Upcoming Events

RÓISÍN ADAMS & CLARA SHANDLER

FRIDAY, 25 OCTOber 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

You know we love piano / cello evenings. And you know we love Clara Shandler. And you surely do too, if you attended her fabulous (FABULOUS!) recent album release concert here with her full band. For this show, Clara is teaming up with her friend and longtime collaborator Róisín Adams. It promises to be smart and thrilling. Clara writes 21st Century lieder, haunting melodies which skate just to the romantic side of edgy, on which sit direct, socially resonant lyrics, and under which pulses deeply soulful playing. She also composes instrumental pieces which have a punky classical feel, eschewing the stark minimalism and dissonances of modernism while feeling absolutely contemporary. Róisín is an imaginative and immensely prolific composer, and her piano performances often showcase her dynamic, masterful improvisations, which range from ethereal to richly textured.

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BARRY TRUTER AND FRIENDS

SUNDAY, 27 OCTOber 2024  |  DOORS AT 14:30, MUSIC FROM 15:00

Musician and writer Barry Truter is a mainstay of Vancouver’s great folk music tradition. Join him to celebrate the release of Traveller 2 – Let Your Heart Lead, an album of eleven songs and tunes drawn from his award-winning book Traveller: Stories and Songs in the Key of Connection. Barry’s stories and songs are inspired by his travels, personal encounters, and reflections on the world around us. Joining Barry in this matinee variety performance are the talented musicians who helped make his songs shine on the album: Fraser-Henderson (Barb Fraser & Dennis Henderson), Tanglewood Duo (Emily Villavicencio & Noa Neuman), Phil Belanger, Don Fraser, Max Pinsky, and Fraser Union (Roger Holdstock, Kathy Griffin, Barry Truter). All proceeds will support Last Door and Westminster House, which provide addiction recovery and support services.

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SCHRYER, ENBLOM & DOBRES

SATURDAY, 2 NOVember 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

This phenomenal trio features Franco-Ontarian fiddler Pierre Schryer, North American folk dance specialist Danielle Enblom, and European influenced BC guitarist Adam Dobres. The group brings together three diverse music careers laden with nominations and diplomas including JUNO, Canadian Folk Music Awards, Western Canadian Music Awards, as well as a Diploma in Traditional Irish Music (UCC). The ensemble performs an eclectic array of musical gems from across the globe including traditional and contemporary tunes in various styles from far reaching places including Ireland, Scotland, Algeria, Brazil, Quebec, USA and more.

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JOLINE BAYLIS and MEREDITH BATES

SATURDAY, 9 NOVember 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

A wonderful songwriter announces a show; this is always cause for celebration. But there’s so much good news semi-hidden in the simple fact that Joline Baylis will be singing her heart out on this night. For one thing, it marks her return to live performance after seven bodhisattvic years devoted to the nurturing of others’ musical journeys. For another, she brings with her a raft of beautiful new songs — and the proceeds from this concert will help get her back into the studio to record them! Want more good things to cheer? The ever-astonishing violinist Meredith Bates will play an opening set of her mesmeric improvisational soundscapes.

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CRYS MATTHEWS

Who writes and sings the most powerful, inspirational songs championing social justice? Crys Matthews should surely be on anyone’s list of greats. The money quote from her bio almost says it all: “A former drum major and classically trained clarinetist turned folk singer, Matthews is using her voice to answer Dr. Martin Luther King’s call to be ‘a drum major for justice.’” This captures her joyful spirit and nerdy quirkiness, but doesn’t properly convey the beauty and poignancy of her songwriting or the deeply affecting, open-hearted rootsiness of her performances.

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