Steve's State-of-The-Rogue Address

Now that the snow is gone (I hope!!) we can concentrate on some fabulous concerts coming to The Rogue in the next couple of weeks. We are delighted to bring you a fascinating array of new bands from across Canada and the USA. We know that these are trying times for many of you, but we firmly believe in the therapeutic benefits of sharing music with friends and like-minded folks you may not have met yet! The Rogue is always just a few bad nights away from hard times, too, but we have managed to survive at or around break even for almost 37 years. We would not be here were it not for your fabulous support. Now we need you more than ever as we present these wonderful performers - many of whom may not be familiar to you. As always, we guarantee our concerts 100%. If you don't feel they live up to our billing please feel free to let us know why, or how we can do better next time, and we will give you a credit for a future show.

To compound the problems of financial constraint we realize that some of you may not be able to travel to the wilds of Kitsilano for your entertainment fix. The possibility of a transit strike also continues to loom large. (One happier note is that the elevator at St. James is now fully functional once again, though!)

Even then, we know that you may not be willing or able to travel to these concerts to see bands you don't know. But we also know that by reading this you are a fan of The Rogue. Maybe you have been attending shows for years. (Thank you!) Or perhaps you have recently discovered the wonders of our venue and our series and the dedicated volunteers and staff who do our level best to make your Rogue experience truly memorable and enjoyable. 

We really hope that you will come down to The Rogue to see some - or all - of these concerts. If you are willing to take that chance, please invite your friends and neighbours to join you. Maybe car pool with them, or share a meal at one of the many fabulous restaurants close by on West Broadway.

If you can't come to a show then we urge you to support our Live Stream. For a mere $15 you can watch a performance from the comfort of your own home. Any time. A few of you live too far away to come to the shows. You, too, are loyal fans of The Rogue, but if we continue to struggle to cover the costs of providing this unique service - so brilliantly presented by our partners at Hubcast Media - we will be forced to shut down the streaming service forever. So, please support The Rogue Folk Club in any way you can, and help us to keep acoustic and roots music a vibrant and vital part of the city's amazing cultural mosaic.

1. Unfaithful Servants plus Guests, Friday January 26th, 8pm, Mel Lehan Hall at St. James (3214 West 10th Avenue)

"The Unfaithful Servants are one of the most exciting bands from Vancouver Island in some time...gorgeous harmonies and fine song writing, beautiful instrumental interplay and some seriously rippin' solos." (Kelly Nakatsuka, Islands Folk Festival / CBC Radio host) 

You may have seen Dylan Stone at the Rogue's Gordon Lightfoot tribute show in September. He's a fine guitarist and singer, and Jesse Cobb is one of North America's top mandolin wizards. He is also a member of Nashville bluegrass combo, Special Consensus. He moved to Vancouver Island a while back. Stellar young fiddler Quin Etheridge and bassist Louis Rudner round out this exceptional band which combines bluegrass and originals with stirring acoustic covers of such classics as The Allman Brothers' Ramblin' Man.

Sadly, The Faux Paws will not be sharing the bill. Brothers Noah and Andrew Van Nostrand just this week had to move their mother into a hospice. Our hearts go out to them at this difficult time. The third regular member of the band, Chris Miller (saxophone / banjo), is also a member of that fine "Swamp Pop" band The Revelers, from Louisiana. He will team up with his good friend Trent Freeman (The Fretless) to play the opening set, and they will likely be joined by the occasional Unfaithful Servant for some tasty Celtic / bluegrass crossover jams.

It will be a very special night, for sure. Concert tickets are available here, and Live Stream tickets can be purchased here. 

 

2. Morgan Toney & Keith Mullins, Saturday January 27th, 8pm, Mel Lehan Hall at St. James (3214 West 10th Avenue)

We are thrilled to present the Vancouver debut of Cape Breton duo Morgan Toney (fiddle, vocals) and Keith Mullins (guitar, percussion). Morgan Toney is one of the most in-demand young fiddlers and singers in Atlantic Canada. He hails from the Mi'kmaq nation of Eskasoni, and has been nominated for numerous East Coast Canadian Music Awards in the past couple of years. 

