Neil Young viewing parties planned
A security guard was on hand Wednesday as many workers moved equipment, including a large camera, in and out of the century building. Large boxes that appear to contain sound and lighting gear were stacked in rows beside the parking lot.
The parking lot across the street at Trinity United Church was mostly full of worker’s vehicles, as well as a tractor-trailer and a coach bus. A big rig hauling a long trailer idled just around the corner on Sturgeon Street South.
A caterer was on hand at the church. A plumber was at Coronation Hall.
By Wednesday afternoon, a fence had been erected around the parking lot beside the hall.
Speculation that Young would play in Omemee began Nov. 11 when he posted on Facebook that he would be “going to my town” for the concert.
Born in Toronto, he lived in Omemee from ages four to 11 and life there has long been considered the inspiration for the line about “a town in North Ontario” in his song Helpless. Scott Young Public School in Omemee is named after his father.
The event, part of a Canada-wide Somewhere in Canada tour, will mark the release of Young’s new studio album The Visitor and a new online archive of his work.
Many Neil Young fans are expected to flock to Omemee on Friday, even without tickets for the show. The nearby Omemee Curling Club plans to hold a viewing party of the livestream.
In Peterborough, Trent University and The Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies will host viewing parties at The Ernest and Florence Benedict Gathering Space in the First Peoples House of Learning, the Wenjack Theatre at Gzowski College and the event space in the Student Centre.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for the free event dubbed My Hometown To Your Hometown, organizers stated.
NOTES: Some Bell Media radio stations under the IHeartRadio brand were holding a contest to give away tickets to the Neil Young concert through text message ballots. The draw closed at 5 p.m. Wednesday and was open to Ontario residents only .... Lindsay’s Bob FM 91.9 also gave away a pair of tickets to the concert to the 91st caller in a call-in contest Wednesday morning.
OMEMEE -- Signs that Neil Young will perform in Omemee on Friday intensified Wednesday as workers continued to prepare Coronation Hall – the venue where the Canadian rock icon is expected to perform a 90-minute solo acoustic set starting at 8 p.m.
Bell Media organizers have not confirmed the location for the show, which will be streamed live on CTV.ca and on Facebook outside Canada, but Sturgeon Street has been closed between King Street West (Highway 7) and Church Street East until Saturday at 3 a.m.
Residents of the sleepy village could be seen walking up to the 140-seat venue Wednesday morning to take photos of the activity and learn more about what was going on. Drivers passing on the provincial highway could be seen craning their necks to get a look.
“How do I get tickets?” a woman enthusiastically enquired from her car as she drove slowly along Mary Street to see the activity. “I’m an original. Born and raised in Omemee.”
Cheri Davidson, manager of communications, advertising and marketing for the City of Kawartha Lakes, told The Examiner on Monday, “I think that Neil is hoping people will watch it from home, wherever it happens.”