Monday 4 August 2008

BobCat shows for the fall!

As you might know, we weren't expecting to kick off BobCat concerts until September, but the tragic fire at Rasputin's Folk Cafe and the decision of owner Dean Verger to retire, after 27 years of presenting Canada's and the world's great folk musicians on his stage, left a number of musicians without their scheduled gigs.

Dean asked if house concert presenters or others could help out the musicians by hosting them on their scheduled night, and that's what we're going to do.

Saturday, August 30, we'll be hosting Kit Soden of Vancouver and Montreal and local singer-songwriter Eric John at BobCat as our way of helping out Rasputin's.

Eric John
is a singer/songwriter born and raised right here in Ottawa, Ontario. His original music is often compared to Dave Matthews or Ben Harper. His musical style stems from many different genres, including folk, rock, soul, blues and even reggae. No matter what style he is playing, his passion is what drives his performance and endears him to the audience. I think what's neat about Eric's music is the percussive and rhythmic nature of his playing. He's got great hands, and he's got a great voice.


Kit Soden is a new arrival in Central Canada (he just moved to Montreal in the spring), but he's been a staple in the Vancouver scene since the late 1990s. He has appeared in shows and festivals across Canada, fronting numerous touring acts such as Kaejema, The Frog Maphia, and Kit & Tim. After over a decade of performing, Kit's prolific songwriting has led him to complete this first collection of solo recordings, Highway 101. This new album blends acoustic rhythms with unmistakable vocals in what can best be described as travelers' tales from journeys of the mind, body and spirit. I really like Kit's voice -- I find it powerful but also a bit vulnerable, and hey -- aren't we all that way? You can listen to some clips from Kit's CD at his site.

So. Come listen to two great young performers and kick off the BobCat season with us in style.

WHAT: Kit Soden and Eric John @ BobCat House Concerts
WHEN: Saturday, August 30, 7:00 mingling, 8:00 music
WHERE: BobCat Manor, 214 Northwestern Avenue
HOW (much): Suggested donation $10.
WHY: 'Cause you love music!

Don't forget: We appreciate collecting the donations in advance. You can drop a cheque in the mail, drop off cheques or cash, or use PayPal to send payment to this e-mail address.

And some dates to mark in your calendars -- the fall BobCat Season is almost complete!

  • September: (watch this space for confirmation soon!)
  • October 18: Australian guitar whiz and wonderful singer-songwriter David Ross MacDonald, with his beautiful 1935 Gibson L00 guitar (guitar geeks drool here)


  • November 8: Amy Campbell returns with the launch of her new CD "Oh Heart Oh Highway"



  • December 6: Madison Violet (formerly MadViolet, with a new name, but the same stellar musicianship with wonderful harmonies, tinges of Celtic and bluegrass, and strong, strong songs)
Other stuff to remember:

The CKCU Ottawa Folk Festival is happening August 14-17, with an awesome lineup that includes Sarah Harmer, Country Joe MacDonald (Gimme an F!), the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Vieux Farka Toure, Don Ross, Roxanne Potvin, Odetta, and it gjust goes on and on! For $80 for
a festival pass (more at hte door), it's a frickin' BARGOON! And it's such a great vibe that just hanging out and enjoying yourself is worth it.

And the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals annual conferernce is taking place October 23-26. This is a major gathering for acoustic musicians and geeks like us. Bob and Cat are volunteering, and gonna be yakkin' about house concerts at a panel. Why don't you volunteer too?

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