Le Vent du Nord (Photo courtesy Marc-Etienne Mongrain)
Three different acts from Canada will grace The Waldo Theatre stage over the next few weeks with three glorious musical performances.
On Thursday, May 9, audiences can experience the superb musicianship and energy of Le Vent du Nord, Quebec’s progressive francophone band. On Saturday, May 18, the audience becomes the show via an epic 80s sing-along party with Toronto’s famed Choir! Choir! Choir!
Finally, on Sunday, June 23, Ottawa’s Kathleen Edwards will delight the crowd with her swirling melodies and evocative lyrics blending alt-country, folk, and heartland rock and roll.
“It’s always wonderful to see Canadian performers here in Maine,” said Susan Morris, Maine’s honorary consul for Canada. “We share many common roots, musical and otherwise. Maine venues have provided great opportunities for cultural exchange, and Maine audiences are incredibly responsive.”
The award-winning and highly acclaimed band Le Vent du Nord is a leading force in Quebec’s progressive francophone folk movement. On stage these five exceptional musicians create intense, joyful, and dynamic live performances that expand the bounds of tradition in striking global directions.
The group’s vast repertoire draws from both traditional sources and original compositions featuring instrumentation that includes button accordion and hurdy gurdy, as well as violin, mandolin, guitar, and more. Their hard-driving, soulful music is rooted in the Celtic diaspora, with a broad range of global influences. Since its inception in August 2002, Le Vent du Nord has enjoyed meteoric success, performing well over 2,000 concerts over four continents and racking up several prestigious awards.
Tickets for the May 9 show are $30 in advance or $35 at the door.
Equal parts singing, comedy, and community-building, Choir! Choir! Choir! travels around the world to bring friends and strangers together through the joy of singing by creating a safe and exceedingly fun space for people to express themselves.
Since 2011, directors Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman – aka “DaBu” – have built a dedicated and passionate community of fans in bars, at festivals, and on big stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, The Juno Awards, TEDx Toronto, the Polaris Music Prize Gala, and more. They’ve been joined by guest singers such as David Byrne, Patti Smith, Rufus Wainwright, Rick Astley, Kermit the Frog, and Edwards.
“As anyone who has sung in a chorus or choir can tell you, there’s something magical about a large group of people singing in harmony,” said Susan Hodder, The Waldo’s Executive Director. “I’ve watched so much of Choir! Choir! Choir! on You Tube, and I can’t wait to be a part of it in person. I’m especially excited to hear that many voices in The Waldo, a space that’s rightfully renowned for its brilliant acoustics. Expect goosebumps!”
Tickets for the May 18 show are $35 in advance or $40 at the door.
Rounding out this spring’s great white north contingent is beloved singer-songwriter Edwards on June 23. Her devoted fans flock to the sound that blurs the boundaries between genre and generation, earning its creator more a half-dozen Juno nominations, as well as Top 40 success on both sides of the Canadian/American border.
Now in her third decade as an artist, Edwards has done more than carry the torch of songwriting heroes like Tom Petty, Neil Young, and Lucinda Williams — she’s opened the door for others. Edwards has always made her own kind of music, even when it defied categorization, inspiring a new generation of artists to follow in her footsteps.
Opening for Edwards is Matt Sucich, recently returned from a national tour with Counting Crows. Tickets for this show are $35 in advance or $40 at the door.
Tickets to these and many other shows are available online at thewaldotheatre.org.
