Back on the road
Gallant brings ‘Abegweit’ show to Port Hawkesbury this evening
After four successful summer seasons in Prince Edward Island, Lennie Gallant has literally taken his show on the road and will bring “Searching for Abegweit” to Port Hawkesbury this evening.
“Searching for Abegweit: The Island Songs and Stories of Lennie Gallant” will be staged at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre tonight at 7:30.
According to Gallant, who spoke to the Cape Breton Post while driving to a show Friday in Annapolis Royal, it’s the result of a longtime desire to do something with his sister, wellknown P.E.I. artist Karen Gallant.
“For a long time, I’ve been wanting to do a show in collaboration mostly with my sister’s artwork — I think she’s a fabulous artist,” said Gallant. “She’s very well-known on Prince Edward Island. And both of us have a number of pieces of work that — through the course of 11 albums — there would always be a song or two sprinkled through that had a connection to Prince Edward Island.
“I always thought it would be cool to gather all those songs and do a show in combination with that.”
About four years ago, that show came together and Gallant, along with a five-piece band, began performing it in P.E.I. over the summer months.
It’s a multimedia show that includes Gallant’s songs, the occasional story and photos plus Karen Gallant’s artworks being shown on a 20x12 screen behind the band.
The name of the show comes from the Mi’kmaw word for Prince Edward Island, Abegweit, which means cradle of the waves, said Gallant.
The reaction, he adds, has been amazing.
“It seems to be a very magnetic show. People come back — five, six or seven times to see it. It’s received a tremendous response.”
Gallant and his band have now done close to 140 shows and while they’re currently touring the show around the Maritimes, he says they are also thinking about taking it across Canada.
The show stars Gallant with Sean Kemp on violin, Gallant’s nephew Jeremy Gallant on keyboard and percussion, another nephew, Jonathan Gallant on backup vocals, drums, percussion and mandolin, and Patricia Richard on bodhran, mandolin, banjo and vocals.
“We’ve had people come down from the (U.S.) and plan their vacations around seeing this show. I’ve been knocked out by that kind of response — I’m certain people who check out the show will enjoy it.”
Gallant’s past two albums have been live albums with “Abegweit” winning the 2017 East Coast Music Award for the best folk album of the year.
But that hasn’t stopped Gallant from writing some new songs and he hopes to get back into the studio soon to record those for a new album.
“I do hope to get back into the studio over the next six months — I have songs that are crying to be recorded.”