OK... I had a crazy great time at the Western Canadian Music Awards and Breakout West in Kelowna BC this past weekend! Thanks to all who made sure that my time was fantastic and packed to the max with fantastic music. Congratulations to all the winners, cheers to Dan Mangan on sweeping every category he was nominated in, and whoa, #breakoutwest was trending #1 on Twitter on Saturday night!
Here's some of my highlights from the Breakout West weekend:
:: You Say Party and Grand Analog's collaborative and explosive performance at the Sunday night awards gala (they both went on to win their categories).
:: Aidan Knight with Said the Whale and Maurice beautifully doing Aidan's song "Jasper" at the gala (this combo of players are forever dubbed Said the Ogopogo should they take the stage together again).
:: The legendary Grapes of Wrath paired up with We Are The City (my new band, apparently), kicking off the awards show, and it was brilliant. The Grapes' first time on stage together in 18 years!
:: I loved Michael Bernard Fitzgerald's set at the Streaming Cafe on Saturday night.
:: Kelowna band Treelines rocked harder and with more wild smiles than any band all weekend.
:: Corb Lund's solo performance at the awards show of "This is my Prairie". A protest song in the truest sense.
:: Newest discovery: Kingdom Cloud, a cute and crunchy Kelowna pop band that put huge smiles on all our faces.
:: Favourite quote: "why are you famous?" - a teenage girl to me, after seeing a TV camera follow me around for awhile on Saturday night.
:: Afterparty Danceparty (see photo above, by Janine Verreault).
Up next for me is a week-long Adventures in Solitude Book Tour of Vancouver Island! My lovely wife Jill Barber is playing every one (except Monday November 1 at the Vancouver Public Library). If you're around, hope to see you there!
Tue Oct 26 - Lefty's, Parksville BC (6pm)
Wed Oct 27 - Harbour Front Library, Nanaimo BC (6:30pm)
Thu Oct 28 - Greater Victoria Public Library, Victoria BC (7pm)
Fri Oct 29 - Saltspring Books, Saltspring Island BC (7pm)
Sat Oct 30 - Galiano Island Books, Galiano Island BC (3pm)
Mon Nov 01 - Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver BC (7pm)
Fri Nov 05 - Breakwater Books, Powell River BC (7pm)
Sat Nov 06 - Coho Books, Campbell River BC (6pm)
Sun Nov 07 - Laughing Oyster Books, Courtney BC (2pm)