Well, after hours around the idiot box cheering on the only prolonged winter memory, hockey is done so that can only mean one thing …… it’s Festival Season … and what a season it’s lining up to be.
First off the mark is Jenny Whiteley’s Elphin Roots Festival on Saturday June 30th featuring Jim Bryson, Luther Wright & the Wrongs, Sheesham & Lotus (old tyme fiddle and banjo), Leavin’ Train (bluegrass), Chris Brown, Melwood Cutlery, Kyra & Tully, Emily Fennel, Joey Wright, Dan Whiteley, Butterfingers (for kids) and some special guests you’ll love for sure. Gates open at 10am with music starting at noon and going to 11pm with a fireside jam to follow. There is NO camping onsite but there will be food available. Bring your lawnchair. Tickets are $20 and available at Shadowfax or at the gate. Go to www.jennywhiteley.com for directions. Rick Killingbeck is hosting Elphinfest the following weekend, Saturday July 7th, at the same location for those of you who enjoy a more rockin’ affair featuring The Shaun Russell Smith Band, Pocket Change, The Woodrunners, Skirmish, Rukkus and Still Dangerous, along with some special guests. This one is $10 , running noon to eleven. Go to http://rockinrick.ca/index.htm for more details. Then there’s of course, one of my favourites, Ottawa’s Bluesfest, running July 4th to July 15th. Highlights are Van Morrison on the 4th, Bob Dylan on the 5th , Sarah Harmer on the 7th and both Joel Plaskett and White Stripes on the 8th. Other notables coming are Steve Miller Band, Blue Rodeo, INXS, Ten Years After, Bela Fleck, Ruthie Foster, Leahy, Jonny Lang, Randy Newman, Robert Cray, Cat Power, Hawksley Workman, Alejandro Escovedo, The Flatlanders, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Xaviar Rudd, Cat Empire, just to name a few. Go to http://ottawa-bluesfest.ca/en/index.php for more details. I’ve managed to get past the “there ain’t much blues at Bluesfest” argument because it avails me being able to see so vast an assortment of talented musicians at an affordable price that would not normally come to this area to allo me to go and experience live, always the best way. Next, of course, is our own 17th Annual - Stewart Park Festival, July 20, 21, 22 and the price is everyone’s favourite …. FREE !!. Carolyn Sutherland has done another amazing job, bringing us a wide assortment of great performers to please everyone’s tastebuds. Just a few of the featured acts are Justin Rutledge, Fiftymen, Jim Bryson, Lynn Miles, The Supers, The Mahones, Treasa Lavasseur, Christine Graves, Searson, The Northern Pikes, Mihirangi, Emm Gryner, Greg Hobbs Trio, Symphonium, Kellylee Evans, Splash ‘n Boots and many more. Go to www.stewartparkfestival.ca for more details. The “secret” of the festival continues to be the Acoustic Stage, where jamming and song swapping reign supreme. Please support the After Hours events by purchasing your $20 button that will gain you access to great entertainment being hosted in several establishments around town every evening, all weekend. You can also sign up online to Volunteer cuz it takes over 100 of us to make it all happen and keep it Free. Our festival is a favourite in the artistic community across our great country and we should be proud, share it with all our friends and do what we can to support it. A big thank you to Dave Balfour, Doug Barr, Joann Campbell, Joanne Bennell, Jamey Cameron, Alfred Von Mirbach, Barb St. Arnaud and all those on their organizing committees who work voluntarily, year round with BIA’s Heather Hansgen to keep this event alive and a starry jewel in our beautiful town’s crown. A special Thank You to Jamey Cameron who has spent hours to make our webpage so great!!! Check it out. I wanted to give you a heads up that Music On McLean is planning a road trip … a Weekend Getaway to the Barrie Folk Festival, November 2, 3, 4th. A bus is being organized to allow 44 people to relax, enjoy letting someone else drive on a highway coach, stay at a Travelodge Hotel for 2 nights, a chance to bring your instruments and jam with others on Friday night, a possible brewery tour, attend the Barrie Folk Festival held indoors at comfy Georgian College on Saturday and be entertained by many artists, including east coasts J.P. Cormier, singer / songwriter Ron Sexsmith and our own Jenny Whiteley, Brock Zeman and Lynn Miles, to name a few. With 2 people sharing rooms, the cost will be @ $200.00 a person, which is a very cheap weekend away to see great live music. Call Sue at 613-267-7902 to get more information and reserve your seats NOW. Now that the weather is allowing us to be strolling around, our faire shire has several great dinner / live entertainment events happening for your enjoyment. The Crown hosts Smith & Smith on Thursdays with a lovely steak dinner while the Goodwood Oven offers Christine Graves and Clay Young dishing up some nice jazz standards with another great menu. O’reilly’s hosts Brock Zeman on Tuesdays and an assortment of live entertainment throughout the week and Fiddleheads continues to host their Sunday Brunch with Clay Young and friends to satisfy your jazz needs. I understand there’s also a celtic jam Sunday afternoons at Fiddleheads and Factory Grind continues to host occasional live music events. Add to this the Perth Citizen Band playing concerts every other week at the bandshell and we realize, is this a music town or what? Get out there and support these great events and I’ll see you there.
Support Live Music Everywhere