Hi folks! Our 2nd annual Driven Bow Fiddle Festival is almost upon us!! We have 11 different events (3 concerts, 8 workshops) over the weekend, plus a bonus concert on Monday night!! Somehow I've got to squeeze in a radio show on Saturday morning as well!
1. B.C. Fiddle Night, Friday February 8th, 8pm at St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)
This will be a unique evening of "Creative B.C. Fiddlers In The Round". The concert will showcase some of the most creative, versatile, and downright brilliant fiddlers from the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, featuring Daniel Lapp from Victoria, Kierah Raymond from White Rock, Kathleen Nisbet of East Van's Viper Central (she led last year's Metis fiddle band at our event), and Trent Freeman of The Fretless. They will be accompanied by The Bills' multi instrumentalist Adrian Dolan and The Paperboys' percussionist Robin Layne. We anticipate a memorable evening of stories and tunes and jams in a uniquely intimate public meeting of minds and fiddle bows. And more! Tickets & info here.
2. Adrian Dolan workshop, Saturday February 9th, 1pm to 2:30pm, St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Avenue)
BC Tradition — Tunes From Our Province -- Room 120, downstairs at the back
For intermediate to advanced fiddlers/melody players. Adrian Dolan, multi-instrumentalist from acclaimed BC roots band "The Bills", reveals gems from the BC tunebook. From modern coastal writers, to old-time fiddlers from the North and Cariboo, this largely untapped wealth of joyous dance music has it's own stamp and flavour, reflective of the cultural melting pot that we know as British Columbia. Geared toward fiddlers, we'll happily welcome other melody players — accordion, mandolin, flute etc.
Cost: $20 at the door.
3. Kierah Celtic Music Seminar, Saturday February 9th, 2:45pm to 3:45pm, St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Avenue)
Celtic Traditions Across Canada -- Room 120, downstairs at the back
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Irish and Scottish music? What has become of the music the early settlers of these countries brought to Canada? Come listen as Kiérah explains and demonstrates an introduction to 6 diverse styles of Celtic music found thriving today. Hearing the styles back to back will help you fully grasp and appreciate the uniqueness of each Culture's approach to fiddle music. The 6 styles to be explored are Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, Métis, French Canadian and West Coast. As time permits, other regions may very well also be explored.
Cost: $10 at the door
4. The Revelers, Saturday February 9th, 8pm, St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)
In the evening we present The Revelers, an exceptionally powerful zydeco / swamp pop sextet with fiddle, accordion, sax, and guitar backed by bass and drums - and the exquisite vocals of drummer Glenn Fields. They sing in English and Cajun French and are guaranteed to have the dance floor bouncing with happy feet two-stepping and waltzing and jitter-bugging the night away! Their previous three concerts at The Rogue have all been sold out, so make sure you get a ticket and bring those dancing shoes! Tickets & Info here
5. Trent Freeman Workshop, Sunday February 10th, 10am to 11am, St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Avenue)
Bluegrass Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation -- Daycare, downstairs, SE corner, at the back
In this workshop we will learn an intermediate bluegrass fiddle tune, and then explore some improvisation tricks and techniques that relate to the genre. These techniques can be applied at any level and can be used outside of bluegrass as well!
Cost: $20 at the door
6. Kathleen Nisbet Absolute Beginners Fiddle Workshop, Sunday February 10th, 11am to noon, St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Avenue)
Fiddle For Beginners -- Room 111, downstairs at the back, behind the galley kitchen
Kathleen will start with the very basics for absolute beginners, including how to hold the instrument and make sounds! Participants will learn at least one easy tune. You must bring your own fiddle.
Cost: $20 at the door
7. Kathleen Nisbet Metis Fiddle Workshop, Sunday February 10th, 1:45pm to 2:45pm, St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)
Métis Fiddle Music - in the main Hall
Kathleen will be teaching Métis fiddle music for students of intermediate level. She will teach a couple of Métis tunes and share a bit about Métis culture, dance and music.
Cost: $20 at the door
8. Ashley MacIsaac Cape Breton Fiddle Workshop, Sunday February 10th, 3pm to 4pm, St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)
Cape Breton Fiddle - in the main Hall.
In this one hour workshop, participants will go over some of the tunes Ashley will be performing during the upcoming concert. With up close and direct interaction with Ashley, this workshop will allow you to delve deep into to Cape Breton style of fiddling. Please note participants must have a proficient level of violin playing skills to truly participate as it will go by quickly. Recording devices will be allowed.
Cost: $30 at the door
9. Quinn Bachand Rhythm Accompaniment For Acoustic Guitar Workshop, Sunday February 10th, 4:15pm to 5:15pm, St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Avenue)
Rhythm Accompaniment for Acoustic Guitar -- Room 111, downstairs at the back, behind the galley kitchen
This workshop is designed to look at essential right and left hand techniques that will help you create a full and supportive sound on the acoustic guitar. We will look at chord voicings and rhythmic templates that fill out and lay a solid foundation for the music you’re accompanying. You’ll leave this class with helpful tab charts and practice techniques to reference and push you forward.
Cost: $20 at the door
10. Qristina Bachand Crooked Tunes Fiddle Workshop, Sunday February 10th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm, St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Avenue)
Crooked Fiddle Tunes -- Room 111, downstairs at the back, behind the galley kitchen
Tired of predictable patterns and your standard 32-bar tunes? During this fun fiddle workshop we will explore music with eccentric phrasing and learn some “crooked” tunes. Crooked tunes are quirky around the edges; instinctively correct rather than technically correct. Whether the number of bars be odd or fractions of a bar be added or omitted, during this workshop you will discover how satisfying these crooked tunes are to play! This is an all-ages workshop for intermediate to advanced players.
Cost: $20 at the door
11. Ashley MacIsaac concert, Sunday February 10th, 8pm, St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue) SOLD OUT
This evening's concert is a very rare treat: Cape Breton's mercurial fiddler Ashley MacIsaac, in an acoustic duo with brilliant Victoria guitarist Quinn Bachand. They first toured together 10 years ago, and we are thrilled that Ashley is coming all the way over to this coast to celebrate that anniversary with a concert and workshop at The Driven Bow festival! The evening concert is already Sold Out, but workshops earlier in the day will be an added attraction, and Ashley will present one of these!
Quinn and his sister Qristina - herself a very fine fiddler and gorgeous singer - will open the concert with a short set of their own music before Ashley shreds his bow and stomps away in his distinctive style!
12. Genticorum & De Temps Antan concert, Monday February 11th, 8pm, St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)
For your delectation we present two of Canada's top trad. bands, who will round out the festival in finest style! Quebec trios Genticorum (above) and De Temps Antan (below) have both played here several times before - with one or two sold out shows at The Rogue for each of them.
Genticorum recently added Nicholas Williams on accordion and flute, who joins founding members Yann Falquet (guitar, vocals) and Pascal Gemme (fiddle, vocals.) In another recent change De Temps Antan recruited La Bottine Souriante fiddler David Boulanger to replace Andre Brunet - who has now joined Le Vent Du Nord. Two more members of La Bottine remain with DTA: Pierre-Luc Dupuis (accordion, harmonica, vocals) and Eric Beaudry (bouzouki, guitar, vocals.) Both these fine bands released great new CDs last year (Avant L'Orage and Consolez-Vous respectively) and their repertoires of crooked tunes and playful French chansons will have us smiling and dancing and having a whale of a time - even if some of us don't quite catch the meaning behind all the lyrics! Tickets & Info here.
|
