our story

Started From The Bottom
Leading Bands For Everybody Else

Started From
The Bottom
Leading Bands For Everybody Else

Co-Founders Anthony Brancati & Mattie Raine spent the better part of the last 10 years assembling, managing, and leading bands for other wedding bands & event companies in Toronto. *Don’t be shocked when you’re doing your research and catch them singing, on keys, or sax in those other videos.* However, while freelancing for other companies and long before A.B. Live, Anthony was also directly booking private weddings and events on his own under his own name for brands like Shopify Inc. & Rogers.

The Game Changer

After hundreds of events, one event would change it all. Shopify’s Annual Summit; 3 Bands. 3 Cities. 3 Simultaneous Performances.

It was the biggest event Anthony had ever taken on, so he reached out to enlist his musical partner & wildly sympathetic friend - Mattie - to help. With plenty of hustle, and sure - some luck, Anthony & Mattie managed to pull it off.

It became clear that if they could organize an event of this scale from a condo balcony - it was time to start thinking bigger.

The Standard;

ELEVATED

“We believe in the magic of music, the barriers it dissolves, and the memories it creates; so let's get creative and design the perfect soundtrack for your next special moment.”

Anthony & Mattie
Your A.B. Live Team

Partnering with Mattie and armed with years of experience, a network of talent, and well-established brand relationships fuelled by trust, transparency, and authenticity, A.B. Live was born. We felt it was important to maintain Anthony’s initials, “A.B,” in formalizing the brand to both recognize our roots while signaling a new era of live music & entertainment.

MEET ANTHONY

Wannabe Pizzaiolo, Haver Of Passionate Opinions, Chronic Overpacker, & Lover Of Storytelling Through All Things Music.

Anthony oversees our Live Music division managing talent relationships, evolving our existing acts, & crafting new musical groups. Nurturing an environment that is safe & inclusive while musically fulfilling for our talent is paramount to A.B. Live’s mission as an entertainment hub and to guarantee an elevated guest experience.

When Anthony isn’t managing the talent, he is building his solo career as an original artist and film composer. He has toured internationally having played from intimate stages like Toronto’s Rex Hotel for the TD Jazz Festival to arenas like Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena and has produced musical scores for Drake’s, “Disorderly” and films featured at TIFF & Cannes.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Performing at TIFF for the Netflix Premier of, “Quincy,” with Grammy, Juno, & Academy Award Winners Chaka Khan, Mark Ronson, Yebba, & Larnell Lewis with the Quincy Jones in attendance.

When away from the stage, you can find Anthony indulging in a smoked old-fashioned or specialty espresso grind while ~~trying~~ failing to imitate Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen or in a passionate debate over the best way to reheat a pizza slice. If you look closely, you might even catch him making the band coffees in the green room and in between sets with his *signature* travelling Nespresso machine.

Co-Founder & Musical Director

10m+

55k+

Plays

Followers

Creative Solutionist,
Lover of #MidCenturyModern, Reality TV Junkie, Wearer of Heart on Sleeve, & Passionate Campaigner for Good People Having Great Times.

Mattie leads our Experiential division centered around collaboration & building meaningful relationships to curate entertainment experiences as unique as you are.

From your rustic, backyard wedding to your 5000 guest brand activation, Mattie manages a select team with a simple mindset; there is no such thing as a “little” detail. Whether behind the scenes or on-site, she is your spark for inspiration, your witty problem solver, and - hopefully - a friend by the end of your event.

As a solo artist, Mattie has performed, written, & produced music for Sony/Universal Records & for films featured at TIFF. Sought after for her signature style of jazz-inspired pop, Mattie has been hand-picked to perform for private events hosted by Mercedes, Guerlain, and The Shangri-La. She has also managed a 10k square foot event venue where one might say she witnessed…a lot. With her experience both on and off the stage, Mattie is the (not so) secret sauce at the heart of of every A.B. Live experience.

When away from the stage, you can find Mattie transforming leftovers into a fine-dining-esque dish that would make Guy Fieri’s head spin. If the antique market isn’t in town, her and her puppy, Jackson, will be watching Netflix’s most recent release of reality TV together - if you close your eyes, you can probably hear her saying “Lana” in her best English accent, right now.