Not long ago, singer and songwriter Janet Panic and a few other musical women put on a show at the Sechelt Legion.
It was Sea Cavalcade night in Gibsons, so business was slow, and both the Legion's management and Panic knew it deserved a repeat performance with the addition of more local musical talent. Could Panic organize such an evening, an all-woman showcase?
"I'll champion that," she found herself responding. There were many women musicians on the Coast she had not seen perform. "I knew some of them socially. I play with Deanna Cartea sometimes, and I've heard some of their CDs, but I wanted to hear them all in one place," Panic said.
Panic sent out emails to a parade of female performers and got a big response. As well as Cartea, the list included Angie McCauley, who sings her own songs and plays roots and bluegrass; Charlotte Wrinch, with her quirky, original compositions; Keely Halward; Kez Sher-wood; Linda Shear-smith; Liz Freund; Pamela Messner; Susan Hatchard Bear, who plays with the group Shady Day; Suzann Richter; and Valerie Jackson.
Panic, whose own songs can be heard on her recording, The Girl Who Passed for Normal, travels a lot performing professionally.
Last year she appeared at the Aboriginal Achieve-ment Awards. She's been to Australia recently to play at an indigenous festival, and soon she'll be on her way to New Mexico for a gig at a Santa Fe casino. She welcomes the chance to play close to her Sechelt home.
Panic decided to use the format that has worked so well for the monthly Artesia coffee houses.
"I thought three songs each would be a good introduction" she said, adding that she hopes singers will pick ones with strong impact.
She plans to try a banjo tune, an instrument she's currently learning, and will likely play at least one cover song along with original material. Many of the artists are acoustic.
Since many of the women are visual artists as well - Cartea makes jewellery and creates art cards and Messner is a master bead-worker - the group plans to have a merchant table.
The Women of the Coast show starts at 8 p.m. at the Sechelt Legion this Saturday, Aug. 21. Admission is by donation.
