B.A. Johnston

Born and based in Hamilton, Ontario, Christian Johnston performs under the name B.A. Johnston and follows a singular path between comic song, performance and Canada’s DIY punk culture. Active on the road since 2002, B.A. Johnston regularly tours across Canada with short, direct and often absurd songs nourished by references to sport, junk food, video games and the everyday life of small venues. His repertoire mixes acoustic folk, lo‑fi punk, rudimentary synth‑pop and spoken word in an intentionally straightforward form where humour plays a central role without erasing his roots in the independent scene. After several self‑released records in the early 2000s, B.A. Johnston released notably Stairway to Hamilton (2008), Thank You for Being a Friend (2010), Shit Sucks (2015), Gremlins III (2017), The Skid Is Hot Tonight (2019), Werewolves of London, Ontario (2022) and Argos Suck (2023). The B.A. Johnston project was built in bars, clubs and alternative circuits, with a stage presence that extends his songs through character work and improvisation, while remaining closely tied to Hamilton, a city that frequently recurs in his lyrics and side activities, notably the local show Ham Jam.