by Kris Riendeau

Looking for a good excuse to visit Elphin? C’mon — you know you are. It’s got that great evocative name, it’s up in the wild, far reaches of Lanark County (close to the arts-rich destinations of McDonalds Corners and Maberly), and it boasts the highest per capita concentration of Juno award-winners in all of Canada (according to the experts at Stats-Humm). Well, have we got good news for you — here are not one, but two great reasons to visit Elphin this summer!

Elphin Roots Festival

First up is the second annual Elphin Roots Festival, scheduled for Saturday, June 30 from noon until 11PM. This event is organized by Jenny Whiteley, whose credentials for the job include residing in beautiful downtown Elphin and having won two Juno Awards in the Best Solo Roots and Traditional category. Not to mention coming from a brilliantly musical family, being married to another talented musician (Joey Wright), and having been involved with collaborative initiatives like the Hootenanny Review. So well-connected is Jenny in the world of Roots music that she can entice the likes of Jim Bryson, Melwood Cutlery, Luther Wright & The Wrongs, Butterfingers (for the kids), Chris Brown, and a pile of others (including some absolutely amazing, you’ll kick yourself for weeks if you miss them, likely to increase the concentration of Juno award-winning, super special guests) to the grassy knolls of Elphin for a day of outstanding music.

Continue readingTwo Fine Fests in Elphin" »

Posted on June 6, 2007 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mark your calendars for the 3^rd annual Riverside Jam being held in Riverside Park in Carleton Place on the civic holiday weekend (August 4, 5 and 6). So far, advance ticket sales are greatly increased over 2005 numbers, so get your tickets now! They can be bought locally at SRC Music and at Collins-Barrow in Carleton Place. They are also available at CapitalTicket, at Scotiabank Place and at the gate. Visit www.riversidejam.com for details or call the Jam Hotline at 253–5257.

Continue readingRiverside Jam ’06— Bigger and Better!" »

Posted on July 17, 2006 2:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Peggy White & Malaika at The Ironworks

January 28 at 7:30pm

The monthly “Peggy White & Friends” concert is set to take place on Jan. 28 at 7:30pm at The Ironworks Pub in Almonte. This first “Peggy White & Friends” session of the year is also a celebration — Doug and Ruth-Ann have been the proud owners of the Ironworks for one year now!
Peggy’s special guest this month will be a group that Peggy joined just a few months ago. Canada’s #1 female a cappella group — Malaika — will perform their unique blend of world music featuring fabulous four-part harmony with a percussive flair.
Tickets are $20 per person. Phone 256-7840 for reservations.

Terry Tufts at MERA

January 28 at 8pm

On Saturday Jan. 28, MERA is happy to welcome Terry Tufts back for an evening performance at The Schoolhouse in McDonalds Corners. This “triple threat” guitarist-singer-songwriter extraordinaire has been one of the most popular repeat performers at the intimate and acoustically warm community arts centre since his first appearance there, which brought out an overflow crowd in a December snowstorm.
Terry released his sixth album, The Better Fight, in fall 2005 and has been touring steadily ever since. This collection of original songs, plus two instrumentals and an Isley Brothers cover, shines some light on complex themes of love, environmentalism, and human conflict. All are delivered with the brilliant and complex guitar work, melodic accessibility and passionate vocals that have been present throughout his recording career, even though he has moved on from the bluegrass-folk stylings of his early recordings to a sound more uniquely his own. Call it acoustic roots enviro-soul, if you must.
The current tour has taken him all over Canada, including a CBC radio “Sounds Like Canada” interview from Vancouver on January 9, between appearances in the Gulf Islands.
Nathan Sloniowski will open the show at 8PM. A member of the popular Almonte-based Ragged Flowers band, Nathan put out his first solo CD of original songs last year, a blend of personal and political stories entitled No Wicked For The Rest, on which he was accompanied by the ubiquitous Terry Tufts, among others.
Tickets for this concert are $10/advance, $12/door, available at The Hill General Store and Shadowfax in Perth, or contact Bill Cameron, 278-2556. Directions to the MERA Schoolhouse are at www.meraschoolhouse.org. More information on Terry is at www.terrytufts.com.

Posted on January 17, 2006 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This just in (it missed the deadline for our January issue): on Monday, January 9 at 7pm, acclaimed international soprano Monica Ling Lin will bring Neapolitan Songs from the sunny south of Italy plus selected operatic arias and sacred music such as Ave Maria (Gounod), Gesu Bambino (Yon), The Lord’s Prayer (Malotte), and The Holy City to warm hearts and feed spirits. Come enjoy the music at this free entrance (voluntary donation) concert.

Continue readingSummer in Winter at St James in Carleton Place" »

Posted on January 3, 2006 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“Tonight offers a rare opportunity to see a singer on the cusp of stardom.”
— Brisbane Mail Courier

Armed with a riveting stage presence, powerful three-octave range and songs of intense passion, Peterborough’s Serena Ryder is set to captivate the Perth Performing Arts Committee audience on November 25. Belying her 21 years, Ryder has already sung with the likes of Bobby “Blue” Bland and Texas legend Jimmy LaFave. She has played festivals in every part of Canada, appeared in dozens of alternative music clubs in major cities and been part of the Toronto Women’s Blues revue.

Over the last year, she has toured across Canada (including a stop in McDonalds Corners!), France and Australia, honing her skills and working on a new live CD. Live in Oz is a 6 song ep recorded at the Basement in Sydney, Australia. It includes an incredible duet with Hawksley Workman, and will be available at her Perth show.

Tickets are available from TicketMaster at 755–1111, from their website, or at Hendriks Independent Grocer. The show starts at 8PM on Friday, November 25 at the PDCI auditorium.

Special for Students

On performance nights PPAC is now offering tickets to high school students for only $5 at the door. Student ID is required. What a great way to see wonderful shows on a student budget!

Posted on November 22, 2005 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)