Well, folks, this is it. The final couple of days for you to make a difference. The Rogue needs your support now more than ever. Our 50/50 Raffle deadline is tomorrow - Thursday May 18th at 11am.

Right now the jackpot stands at around $6,500, so someone will win at least $3,250. We hope that you will continue to purchase tickets to have a chance to win! The more you buy the bigger the prize - and the more money goes to help keep The Rogue alive. 


Rogue co-founder, Stephen Fearing, gazing into a Rogueish future back in 1989 (photo: Genia Ainsworth)

We have been presenting 50+ shows per year since 1987, but obviously we had to cut back during the pandemic. However, we kept the music alive even then - thanks to your support of our sporadic live-streamed shows during the last three quarters of 2020 and the first three quarters of 2021,  and our (initially) limited capacity in-person - and live-streamed - shows since then. We went to 100% capacity a year ago, but sadly we have seldom seen a completely full house in the past year.

 
We have always strived to bring you the very best music we - and you - can afford throughout these 36 years. Even more so as the world struggles to get back to "normal". Please take a moment to recall some of your favourite Rogue shows down the years. Whether you're new to the Rogue experience, or have been coming for decades, we are sure you will have some fabulous memories from our almost 2,000 concerts! Now try to imagine what it would be like if The Rogue stopped presenting shows. I certainly don't want to think of such a cataclysmic outcome, but it's down to you good folks to help us keep going.


Sublime Irish singer / activist Karan Casey - who will play for us on Thursday June 15th with her fabulous band

All the considerable efforts of our amazing staff members, board, and volunteers has not gone to waste. Not only have our shows been memorable and musically excellent, we now have a video record of most of the recent ones (thanks to the wonderful folks at Hubcast Media, who have streamed most of the shows in the past two years, using three or even four cameras and mixing the sound and editing the feed in exemplary fashion.) We hope to be able to offer packages of some of these shows for a nominal fee - if we can keep going, that is! 


Members of Shooglenifty - one of my favourite bands of all time - performing at The Rogue many moons ago

Sadly, reality comes down on us all from time to time. We don't ever want to short-change our incredibly talented performers by lowering their fees, but inflation has continued to compromise our finances. Furhermore, the two annual grants we receive - one Federal, and one Provincial - have remained at the same monetary level for many years. But those dollars are not worth nearly as much as they were when first awarded. 


The ever-popular Canadian songwriter, Connie Kaldor, has played many times at The Rogue down the years.

To try to keep pace with increasing costs we have raised our ticket and bar prices periodically, but it's just not enough. So, we ran our first 50/50 Draw in December, and longtime Rogue supporter Sandi Cleary won over $4,000 at Christmas! Will you be the lucky one this time? For a nominal sum you can support The Rogue right now.

$5 will get you 3 tickets, $10 will get you 20 tickets, $20 will get you 50 tickets, and $30 will give you 100 chances to win the big prize.

The sky is the limit, folks (OK, $20,000 is the actual limit) so please buy as many - or as few - as you can afford. Wouldn't it be great to win $10,000? And to help keep The Rogue from going under?!

Here is the link to buy your 50/50 tickets


Another Rogue regular, Sharon Shannon, in a photo I took of her at the Doolin Folk Festival in Co. Clare back in 2015 (where she begged me to bring her back to The Rogue. I am so happy to oblige whenever I / we can!!)

Thanks for your support
Steve


P.S. we will award the 50/50 prize cheque at the next Rogue show, on Saturday May 29th, with the wonderful singer / fiddle player Laura Cortese and her fabulous string trio The Dance Cards. For more information about Laura, and to buy your tickets click here.