plug on the disc, to have been distributed by Sony-owned RED Distribution.

Crowe says she's now preparing to cut a new independent album in 2004. She's penned more than 20 new songs in the past year.

"After that New York experience I had a lot of material to write about ... all my songs reflect what's going on in my life," she said.

"I'm really glad that whole thing happened. It just made my realize I appreciate my independence now. I realize how good it is."

On Dec. 23 and 25, the New VI will broadcast Allison Crowe: Tidings across Canada. The show includes a live concert recorded at the television station's Victoria studio on Nov. 27. Additional interview footage was shot in Nanaimo. The songs on the TV special include: In the Bleak Midwinter, Silent Night, O Holy Night and What Child is This, as well as Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and Angel by Sarah McLachlan. A new Crowe song, Whether I'm Wrong, is also part of the show.

The program special airs Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 25 at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on the New VI. As well, the show will be carried by CHUM's The New VR (Barrie), The New RO (Ottawa), The New PL (London), The New NX (Wingham) and the New WI (Windsor). It will also air nationally on Bell ExpressVu satellite.