The End of the Beannick Concert Series

With the David Francy concert tonight (Wednesday April 30, 2014) at the Studio / Stage Door the Beannick Concert Series unfortunately, like all good things, comes to an end. The Musical Director, Gord Johnston, is moving onto other challenges thus bringing the series to a close. Over the past seven series the following performers have graced the stage at The Studio / Stage Door:

Series #1

  • Heather Bush and the Uppercuts
  • Martyn Joseph
  • Travelin’ Light

 Heather Bush ( Heather Johnson)     02.  Heather Blush Martyn Joseph   Travelin' Light ( Corbin Keep & Mel Watson)

Series #2

  • Matt Anderson
  • Marc Atkinson
  • Colin Hay

Matt Andersen        Marc Atkinson

Series #3

  • Stephen Fearing and Andy White
  • John Cruz
  • Suzie Vinnick

Series #4

  • Garnet Rodgers
  • Sue Foley and Peter Karp
  • Kelly Joe Phelps

Series #5

  • Cahalen Morrison and Eli West
  • Carlos del Junco (The Blues Mongrels)
  • Stephen Fearing

Series #6

  • Dave Gunning
  • Woody Holler and his Orchestra
  • Suzie Vinnick and Rick Fines

Series #7

  • Martyn Joseph
  • Michael Jerome Brown
  • David Francy

Gord Johnston is retiring from his career at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club and is ready to move on to new adventures. It’s been a good run and we can’t thank Gord Johnston and Terry Miller enough for enriching Cranbrook`s cultural  landscape. We should also thank the audiences  who`s support of the series and made it such a success. Thanks too, to Ben Blomander for keeping things sounding great, to Jean Ann and Joe Debreceni for keeping us in drinks, to Kris Aasen and Rusty Gahr and a few others for keeping the lights on and, once again, thanks to the patrons who keep on supporting live music at every opportunity.

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Please note the following:
Lotus Books is hosting ‘in store’ concerts of very talented musicians. Erin and Ferdy are Beannick members and their guest artists consist of an eclectic and talented line up. Their next show is on Friday. That’s right, May 2 with Tom Holliston, who is known for his connection with NoMeansNo, bringing his own acoustic sensibility to the store. Lotus Books, 8pm, tickets at the door (or in advance, I’d guess)..
Mike and Corinne Robinson, also Beannick members are creating a concert series that is similar to Beannick. They have already hosted Old Man Luedecke and have Sept and Oct dates booked at the Stage Door. For more info, contact Mike at music@lotic.co
There is also a couple in Kimberley hosting house concerts. They’ve had an impressive lineup and there may be a few seats available. You can try them at driftwoodconcerts@gmail.com.
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Beannick Subscription Series #7 – The Last One

Terry Miller and Gord  Johnston have just released the line up for the Beannick Subscription Series #7.
Monday March 24, 2014:  MARTYN JOSEPH,   Marty  returns – he performed in the second concert and left a huge impression and it will be good to have him back. Click on Review of Martyn Joseph Concert
Martyn Joseph - Copy
Monday April 7, 2014: MICHAEL JEROME BROWNE is a highly acclaimed and recognized roots musician. Check his website by clicking on Michael Jerome Browne
Michael Jerome BrowneWednesday April 30, 2014: DAVID FRANCEY. One of Canada’s most revered folk poets and singers”, David is a multiple Juno winner who performed in Cranbrook some years back. This is a fitting finale for the series.
David Francey
All shows are at 8:00pm at the Stage Door.
Note that this is a fully subscribed series but occasionally a few tickets may be available at the door.
Series 7 of the Beannick Concert Series will be the final series.
Gord Johnston is retiring from his career at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club and is ready to move on to new adventures. It’s been a good run we can’t thank Gord and Terry enough for enriching Cranbrook`s cultural  landscape. We should also thank the audiences  who`s support of the series and made it such a success. Thanks too, to Ben Blomander for keeping things sounding great, to Jean Ann and Joe Debreceni for keeping us in drinks, to Kris Aasen and Rusty Gahr and a few others for keeping the lights on.
Thanks again and keep on supporting live music at every opportunity.

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Beannick Subscription Concert Series #5

Gord Johnston & Terry Miller have just released the line up for the next Beannick Subscription Concert Series (#5) – here are the performers and dates-

Saturday, January 12, 2013: Cahalen Morrison & Eli West, old-time duo from Seattle.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013: The Carlos del Junco Trio, A Maple Blues Award Winner and Juno nominee.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013: Stephen Fearing – Solo

All shows are at the Studio / Stage Door starting at 8pm. This is a subscription series and for more information contact Terry Miller at tmiller1@gmail.com

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What is a Beannick?

Well may you ask. In “days of olde“ when Jill and Gordon Johnston ran the Swing Street Coffee shop there was a paper mache beatnick like figure that bestrode the building. Aptly named Beannick he had to come down from his perch when Jill and Gordon sold the business. For many winters he sat under piles of snow biding his time for some future role in the life of the community. During their tenure at the Swing Street Cafe Jill and Gordon ran a subscription series of concerts every winter at the Studio Stage Door that, for years prior to the Key City Theatre, was pretty well the only concert venue for live music in Cranbrook. During that time we were treated to outstanding performances by the likes of Martin Simpson, Garnet Rodgers, Stephen Fearing, Alex Houghton, `Four Men and a Dog`, Ron Kavna and Andy Irvine.   Jill and Gordon had the incredible knack of finding performers of tremendous ability and talent. They established a concert standard for the relatively unknown performers who were, in reality, music legends. Well all things come to an end and so did the concerts series. However, with some recent prompting from Terry Miller of Cranbrook Community Theatre fame they have, under the patronage of the once famous Beannick,  resurrected the subscription concert series. This winter will be the fourth series of concerts in this the modern Beannick era.  Over the recent past I have been fortunate to hear and photograph some of the outstanding performers in the series. Here are some images to stir memories of great music:

                                                                                                                                      

(The above images are  from a few of the concerts in the series. A number of the concert reviews have been published in The Townsman and over the next little while I will transfer them from my archives to the JOURNALISM tab in this blog).

The Winter 2012 subscription series is already under way with a performance by Garnet Rogers a little while back. The blues guitarist Sue Foley and her musical  partner Peter Karp will be performing on Tuesday October 16, 2012  and the blues slide guitar legend Kelly Joe Phelps will be performing on Wednesday December 5, 2012. The subscription series is sold out in advance but occasionally tickets are turned in for resale on the night of the performances. For more information contact Terry Miller at  tmiller@cintek.com             .

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