Manitoba Music

February News

In this issue...
• Holy Smokes! February is Almost Gone!
• Juno Awards, Past and Present
• Help Us Raise the New Roof on March 15
• An Update on our New Building
• New Show Announcements
• TOFU showtime changes; Word of Mouth Festival takes off!
• Upcoming Shows

Holy Smokes! February is Almost Gone!
It's the time of year when people bundle up, maybe sip some Caribou, and generally hate their friends who have deserted Winnipeg for tropical climes. Take heart though, for the days are getting longer, the wind chill is decreasing (ha!), and there is plenty of great music to keep you warm in these lingering days of winter. The West End is busy as ever, and with that in mind we bring you the February edition of the E-News

Juno Awards, Past and Present
The Junos are not too far away…remember how music-crazy the city went in 2005 when Winnipeg hosted the Juno Awards? Well, even though this year’s celebrations are taking place in Calgary, folks here at home will still have ample opportunity to take part. There are five, count ‘em, five, 2008 Juno-nominated artists appearing at the WECC in the next little while.

Justin Nozuka, who hits our stage on Wednesday February 27, is already a tremendous songwriter and WECC alum despite his young age (is this guy 20 yet?). He has been nominated for New Artist of the Year. Joining Justin for his cross-Canada tour is co-headliner Hayley Sales.

It’s been a while since we’ve had O Susanna at the WECC, but she’ll be hitting the stage alongside Stephen Fearing on Saturday March 8. Her album Short Stories has been nominated for Roots/Traditional Album of the Year – Solo. As an aside, all five of this year’s nominees have appeared on the WECC stage in the recent past…

Halifax’s Jill Barber is not only a fantastic performer and one of the nicest human beings on the planet, she’s a double nominee. She’ll be stopping at the WECC on Saturday March 29 along with her brother Matthew Barber and 2007 nominee Julie Doiron. Make sure you come out and wish her luck, she stands to win in both the Roots/Traditional and the New Artist categories.

Faber Drive are a full-on rock and roll foursome who have appeared numerous times at the WECC with bands like Hedley and Mariana’s Trench. You might not know of them, but that doesn’t mean the kids don’t like ‘em! Faber Drive are here Tuesday April 1 with guests Hello Operator, and their nomination is for New Group of the Year.

More on Faber Drive

Danny Michel is often touted as one of Canada’s most underrated artists, yet his growing legions of fans will attest to his amazing stage presence, hilarious personality, and unmatched songwriting skills. He didn’t put out an album last year, but the DVD he released is nominated for in Music DVD of the Year Category. He’ll be here on Wednesday April 2.

We’d also like to shout out to Manitoba artists Nathan and Little Hawk, both West End alumni who have also received Juno nominations. If you’re keeping score at home and wondering who else at the Junos has a West End connection, here are some of the artists appearing at the WECC in recent years who have also received nominations: Patrick Watson, Jully Black, Joel Plaskett, Autorickshaw, Feist, James Keelaghan & Oscar Lopez, Serena Ryder, Feist, Jeremy Fisher, Celso Machado, Bedouin Soundclash, Matthew Good, David Francey, Justin Rutledge, and Corb Lund.

The Full West End Calendar

Help Us Raise the New Roof on March 15
Consider this your official invitation to attend "Raise the Roof on St. Pats", a fundraiser for the West End Cultural Centre, in support of our redevelopment campaign!

On Saturday March 15th, come and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with live music by Venus Murphy and Cruithne, an assortment of Irish Pub snacks, a fabulous silent auction including your chance to win a pair of Weekend Passes to the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and last but not least, a special beer being brewed by Half Pints Brewing Company specifically for this event, a ‘Raise’n Stout’, available one night only here at the WECC! Mmmmm...Half Pints...

This evening is a special event to help raise funds for our capital campaign, as we are scheduled to break ground on the construction of our new building by the spring. However, we still need to raise a considerable amount of money for this to take place and your support is needed to achieve our goal of being Canada’s first "green" music centre. It will include a larger concert hall, a hall for community programming and intimate concerts, full wheelchair access, and much better patron services.

Please consider attending a fabulous St. Patrick’s Day concert while helping us achieve our goal of building a new and improved WECC! Tickets, which are $25.00, are available at Ticketmaster and can be charged by phone at 780-3333 or by calling the West End at 783-6918.

Raise the Roof!

An Update on our New Building
Speaking of "the new West End," just what the heck is going on with that, anyway?

We're excited to announce that we've raised nearly $3.2 million! Our goal is $3.5 million, so before we can break ground we'll be asking the community to "dig a little deeper" and help us raise the last 10% of the funds we need to get started.

We're expecting to be closed for a few months after the end of May for renovations and construction. We'll keep you posted through our website and E-News for the latest developments.

To donate to our Take Centre Stage Capital Campaign please clink the link below.

