Women go onstage for concert
Female performers sign on for International Women’s Day event at Fat Cat
“Behind every successful woman,” the event poster reads, “is herself.”
It’s the perfect slogan for a concert featuring some of the province’s best-known and talented female artists in celebration of International Women’s Day on Thursday.
Musicians Kelly-ann Evans, Lea Coultas, Colleen Power, Joanna Barker, Karla Pilgrim, Carolina East, Jill Porter, Jackie Sullivan, Maria Cherwick, Andrea Monro, Ritual Frames and Earth, Wind and Choir will perform.
Comedian Vicky Mullaley will do a set, and writer Kerri Cull will read from her book “Rock, Paper Sex.”
All proceeds will go to the Safe Harbour Outreach Project (SHOP).
“This entire event is a coming together of just some of the incredible women in the music community, the arts community and the business community,” said Evans, who — along with Coultas — is behind “Herself,” happening at the Fat Cat in St. John’s Thursday at 9 p.m.
The event came from an idea Coultas had to put something together in honour of International Women’s Day. She approached Evans to co-organize, which suited Evans just fine.
“This idea went hand-inhand with my personal 2018 mantra to do more community outreach,” Evans explained. “We were both super excited.”
At first, the pair were considering a tribute show, celebrating the music of some iconic
lady singers.
“The more we chatted, we realized, ‘Why don’t we celebrate some of the incredible women and their contributions to the music and arts scenes here in this province?” Evans said.
It didn’t take much more than an email to convince the artists to come on board, and SHOP, which provides programs and advocacy for women engaging in sex work in St. John’s and surrounding areas, seemed like a perfect fit as a partnering organization.
The Fat Cat was also a nobrainer, Evans said.
“Lea and I chatted about years ago, when we first started playing the scene in St. John’s,” said Evans, a multiple Musicnl Award nominee and former performer with the Toronto cast of the musical “We Will Rock You.”
“This show reminded us of a throwback to the amazing ‘Women Jammin’ (nights) at the Fat Cat, which June Hiscock ran. You could hit up the Fat Cat any Tuesday night and hear exceptional woman singer/songwriters sharing their music. We approached the venue, and the Fat Cat decided to host us.”
Admission to “Herself” will be $10 at the door, or a donation of a second-hand cellphone. Moneys and phones raised will go to SHOP.
International Women’s Day, celebrated each year on March 8, celebrates the achievements of women and calls for gender parity.