True North recording artists, the High Bar Gang, who will be performing in Sechelt later this month, have garnered a second JUNO nomination. The Vancouver-based bluegrass group was nominated Feb. 7 for a JUNO award in the traditional roots album of the year category. The band features Barney Bentall and Shari Ulrich along with Wendy Bird, Dave Barber, Kirby Barber, Colin Nairne and Rob Becker. In 2013 the band signed a record deal with True North Records resulting in their debut recording, Lost and Undone: A Gospel Bluegrass Companion. The album earned a JUNO nomination in the contemporary Christian/gospel category as well as a Western Canadian Music Award nod in the spiritual category. The High Bar Gang went on to be nominated for three Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2014 and won that year for best vocal group. In 2016 the band released their second recording, Someday the Heart Will Trouble the Mind, which also features an appearance by Canadian blues guitar icon Colin James.
The High Bar Gang will be coming to the Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt on Feb. 25 with guest artists Joe Stanton and Simon Paradis. See www.stantonparadis.com for ticket information.
Winter weekend of chamber music
The Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival presents their mid-winter weekend of music on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 25 and 26 at 2 p.m. at the School of Music in Madeira Park. The programme includes Corey Cerovsek on violin, Adrian Brendel on cello, and Michelle Mares on piano. Saturday afternoon’s programme includes the Mozart Trio in C Major, a Franck violin sonata, Debussy cello sonata and Beethoven’s Archduke Trio. On Sunday afternoon the programme includes a Ravel violin sonata, Chopin cello sonata and Brahms Trio in C Major. Tickets are available at www.penderharbourmusic.ca, Harbour Insurance in Madeira Park and the Sechelt Visitor Centre.
Violinist Cerovsek left his audience breathless at the 2010 Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival. A native of Vancouver, he travels the world delighting audiences with his technical brilliance and emotional depth. Mares is professor of piano at University of Victoria, and she has recently returned to Canada after a stellar career as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe. Londoner Brendel, considered one of the finest and most innovative cellists of his generation, is artistic director of the famed Plush Festival in Dorset, England.
Greetings Earthling
On Saturday, Feb. 18, Butler in the Hey will be previewing tunes from their upcoming recording, Greetings Earthling, at the Roberts Creek Legion with special guest DJ Gregory. Doors are at 8:30 p.m. and the music starts at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for Legion members and $12 for non-members. Come prepared to dance, laugh, play and sweat!
This weekend
Casino Night this Saturday at the Seaside Centre will raise funds for next year’s The Nutcracker ballet performances. Play games, be sociable. Check if tickets are still available at 604-989-6050 or see the website at www.coastingalongtheatre.org
Valentine’s dance
An evening Valentine’s event for the whole family brought out a smiling, dancing crowd to the Christian Life Assembly. The Creek Big Band, accompanied by Crystal Spence on vocals, was on fire last Saturday with jazz standards and smoochy music for dancing. A huge buffet of desserts and tea, including some Syrian style sweets, fuelled the dancers. The event was a fundraiser for the two Syrian families who have come to live on the Coast; they were in attendance. Pastor Jaz showed a video of how Syria looked before the war – a gorgeous and ancient country, now devastated.
Coast Recital
Violinists Nikki Chooi and Timothy Chooi, and pianist Wenwen Du, are the featured artists in the Coast Recital Society (CRS) concert this Sunday, Feb. 19, at the Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt. These three musicians are among the finest classical artists of the new generation. The concert begins at 2:30 p.m., with a pre-concert chat with the artists at 1:30 p.m., hosted by CRS artistic director Frances Heinsheimer Wainwright. For info, call 604-885-0991 or email [email protected]
Gilbert & Sullivan
In conjunction with the Film Society’s screening of Topsy Turvy, about the famous composer duo of Gilbert and Sullivan, the Driftwood Players present a special pop-up theatre event on Monday, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. featuring a buffet dinner at Sita’s on Gibsons Way, and much trivia, skits and fun relating to the two composers. Tickets for the $35 plate are at share-there.com or at the Blackberry Shop in Gibsons. Ticket sales close this Friday, Feb. 17. See www.scfs.ca for more. Costumes are welcome but not required. The Driftwood Players Costume Shoppe is at 275 Gower Point Rd. See www.driftwoodplayers.ca for hours.
The film Topsy Turvy is screened at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Playhouse, Monday, Feb. 20. Go for the dinner, for the show, or both. If you can’t make it Monday, then see the film this Saturday, Feb. 18, at Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt at 2 p.m.
Sing swing?
Do you like to sing gospel and soul with some swing? Long-time jazz teacher and singer Bonnie Ferguson comes from Vancouver once a month to lead a small, friendly choir singing unique arrangements of uplifting songs. Voice and harmony training are included. The meeting venue alternates between Gibsons and Roberts Creek. Drop-in fee is on a sliding scale of $10 to $20 per session. Next session is Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. in Gibsons. Call Rose Clarke at 604-886-9129 for more information or email [email protected]
Open mic
Calling all writers. This month, the Open Mic Night at the Arts Building in Gibsons will be moderated by authors Sheila Cameron (February), Mark Cameron (March) and PJ Reece (April). The monthly free event is open to all levels, all genres and even works in progress. Each writer will have five minutes to share their latest work, listen to others and get to know and network with other writers on the Coast. It’s on Wednesday, Feb. 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Arts Building on South Fletcher, Gibsons. It’s free; the Arts Building thanks the Sunshine Coast Credit Union for its sponsorship. To get your name on the reading roster, email [email protected]
Get creative
Creative in the Creek returns on Thursday, Feb. 23 (doors open at 7 p.m., with show time at 7:30 p.m.) at the Gumboot Café, Roberts Creek. It’s hosted by David Roche and Siobhan Brown. Donations are welcome at the door. The show features the piano stylings of Robin Chauhan, Soma Sunshine’s songs, Beachcombers Ukulele Group (BUGS), the unique art of Kevin Broome, and Roche’s funny fun – all from your creative friends and neighbours in the Creek and nearabout.
Valdy
Heritage Playhouse Productions presents Valdy in concert at the Heritage Playhouse theatre in Gibsons on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 8 p.m.
Valdy has been part of the fabric of Canadian music for four decades and counting, a man with a thousand friends. Valdy is a singer, guitarist, bassist and songwriter who has sold almost half a million copies of his 15 albums, and is remembered for Play Me a Rock and Roll Song, his bitter-sweet memory of finding himself, a relaxed and amiable story-teller, facing a rambunctious audience at the Aldergrove Rock Festival circa 1968. He has two Juno awards (folk singer of the year and folk entertainer of the year), seven Juno nominations, and four gold albums to his credit.
Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at door, at Laedeli Gifts and Cards, Sechelt Visitor Centre and share-there.com/heritageplayhouse
Noon deadline
Send your notice of arts events by Tuesday at noon for Friday’s newspaper to [email protected] or phone 604-886-4692. Please include a contact person’s phone number or email in your notice.