Donate Now through http://www.CanadaHelps.org

New Show Announcements
Hot off the presses, here are some of the newest announcements for Spring shows:

An Evening of Métis Fiddling featuring the music of Walter Flett

Join us in celebrating one of Manitoba’s greatest traditions with some of the brightest young talents our province has to offer. Norway House’s Ryan D’Aoust, Grand Rapids’ Matthew Contois, and Winnipeg’s Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk will be joined by Jimmy Flett in performing the music of Jimmy’s father Walter Flett. Walter had quite a formidable reputation during his lifetime and recorded several tunes for the Manitoba Museum exhibit ‘Birth of a Province,’ which are now held in the National Museum in Ottawa. This special evening will be recorded for CBC Radio’s Canada Live.

More on The music of Walter Flett

Slide to Freedom

Slide to Freedom is a recent groundbreaking collaboration between one of Canada's premier blues musicians, Doug Cox, and two extraordinary classical musicians from India, Salil Bhatt and tabla player Ramkumar Mishra. Doug Cox is a hugely respected dobro and slide guitarist from Vancouver Island. Salil Bhatt is the son of the legendary Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (who won a Grammy Award for his 1993 recording with Ry Cooder) and is a master of the satvick veena, a 20 stringed instrument which incorporates elements of the guitar and the sitar. The three virtuosos create a richly textured and exhilarating mix of delta blues and Indian classical music that is absolutely mesmerizing.

More on Slide to Freedom

House of Doc

Named after their family home, House of Doc family history in Canada dates back to the late 1800s. Infusing musical inspirations such as Gordon Lightfoot, Simon & Garfunkel & Spirit of the West with intricate harmonies, sophisticated counterpoint and a rocking, down-home delivery, the band has captured its story with a rich and sensitive attention to detail. A "Mennonite sorta family band from Manitoba," House of Doc blends screw tight harmonies and solid musicianship. We are pleased to help them celebrate the release of their newest album, East of West. Prairie music doesn’t get much better than this!

More on House of Doc

The Full WECC Calendar

TOFU showtime changes; Word of Mouth Festival takes off!
Previously in this space we told you that one of Canada’s favourite spoken-word groups, Tons of Fun University are coming in March. They’re still on for Saturday March 22, but due to a scheduling conflict we have changed the time of the performance to a special matinee show. Doors will open at 1:15 pm and the show will being at 2:00. Think of it as though you’re at a Folk Festival workshop!

TOFU is appearing as part of the first ever Word of Mouth festival. This is a new initiative spearheaded by the WECC along with some great partners including The Winnipeg International Writers Festival, Prairie Fire Magazine, and The CYRK. The festival runs from March 19-22 and the full schedule will be posted on our website.



Wednesday, March 19 - Vancouver’s The Fugitives
West End Cultural Centre
Admission: $10 advance, $13 door (or $20 advance for combined Fugitives/TOFU ticket available at the WECC box office only)



Thursday, March 20, 7:30 pm
Prairie Fire Celebrates World Poetry Day with Daphne Marlatt, Maurice Mierau, Charlene Diehl
Travel Alcove, McNally Robinson, Grant Park Admission: free



Friday, March 21, 8:00 pm - Poor Tree and Deborah Schnitzer
Poetry Slam to follow: prize money available, plus the last chance to qualify for the 2008 Canadian Spoken Word Festival in Calgary.
The CYRK, 254 Young St
Admission: $5 (suggested)

Saturday, March 22
Special Matinee Show: Doors 1:15 pm Show 2:00 pm
Folk Festival Sensations TOFU
(Shane Koyczn, Mike McGee, & CR Avery)
West End Cultural Centre
Admission: $14 Advance, $17 Door (or $20 advance for combined Fugitives/TOFU ticket available at the WECC box office only)


Word of Mouth is presented by the West End Cultural Centre, The Winnipeg International Writers Festival, Prairie Fire, and The CYRK with assistance from The Writers Union of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Manitoba Writers Guild, and the League of Canadian Poets.

Check our March calendar for full details on Word of Mouth

Upcoming Shows
Wednesday February 27 - Justin Nozuka & Hayley Sales

Friday February 29 - Twilight Hotel Highway Prayer CD Release

Saturday March 1 - Josh Ritter with Special guest Emm Gryner - SOLD OUT!

Tuesday March 4 - Acoustic Blues sensation Rory Block

Thursday March 6 - The Gift of the Bobs - Bob Snider & Bob Wiseman

Saturday March 8 - Stephen Fearing with Juno Nominee O Susanna

Saturday March 15 - Raise the Roof on St. Pats WECC Fundraiser

Wednesday March 19 - The Fugitives Word of Mouth Poetry & Music Festival

Thursday March 20 - The Music of Walter Flett featuring Ryan D'Aoust, Matthew Contois, and Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk

Saturday March 22 - TOFU Word of Mouth Poetry & Music Festival
Special Matinee Show at 2:00 pm

Thursday March 27 - Ron Hynes & Chuck Brodsky

Saturday March 29 - Julie Doiron & Juno Nominee Jill Barber

Tuesday March 31 - Born Ruffians with guests

Tuesday April 1 - Juno Nominees Faber Drive with guests Hello Operator

Wednesday April 2 - Juno Nominee Danny Michel

Sunday April 6 - Todd Snider

Wednesday April 15 - Oysterband

Thursday April 16 - Slide to Freedom (Doug Cox & Salil Bhatt)

Friday April 25 - House of Doc East of West CD Release

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