
The Joy
How does a baby react to hearing Whitney Houston for the first time? Beethoven? Metallica? JUNO-nominated musician Brendan McLeod takes you on a funny, heartfelt journey through his newborn daughter’s reactions to the first 500 songs of her life. Blending music, storytelling, and humor, The Joy explores how we experience sound, how music connects us, and how rocking your baby to sleep is like drumming. This touching and entertaining show is a tribute to music, family, and all the emotions that stir within us when we truly listen.
Best known to Victoria audiences as the creator of BRAIN (Best Male Performance, Victoria Fringe, 2015), RIDGE (Virtual Pick of the FrInge, 2020) and TEN THOUSAND THINGS (Intrepid Incoming Festival, 2025), Brendan McLeod is the former Canadian SLAM champ and the founder of 7 X Canadian Folk Music nominated group The Fugitives.
“The Joy is a truly superb reflection on the essential role that music plays throughout the duration of our lives — from before birth into adulthood and beyond. When engagement in and access to music and the arts may be considered a frill, a luxury, or even inconsequential, this carefully crafted exploration of music and meaning in our lives is a must see.” – Ardelle Ries, Music Professor, University of Alberta



