Saturday night special
Great performance alert!
Every Hillside Festival fan in this city should head out to the Guelph Little Theatre Saturday, where Mark Seymour (Hunters and Collectors) will be performing with Royal City musical royalty Sue Smith, one of the co-founders of Guelph’s famous Hillside Festival.
It’s a star-studded lineup that also includes Jeff Bird (Cowboy Junkies), Nick Craine (Black Cabbage) and Marta Pacek from Melbourne. They’re all accomplished folkies who make beautiful music.
Seymour kind of reminds me of an Australian Jim Cuddy. He’s an acclaimed singer and songwriter and he has an earthy, lived in voice that’s capable of raw tenderness. He could sing the phonebook and I’d be swaying lightly, holding a lighter aloft. Especially on one of his older songs, Mississauga. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Mississauga, but very few people compose songs about it without adding the word Goddam. And I love Throw Your Arms Around Me, from his new release, Closest Living Thing.
Sue Smith’s slinky I Need a Band and a Tango Partner from her album I’m So has a bunch of funky, rolling piano bits and hot guitar licks that set off her bluesy voice just… so. It’s perfect for listening to on a hot night with a cold beer.
Do yourself a favour and snap up some early tickets for this show (Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.) They’re $20 in advance at Ground Floor Music on Quebec St., $25 at the door. Or if you want tickets and you’re from out of town, contact one of my favourite music promoters in the city, Lil Milanovich at milanovichlil@hotmail.com and she’ll set you up.
You can buy the music of Sue Smith and Mark Seymour on Maple Music. And iTunes, of course.
Mark Seymour - Throw Your Arms Around Me: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Mark Seymour - Mississauga: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Sue Smith - I Need A Band And A Tango Partner: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
