And the envelope please
Music P.E.I. nominees excited about Sunday’s awards party
The excitement is building for Music P.E.I. nominees.
From the kick-off bowling bash at The Alley on Wednesday evening where performing artists mingled with each other to the acoustic SOCAN songwriter of the year concert Thursday night at St. Paul’s Church to Friday night’s music showcases across the city, momentum has been growing.
And don’t expect any kind of a slow-down today as the newand-improved Music Mosaic takes the stage at the Carrefour Theatre at 2 p.m., featuring Irish Mythen, Vishtèn, Luis Anselmi and the SoPA Students World Music Ensemble. It’s going to be a blast. (I’ll tell you all about it in Monday’s paper.)
I can hear excitement ringing in nominees’ voices as I talk to them. It reminds me a lot of that Christmas Eve feeling, the kind that keeps kids up all night waiting to hear the arrival of Santa and his reindeer on the roof.
“I’m absolutely thrilled…. It’s been an absolute joy and an honour,” said Aaron Hastelow, during a quick phone chat about his nods for pop solo recording of the year, new artist of the year and male solo recording artist of the year.
You can catch him later today at the Songs For A Winter’s Night at The Guild in Charlottetown, starting at 9 p.m. Also on the bill are Nick Doneff and the Amanda Jackson band.
That’s not the only show tonight.
Saturday Night Live at the Pourhouse gets underway at 7:30 p.m., featuring Danny Drouin, Marcella Richard, Rick Sparkes and special guest Tara MacLean.
Like so many other music lovers, I’m thrilled, with my only tough decision being how to get to all these great shows and miss as little as possible.
Dennis Ellsworth is also thrilled about this year’s events.
“I’m excited because I’ve been nominated with Kinley Dowling,” he said when he dropped by The Guardian Thursday afternoon.
The duo has received nods for album of the year, recording of the year, new artist of the year, roots contemporary recording of the year, SOCAN songwriter of the year and song of the year.
Ellsworth was also happy to see Music P.E.I. Week return to January.
“It’s a time when many of us are at home. And it gives us something to look forward to.”
The Music P.E.I. awards party, which is just a day away at the Rodd Charlottetown, is obviously something that the nominees enjoy, says Music P.E.I.’s executive director.
I’ve always enjoyed it, too, and I find it a refreshing change from the large-scale gala productions of a few years ago. Instead, the Sunday afternoon event, which is a more intimate-style and is by invitation only, has turned out to be “tremendously successful and something the artists and the nominees really, really enjoy,” says Rob Oakie.
“The whole purpose of the event is for the P.E.I. music community is to come out and celebrate itself,” says Oakie.
The excitement – and my chance to enjoy some great P.E.I. music – doesn’t stop as
the last awards are handed out on Sunday.
The closing show, Festival Finale, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown. It features the top Music P.E.I. award nominees ¬— Alicia Toner, Ashley Condon, Catherine MacLellan, Dylan Menzie and Liam Corcoran. Guardian reporter Mitch MacDonald will be there shooting the event, so I plan to put my notebook, camera and voice recorder away and find myself a comfy seat in the audience to sit back and enjoy some of the best of what the Island’s music community has to offer.
And isn’t that the whole point?
I hope you’ll join me.