“There are two worlds of Mi’kmaq music,” Toney explains, “song and fiddle. They had never come together before. People knew of each, but never had I ever seen a collaboration between Celtic and Mi'kmaq culture before. It was either play Mi’kmaq songs with a drum or record a Cape Breton fiddle album. I knew I could sing, but me and Keith really had to think how we could give something out to the world that was different and made sense at the same time. We did that, we blended the two together and it’s been crazy. It’s like an explosion. It’s so fresh, but also familiar, and people can connect with it on a personal level.” Now their shows are full of both Mi'kmaq and Cape Bretoners revelling in a shared culture, and the duo have created a new sound that bridges two worlds, drawing a sense of pure love from both.

They released an EP, Resilience, in December, as a follow-up to Morgan's award-winning debut album First Flight. Come on down to The Rogue's latest foray into the marvels of east coast fiddle music - with a unique twist! Tickets are available here, and Live Streamtickets can be purchased here. 

3. Windborne, Saturday February 3rd, 8pm, Mel Lehan Hall at St. James (3214 West 10th Avenue)

This fabulous a capella quartet from New England wowed The Rogue last year with their debut performance. Such amazing harmonies! Such powerful, thought-provoking songs - ancient and modern! Don't miss their return engagement. Tickets are available here, and Live Stream tickets can be purchased here. 

They are also hosting a Singing Workshop on the afternoon of the show. Please email concerts@roguefolk.bc.ca to secure your spot!

4. Collage Trad, Saturday February 10th, 8pm, Mel Lehan Hall at St. James (3214 West 10th Avenue)

Last March we witnessed the debut of Vancouver sextet Collage Tradat Celticfest Vancouver's Art Gallery stage. Wow! Featuring brilliant fiddlers Gabriel Dubreuil (Early Spirit / North Shore Celtic Ensemble), Serena Eades (Delhi to Dublin / Forro de Cana / NSCE) and mutiple All-Canadian fiddle champ Mark Sullivan with a stunning rhythm section of Andy Hillhouse (Mad Pudding / The McDades etc) on guitar, Wynston Minckler (Burying Ground) on bass and Allen Dionne (Mad Pudding / Get Back Unplugged / LJ Mounteney) on drums they blend Celtic music with jazz and classical influences to produce a compelling and exhilarating sound!

Tickets are available here, and Live Stream tickets can be purchased here.

5. Medusa plus Pierre Schryer & Adam Dobres, Sunday February 11th, 8pm, Mel Lehan Hall at St. James (3214 West 10th Avenue)

Ontario string quartet Medusa launched their eponymous debut CD late last year. Medusa is Georgia Hathaway, Lea Kirstein, Marta Sołek, and Saskia Tomkins - four seasoned string players, whose collective experience as side players in successful bands spans decades. Their dynamic arrangement style cross-pollinates the sounds of Middle Eastern, Scandinavian, Celtic, Appalachian, and Eastern European music, as well as original tunes, to create something previously unheard. With such diverse instruments as Polish knee-fiddle, cello and Swedish nyckelharpa, their sound is both unique and exquisitely delightful.

Mercurial fiddler Pierre Schryer and guitar wizard Adam Dobreshave performed together at The Rogue numerous times in reent years, as David Francey's backing band and in their own right as one of Canada's most innovative and eclectic Celtic duos.  

Tickets are available here, and Live Stream tickets can be purchased here.

6. Radio Waves

On this week's edition of The Saturday Edge On Folk (8am to noon on www.citr.ca) I'll play some songs by Portuguese singer Sara Tavares, who sadly died as a result of a brain tumour a couple of months ago. She was a vibrant young singer of Cape Verde music. I'll also feature new music by Swedish band Frander, Argentine actor / singer / activist Julieta Laso, stunning teenage Irish blues singer Muireann Bradley, Quebec songwriter Aleksi Campagne (one of Connie Kaldor's gifted sons), English folk activists Granny's Attic, and lots more. Plus concert previews of Morgan Toney, Medusa, and Windborne, and some of the latest nominees of Eire's RTE Trad Music Awards. Plus choice cuts from a few old favourites like Orchestra Baobab and Hazmat Modine.  I hope you will tune me in and turn me on this - and every - Saturday, 8am to noon, on www.citr.ca