Steve's Blog
Thursday March 26, 2009

Hi everyone

Apologies if you received last week's Update in blue. No idea why that happened. It looked fine at this end!

We have three shows in the next few days. If you haven't already bought tickets to see the wonderful Malian guitarist / singer Habib Koite & Bamada at CPAT in North Vancouver on Saturday you're too late. It's sold out. If you are going, please buy raffle tickets! We'll have a couple of prizes at least.

Beppe Gambetta, Thursday, March 26th 8pm, St James Hall (3214 West 10th Ave) Tickets: $23 ($20 members)

One of the highlights of our concert series last year was the concert by Italian flatpick guitar master Beppe Gambetta in April. This man has strong roots in Italian and Balkan music, and a deep love of American roots music styles. He has a warm, rich voice, a totally charming stage manner, and is a fabulous guitar picker. www.beppegambetta.com

We have a special treat for you - and for Beppe - this night, with a rare opening set by Vancouver roots music quartet Plough. This fine old-time stringband, who are just finishing up their first full-length cd, starred in the Whiskey Hollow Bound concerts and the Phil Thomas Tribute Night a year or so back, and also made a big impression at last year's Mission Folk Festival - where their performance was recorded for broadcast on CBC's Canada Live. Linda Bull speaks Italian fluently, and her love of old time music and of Italian music matches Beppe's own. Karla Mundy is one of The No Shit Shirleys" and a former Mad Pudding singer too. James Scholl and Patrick Metzger (also of Headwater) round out this fine young band.

Website: www.myspace.com/ploughtheband

Tickets are $23 ($20 for members) and are available at Highlife Records and Rufus' Guitar Shop, online or by calling 604.736.3022. Doors open at 7pm.

Dougie MacLean, Monday March 30th 8pm, St. James Hall

"Dougie MacLean is a Celtic infused singer-songwriter who has established one of the strongest cult followings of any performer on the contemporary scene." - Singout!

"Dougie MacLean provides us with what music in its best form can be: a uniter." - Performing Songwriter

We welcome back Dougie MacLean to The Rogue this month. One of Scotland's most successful, respected and popular musicians, Dougie is a magical performer, and a fine guitarist, fiddle player and storyteller. He's a former member of The Tannahill Weavers and Silly Wizard, and his concerts here are usually sold out. We expect a full house again.

From his home base in Dunkeld, Perthshire, Dougie tours the world with his unique blend of lyrical, roots-based songwriting and instrumental composition. His moving song Caledonia and melody The Gael (used in The Last of the Mohicans) have been recorded by hundreds of artists and enjoyed by millions worldwide. Recently Caledonia was launched as the main star in the Homecoming Scotland 2009 TV advertising campaign. 2009 is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, and the campaign celebrates some of Scotland's greatest contributions to the world: whisky, golf, soccer managers, and music! First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Caledonia is a song that resonates with Scots the world over. For those far away it is a reminder of strong bonds, full of the promise of return. That is what makes it the perfect anthem for our Year of Homecoming."

Let Dougie MacLean share a wee bit of Scotland or take you home at the Rogue. www.dougiemaclean.com

Tickets are $28 ($25 for members) and are available at Highlife Records and Rufus' Guitar Shop, online or by calling 604.736.3022. Doors open at 7pm.

Radio Waves

This week on The Edge On Folk, Saturday 8am to 12 noon on CiTR fm 101.9 and streamed live on www.citr.ca I'll have some new releases inlcuding: Daby Toure with American blues artist Skip McDonald, the late English blues diva Jo-Ann Kelly, Scots songwriters / tunesmiths Drever, Woomble & McCusker, Irish singers Cara Dillon and Luka Bloom, Portuguese fado star Mariza, and a tune I heard while dropping off some flyers at the Granville Island Brewery the other day - Beirut, mostly a young chap from Albuquerque whose music sounds a bit like DeVotchka. There'll be concert previews, and this week I have two copies of the great new Joan Baez CD to give away (she's appearing at The Vogue on Tuesday March 31st.) Please join me for four hours of the best in Roots, World and Folk Music - or download the podcasts from www.citr.ca and listen whenever you like.

Radio Rogue is currently broadcasting music by all the performers coming to the Rogue in the next few months as well as music by those who have played here in recent months. Visit our home page and follow the instructions for Radio Rogue.

Thanks for reading / listening this far !
Steve Edge