You’ll get twice the bang for your buck at Sunshine Coast singer/songwriter Deanna Knight’s upcoming show at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Gibsons. Knight is bringing in two different bands, both of which she’s sung with for years: The Hot Club of Mars and the Deanna Knight Tree-O.
“I’ve been with the Hot Club of Mars for 18 years, and I put my own music on the back burner for the first 13 of those,” Knight said in an interview about the Saturday, May 18 performances.
“The Hot Club is Michael Dunn [guitar], Don Kellett [guitar], Mark Dowding [sax], Joe Bourchier [stand-up bass] and me.”
Hot Club of Mars plays Django Reinhart-inspired gypsy swing and, while Knight’s strong and supple voice works well with that material, her own compositions can have a much different tempo and feel. That’s where Tree-O comes in, with keyboardist Simon Kendall (of Doug and the Slugs) and cellist Finn Manniche accompanying the vocalist.
“It’s only been for the past four or five years I’ve been out selling my original material,” Knight said. “I worked pretty closely with Simon on the original material, then we brought Finn in a couple of years ago.”
Local sax whiz Karen Graves will also be a special guest, and might sit in with both bands, Knight added.
“All around, I’m just blessed with talented musicians who have supported me for many years,” Knight said.
The show with Deanna Knight and The Hot Club of Mars and the Deanna Knight Tree-O kicks off at 8 p.m., doors at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance from Black Berry and Friends, Coast Lifestyle Co. (formerly Embellish Emporium) in Gibsons, and MELOmania, or $25 at the door.
