Concert in the rearview mirror

12 Oct

Terry and I were unable to attend the Festival of Small Halls concert on Friday, so I’ve had to rely on the kindness of others who were there for this report. I gather the last-minute opening act was not to everyone’s taste. However, at least one member of the audience thoroughly enjoyed Jessica Pearson & The East Wind. “The opener sang original folk/country, with her fiddle player doing wonderful harmonies,” Ben Williams responded in an email to my request for first hand impressions of the concert. “Jessica had enough energy to fill a much bigger stage.”

As for Inn Echo, here’s Ben’s impression of the headline act: “(They) had us stomping our feet and clapping our hands with their original fiddle and guitar creations.” Ben went on to say that the female member of the trio — Tuli Porcher from Victoria — even played a cello for a few songs, much to Ben’s wife Aidan’s delight. Ben was also intrigued by Tuli’s primaryinstrument, a five-string fiddle. He asked her after the show about the extra string and was told it’s so she can get lower sounds, similar to her cello.

Vivian Franklin also said the concert was “fabulous.” Vivian delights in asking people where they’re from. “Karson McKeown is from Chesterville, so originally a local-ish boy,” she told me, “…and Tom the guitarist is from Butte, Montana. They all met at the same music school and formed a lasting friendship.”

Regrettably, only 38 music lovers attended the Dunvegan concert on Friday, but Ben said that both artists were very happy with the energy of such a small audience.

Saturday night flick

Laurie Maus just informed me that “Knives Out” is this month’s main feature in the Dunvegan Recreation’s Saturday Night at the Movies series. The 2019 murder mystery boasts an incredible cast, including Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer and Jamie Lee Curtis. When a crime novelist played by Plummer is found dead at his estate, a detective played by Craig investigates the novelist’s dysfunctional family and devoted staff. According to IMDb, Craig “sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind (the) untimely death.” According to the Rotten Tomatoes web site, the film gets a 92% audience score with over 25,000 verified reviews.

We’d love it if you wanted to join us on October 15th starting at 7 pm. To maximize your movie going experience, don’t forget to bring your favourite snack (in quiet packaging), a cold (or hot) beverage, and a comfy cushion or chair. As always, Laurie and Bob will provide popcorn and cookies. Admission is free. However, a $5 per head donation to DRA programs like this one for seniors (and people who are headed that way) is always welcomed.

Bloodstoppers interruptus

Just a quick note to those kind readers who have sent me information about a corner of folklore that, until a few weeks ago, I was unaware of: ‘bloodstoppers’ (people said to have, or have had, the power to staunch the life-threatening flow of blood from a serious wound). I will have to delay this story until next week, because of previous commitments. My apologies.

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