Steve's Blog
A fabulous weekend of East Coast Music on the West Coast
Saturday March 22, 2025

1. An appeal for help

Picture this: we are asked to present a concert with founding Rogue Stephen Fearing who needs a Vancouver date to launch his new CD - The Empathist - on the weekend of March 14th and 15th. We already have a show booked on Friday 14th. The Mel Lehan Hall is booked for a third Saturday Contra Danceevery month. So we know it's not available. We start to look for an alternative venue for Stephen. Hollywood, Blueshore, Kay Meek, The Rio, Wise Hall, Performance Works, Waterfront Theatre, Vogue, Centennial, are all booked already. We are starting to despair. How can we let this man down? 

Then we receive a call from St. James Community Square, the venue managers for the Mel Lehan Hall. Can we find a band to play their fundraiser on Saturday March 15th? As it happens, yes, we can. Stephen Fearing & The Sentimentals need a venue and now we can present them in our favourite concert hall, "The Rogue House" itself! The Mel Lehan Hall - and all of us: concert goers, musicians, everyone - will benefit from the installation of air conditioning in the Summer if we can help them raise money this night.

Logistically, this is a bit tricky, though. The venue needs to raise as much money as possible. Stephen needs to be paid and needs hotel rooms as well. We work out a deal wherein we get to pay half of the performance fee from ticket receipts. I figure we can sell a sponsorship or two. The venue offers a tax receipt for donations to help offset the rest of the costs. Excellent. 

But nobody steps forward as a sponsor. The Rogue board and staff make contributions. We sell all the tickets in advance. We are still short aound $1,250

So if anyone out there would like to make a donation to St. James Community Square Society towards the fundraiser, that would be fabulous. Tax receipts will be issued by the venue. The easiest way is to send an eTransfer to info@sjcommunitysquare.org If we raise more than the $1,250, all the extra will go to help get that AC installed in time for the heat of Summer. It's a proverbial Win Win, folks! 

(If you are unable to make a donation, might you be interested in their 5050 Raffle instead? The draw date is March 28th. It's coming up fast! Someone has to be the winner ... Here is the link to buy your 5050 tickets)

2. Rum Ragged, Saturday March 22nd, 8pm, at Mel Lehan Hall at St. James (3214 West 10th Avenue)

Saturday's Rum Ragged concert is Sold Out, but you can Watch At Home in order to avoid missing out on the fun and craic on the return of Newfoundland's Number 1 folk band. With Mark Manning (guitar, vocals), Aaron Collis(accordion, bouzouki, bodhran, vocals), Colin Grant (fiddle, step dancing), and Zack Nash on bass, guitar, and banjo Rum Ragged is not your run-of-the-mill folk band - it is the genuine article. Their last show here in October 2023 was also sold out, and was amazing, too! We just saw them at the Folk Alliance in Montreal and they were in fine fettle. Don't miss this show if you can possibly help it!

3. Lucy MacNeil Quartet, Sunday, March 23rd, 8pm, at Mel Lehan Hall at St. James (3214 West 10th Avenue)

Lucy MacNeil has been performing with the Barra MacNeils for 39 years. They come from a long tradition of Cape Breton music and dance that has been the foundation of creative pursuits over their musical career. The Barras recorded their first self titled album in 1986 and have continued making music, touring all around the world, and recording throughout the years. 

During the pandemic, which was a very quiet time for many, Lucy started working on a solo album. Something she had wanted to do, but the time had never presented itself before. She also felt, in these uncertain times, watching a world that was going through immense change and upheaval, she wanted to leave something behind of herself and her lifetime attachment to traditional music and song. Angels Whisper is the fine album she released last year, and she and her fabulous band have been on the road out west for a few weeks, garnering great acclaim, and leaving happy, dancing feet, and huge smiles wherever they go. 

We are delighted to be the final stop along the road and can't wait to see them at The Rogue. Don't miss this very special evening of music and song from Cape Breton. 

THE BAND:

Lucy MacNeil - Vocals, fiddle, harp and bodhran

Boyd MacNeil - Octave mandolin and fiddle

Lisa MacArthur - Fiddle, backing vocals, viola and bodhran

Rob Durando - Guitar, Irish bouzouki

Tickets are still available for the full, live concert experience, and also for the Watch At Home option. 

4. Radio Waves

On tomorrow's edition of The Saturday Edge On Folk (8am to noon on www.citr.ca and 101.9fm) I'll have songs and tunes for Norouz - the Persian New Year - and the coming of Spring. A sad R.I.P. to Garifuna singer / activist Aurelio, who died in a helicopter crash this week. Plus local concert previews, including Ballake Sissoko (Blueshore Stage at Cap U on March 31st),Judy Collins (Massey Theatre, New West, March 30th), Rum Ragged, Lucy MacNeil Quartet, and more. A few new releases, too. Lots of CanCon. Elbows Up!

Thanks to LJ Mounteney for the great pic!