ATHABASCA – The Heartwood Folk Club has unveiled its latest series of shows, which will see four different acts spend a few hours a piece on the Nancy Appleby Stage in March and April.
This series is aimed at a younger audience according to the club’s musical director — and resident sound technician — Charlie DeShane.
“The original Heartwood Folk Club membership is aging out, and it’s harder to get younger people out to see shows. People can listen to any music they want on their phones these days,” said DeShane.
To help combat that, the club has switched directions when it comes to the sounds it is bringing in — long-time folk enthusiasts will be glad to know that they haven’t been forgotten, but the overarching theme for this set seems to be energy.
It’ll start with Jack Garton and his band the Demon Squadron March 9, fresh of the release of his newest album Original Skin.
Garton brings an up-beat, high tempo rock and rockabilly tempo to the stage — think a non-Newfie version of the Great Big Sea — alternating between the accordion, singing, and trumpet solos throughout the set.
DeShane said he first saw Garton during Alberta Showcase two years ago, when the group played a twenty-minute set that caught his eye.
“I really enjoyed his show. He dances like Elvis, he plays trumpet, soloing in between singing and playing, it’s pretty rocking stuff,” said DeShane.
After Garton and the Squad will be John Reischman and the Jaybirds, a five-piece string band that DeShane said brings an incredible level of musicianship to the stage.
“It’s probably our most expensive act,” said DeShane with a laugh. “They’re a pretty big band with very meticulously professional musicianship. It’s a high level of playing with very nice harmonies.”
Rieschman and the Jaybirds will be at the Appleby Theatre March 21, departing a little from the traditional Friday or Saturday night shows. Anyone who enjoys folk music won’t want to miss the set — the Pacific-Northwest band, which has been together for 20 years, has written seven albums and been nominated for two Juno awards.
Next up will be a name country music lovers may know after two of his songs got some radio play here in Canada. Trevor Panczak, a 6-foot-five-inch standout who combines his own original work with a tribute show to country's original gentle giant, Don Williams, will be bringing his presence to the stage April 8.
“He’s very good. A friend of mine saw him first at Showcase the year before last while we were doing another Heartwood show and she said, ‘You gotta check this guy out,’” said DeShane. “I look a little bit into him, and she says, ‘All the guys are getting lucky that night.’”
Panczak will be bringing a combination of his tribute act as well as his more commercial work, including two hits off his full-length album Where I Come to Go Back — Blame it on the Whiskey and Cheap Shades hit the top 50 country charts here in Canada.
Lastly, Sister Grace will round out the lineup with their April 18 show. The three-piece family band from St. Walburg, SK, will bring everything from county to classic rock with them — the Gardner sisters, Maddy, Kenzi, and Saidi bring a unique sound to the stage. The girls grew up singing harmonies together under the guidance of their father, himself an acclaimed Canadian country guitarist, and the experience shines throughout the show.
DeShane, who said he’s known the girls their entire lives, first saw their musical prowess after working the Blueberry Festival in St. Walburg.
“The girls were 11 or 12, the twins at the time. We were sitting down having coffee and one of the girls comes out, sits down at the piano and starts singing and playing this beautiful song,” said DeShane. “Her twin comes over and starts harmonizing and I’m sitting there thinking about beautiful it is. I asked her where the song came from and she goes, 'Oh I just made it up right now.’”
As always, tickets for the shows are available at the Value Drug Mart in Athabasca, Whispering Hills Fuel, and Athabasca Health Foods. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. If you have a kid who loves music, feel free to bring them along — anyone 16 and under gets in for free for this set of shows.
