The Christmas Show is presented by Mouthparts + Wings.

The Mouthparts + Wings project helps foster a vibrant and innovative Canadian indie music scene, one that is highly accessible and much appreciated.

Mouthparts + Wings animates and promotes indie music through innovation and collaboration with other independent artists working in all cultural forms.

Several new activities are presently in their early planning stages.

The principals of Mouthparts + Wings are Mia Sheard (extra extra virgin olive oil) and Joel Brody (Cretan balsamic vinegar). Mia’s a real deal indie singer/songwriter living in sunny Riverdale Toronto. Joel’s an unclassifiable hybrid type living also in sunny Riverdale. Add some herbs, spices and shake vigorously. Reshake as required.

Mia Sheard

Mia Sheard could make the Tim Horton’s jingle sound like an otherworldly invocation to the gods – NOW Magazine


Over the course of her three albums Mia’s expressed strong opinions through dark, poetic imagery and beautiful melodies, or through a wall of distorted guitar. A background in choral singing, ’70’s prog rock, and a slight misanthropic bent provides the palette for her music. She deftly creates a strong visual and manages to turn the bizarre into a pop hook.

Reptilian, her sophomore album, launched Mia’s career and secured her a faithful following and critical acclaim. She was touted by critics as “a national treasure” and a “true original.” Mia’s distinctive vocals are also heard on recordings by Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies), Martin Tielli and the Rheostatics, Kurt Swinghammer, Jason Collet (Broken Social Scene), and many others.

Slightly dated but very nice photo of Mia                                   Photo: Graham Powell

Mia doesn’t play the navel-gazing, introspective singer/songwriter. In all her cynical glory, she’s also very funny on stage. For kicks, in 2006 she began hosting the annual indie Christmas office party at the Rivoli and hasn’t looked back (well actually she has taken a peek to be honest).

Joel Brody

Joel’s early career phase included management stints with some of Canada’s monolithic food and retailing giants. Morally exhausted, he followed his interests in human development which lead to various research and leadership roles at Toronto’s SickKids hospital. There he co-founded a funded partnership of dozens of community social service agencies and university based researchers with the purpose of helping parents raise happy healthy kids. He also co-founded a national research and social change partnership aimed at fostering a culture supportive of fathering and healthy child development.

Joel currently consults to smaller businesses and non-profits, assisting with strategy. His work in helping a local firm expand is featured as a case study with the Design Exchange, Canada’s Design Museum. He worked recently with a prominent international group of illustrators on the creation of Cut to the Drummer, an art-music fusion event in support of the MS Society.

The cross cutting theme in his recent projects is the bringing together of diverse groups, aligning them in action toward shared goals. Joel has demonstrated that silos can be busted and diverse groups can be brought together around a vision to get done what might never have been possible otherwise.   Joel specializes in taking a second look at the conventional and venturing outside comfortable norms.