Steve's Blog
Blackthorn - and a glimpse into the future!
Friday September 18, 2015

Connie Kaldor was one of the most inspirational trail-blazing Canadian songwriters of the 1980s and 1990s. She has performed many times at The Rogue since then - who can forget the time she played her guitar - lap-style - on top of her belly at The WISE Hall just a few weeks before she gave birth to her first child? She grew up on the prairies and I first saw her at the Saskatchewan Pavilion at Expo 86. She relocated to Montreal when she married Paul Campagne (formerly with Folle Avoine, who also performed at the Sask Pavilion many times that year!) She taught herself French and has been based in Quebec ever since. On her latest CD, though, she pays homage to her original home Province. Love Sask is a collection of new songs about prairie life and the joys and sorrows of modern living. Connie's songs are sometimes poignant, sometimes wistful and amusing, and her song introductions and tales are legendary! We are thrilled to bring her back to The Rogue! Book your tickets now; this show will be sold out within a couple of days. Tickets are available here, and at our usual outlets.

We have another sold-out show in prospect when master guitarist Don Ross returns for his 25th Rogue gig!! The first Canadian to win the U.S. National Fingerstyle Guitar Title, and the first guitarist anywhere to win it twice, Don has inspired a generation of budding guitar players with his amazing virtuosity demonstrated in concert, on video, and in class rooms all across the country - and beyond (he's terrifically popular in Germany, Japan and China as well!) This time he will introduce us to another incredible guitar poet, England's Jon Gomm, who has just released his 3rd CD, Live In The Acoustic Asylum. Each will perform solo, and when they get together on stage, sparks will really fly!! Tickets are available here, and at our usual outlets.

This will be a unique evening of solo Irish fiddle music by one of the most celebrated Celtic musicians around! Kevin Burke was a member of the Bothy Band in the 1970s - the first Irish band to bring the intensity and excitement of rock music to a traditional acoustic ensemble. He has also played and recorded with Arlo Guthrie and Paul Simon (I think!) and has played at The Rogue with both his other main bands Patrick Street (once) and Celtic Fiddle Festival (many times). Tickets are available here  and at our usual outlets.

We are still working on shows from October through April including former Quarryman Rod Davis (who was in that band with John Lennon, before being replaced by Paul McCartney.) Rod will have some slides and songs and stories to share, and we'll finish the night with some Quarrymen / rockabilly / skiffle songs and early Beatles songs with Paul Pigat, Jim Byrnes and co. That will be on Friday October 16th at St. James. 

On October 24th, Dar Williams (above) will bring her trio and her lovely new CD, Emerald, to The Rogue, and Winnipeg trio Red Moon Road play on October 30th with Vancouver trio The Wahs as openers (that's Cam Wilson and Brent Gubbels of Van Django with Andy Hillhouse, who was with Cam in that fine celtic band Mad Pudding a few years ago.) 

In November we have Sean MacCann of Great Big Sea (6th), Squamish fiddler Jocelyn Pettit launches her new CD (14th), Gary Comeau and Cannery Row (20th), and Linda McRae with guest Thad Beckman (Tom Russell's guitarist) on the 27th.

In 2016 you can look forward to return engagements with Le Vent Du Nord, The Revelers, John Reischman & The Jaybirds, Cape Breton's Coig, Ireland's Sharon Shannon, plus David Francey, The Fretless, Corin Raymond & Jonathan Byrd, and a whole lot more! We also have two co-presentations with Capilano University's Global Roots Series: Aurelio Martinez from Honduras (Jan 31st), and Australia's Jeff Lang (Feb 11th)- both at St. James. Also watch for Irish band De Dannan in March, and April In Paris runs April 22nd - 24th next year!

Melanie DeMore is a former member of The Cultural Heritage Choir. She likens her singing style to that of the late Odetta, and she is a similarly powerful singer and songwriter in the African American tradition. She comes to St. James Hall this Sunday, September 20th at 8pm as a guest of Vancouver Threshold Choir, with whom she will be holding a workshop this weekend too. The choir sings for palliative care patients and at other inspirational events around town. This concert is a fundraiser for them, and a rare chance to hear Melanie DeMore in concert as well! Tickets are available at the door only on the night.  

We just saw our 4th play of the season at Bard On The Beach. I wish we had seen it earlier, for this production of Love's Labours Lost has to be just about the most inspired and enjoyable interpretation of Shakespeare I've ever seen! The play is set in prohibition-era Chicago, and the script has been modified to include a lot of song and dance numbers from the 20s and 30s. The acting, singing and dancing - and costumes - are stunning! Unfortunately there are only two performances left, and both are sold out. The same cast is also in Comedy of Errors, which is also incredible. It's done "steam-punk" style and is a most enjoyable farce! There are still tickets available for some performances and the show - and season - runs to Sept 26th.  

The Fringe Festival is on right now as well. I've only seen three shows: Jem Rolls' amazing The Man Who Invented Everything, Corin Raymond's Canadian Tire Caper, and a show about Pierre Trudeau and time travel called Just Watch Me. I recommend all of them. The music in the last one is brilliant!

On this week's Edge On Folk (Saturday 8am to noon on CiTR fm 101.9 and www.citr.ca) I'll be spinning new tunes from Dave & Phil Alvin, Toto La Momposina, a new Miriam Makeba collection, Juno-winning Senegalese-born Elage Diouf, Red Moon Road, Sean McCann, The Quarrymen, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Jon Gomm, Connie Kaldor, Oliver Swain, Dar Williams, Hazmat Modine, Miriam Lieberman, Alison Brown, Guy Davis, and tomorrow night's Rogue guests Blackthorn - to name a few. I hope you can join me! If you're on Facebook send a Friend request to me and I'll keep you posted about what's coming up.

Radio Rogue is available 24/7 on our website  I'm sorry to say I had to cut someone off today as our wireless modem crashed and we couldn't use any computers other than the Radio Rogue "Hackintosh", which is connected via ethernet. Someone was listening, but I had to restart the modem and we lost them. It's working again now, so if you need a breath of fresh music, why not tune in and turn on to some unabashed Roguery?!