The Lethbridge Folk Club opens their fortieth season with a new president and a big new line up.
Long time volunteer Tom Moffatt takes the helm of the Folk Club and has a planned a season with a few bigger names.
They open their season, Sept. 14 with Winter Wilson and Celtic Routes at the Lethbridge College Cave beginning at 8 p.m.
“ They’re from England. Celtic Routes will be opening. So there will be lots of Celtic rhythm and fiddle playing,” Moffatt said.
In addition to their first show of the season this week, the first open mic of the season in Friday, Sept. 13. Open mics are at Casa at 7 p.m. on the second Friday of every month.
While that is the first show of the season, the real launch is Oct. 4. at Casa.
“ It’s a free event. We’ll be officially launching our new website. And we’ll be featuring performers who play at our open mics,” Moffatt continued.
“The Folk club started in 1979, so they’ve been at it for a while,” he continued, adding outgoing president Morris Soenen already had most of the shows booked before Moffatt was elected.
The next big act is Oct. 19 When four time Juno award winning cross cultural roots and blues trio Tri-Continental return to town.
They feature the talents of Edmonton’s Bill Bourne, Australian Lester Quitzau and Malagasy musician Madagascar Slim, who brings a variety of exotic African sounds to a mix of Latin, folk, blues and traditional African music.
Local blues musician Steve Keenan will be opening the show.
The Folk Club has another big show on Nov. 23 with Old Man Luedecke, who is touring in support of his new CD “ Easy Money.” Reed and Writes will be opening the show.
January opens with Celtara, a Celtic group Moffatt discovered at the Water Valley Music Festival. Local folk duo Kavanagh and Hepher will be opening the show, Jan. 18.
And Cara Luft and JD Edwards aka Small Glories will be performing at the Cave, Feb. 9.
Moffatt said they are still working on booking March, April and May shows.
“The Folk club ’s mandate is to support folk, roots and blues music. So we made sure it was well represented,” said Moffatt, who has been involved with the Club since 2004.
“ It‘s been about 15 years. Our goal has always been to support this kind of music and make it available to people. And to raise awareness of the Club,” he continued.
Part of raising awareness of the club is collaborating with other arts and music organizations.
“ We worked with the Lethbridge Jazz and blues Festival to put on a sold out show with Oscar Lopez during the festival,” he said.
He noted Folk Club audiences tend to be a little more mature, so part of the new line-up is to attract new, younger members.
Moffatt said he loves discovering new artists through his work with the Folk Club.
“I got to know Little Miss Higgins and Michael Jerome Browne and Tim Williams. Those are some of my favourites,” he said, adding a lot of Folk Club performers are also on CKUA.
“ Folk Clubs are such a unique and valuable resource. Not just in Lethbridge but in other cities and provinces too,” he said.
“I think it’s all about exposure for these artists,” he continued, adding they also appreciate that Folk Club audiences tend to listen to the artists more than at other venues.
“ I think the artists appreciate the fact people are there to listen to the music, though they are also going out to have a good time,” he said.
The Folk Club is powered by volunteers.
“We’re a non profit club. We have about 50 people we can call on, but we’d like to have at least 300,” he said, adding it is important to not burn out volunteers.
He said, right now he is trying to spread the word about what the Lethbridge Folk CLub is and what they do.
The lethbridge Folk Club’s first who is winter Wilson at the Lethbridge College Cave at 8 p.m. sharp, Saturday. Sept. 14. Tickets are $30 including a five dollar membership, $15 for students. Tickets for folk Club shows are $25 for members.
If you want two free tickets to the first show, be the first to e-mail
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
and tell me who you are looking forward to seeing the most this season.
