Entertainment
Suzie Vinnick and Downchild Blues Band at Red Deer Memorial Centre Red Deer Wednesday
Downchild Blues Band a natural progression for Suzie Vinnick
By Rob Gilgan
For local folks that caught her in one of her house concerts of a few years back, Suzie Vinnick’s appearance with the Downchild Blues Band will be a refreshing memory. For the rest of us? A brand new treat. The Saskatoon native, who now calls the Niagara region home, is thrilled to be back on the road, in western Canada, and opening for this landmark band.
“I’ve known them for years,” Vinnick explains, and while she’s never shared a stage with them before, it feels like a natural progression for her. Originally, she was booked to open for the band in Ottawa and when the promoter learned she would be touring western Canada this fall, at the same time as Downchild, the decision was made to add her to the whole western tour. She’ll appear solo at the Memorial Centre in Red Deer on October 30, warming up the crowd for Donnie Walsh and the boys.
Vinnick is touring in support of her most recent album, Shake the Love Around, a 12 song set released in March of 2018 that’s left reviewers scrambling to find new words to express how well this artist showcases the diversity of the blues genre. The album’s title comes from the lyrics of All IWanna Do, a song she wrote with Steve Strongman, one of several collaborations on the disc.
Another, Drift Away, was written years ago, with Matt Andersen. “I would perfrom it at some of my shows and often, people would come up and comment on how it spoke to them,” she says, “It happened often enough, I reached out to Matt and asked if he’d be alright with me including it on Shake the Love Around and he gave his blessing.” Drift Away is one of those blues tunes that’s uplifting and validating. “When you’re going through a tough time, just breathe, you know,” Vinnick says, describing the song’s essence.
While Shake the Love Around dips into a variety of musical and lyrical styles, at its heart, it’s predominately a blues album, “There’s a bit of a blues angle to everything,” she adds. The single of the same name features a selection of Vinnick’s guitar heroes while showcasing her multi-instrumental prowess. The tour-de-force blues singer enjoys her time in the studio and the process of collaborating with other songwriters. “Sometimes it’s a better way to get a song completed,” she explains, “It depends, honestly, on what we come to the table with.”
She’s happy, not just with the album, but how it’s been welcomed across the country. She’s looking forward, after the fall touring, to share it with her many fans in Atlantic Canada. “I haven’t been to the east coast with it yet,” she says, knowing the album will be appreciated by the region’s seasoned blues enthusiasts. It’s not just fans that find Vinnick’s music and performance so noteworthy, as her career has been highlighted by many covet-worthy awards.
These include: 2018 Canadian Folk Music Award for Producer of the Year with her co-producer, Mark Lalama, finalist status in the Solo/Duo Category at the 2013 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN; the 2012 CBC Saturday Night Blues Great Canadian Blues Award and the 2012 Sirius XM Canada Blues Artist of the Year. Suzie has won 10 Maple Blues Awards (she has been nominated for 21 so far!), won the 2011 Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Vocalist of the Year and is a 3X Juno Nominee.
Her most cherished sits in front of her, on her desk, reminding her of her prairie roots: the 2019 Saskatchewan Jazz Festival Special Recognition Award. This award takes her from winning an emerging contest at 19 and then follows her journey through the music business, including several appearances at the festival. “I was so thrilled and truly honoured with this award. It came with a two-hour show and I was able to bring on a bunch of players I’d worked with over the years,” she adds.
Thrilled and honoured also describes the invitation to open for Downchild Blues Band; she remembers, as a teen, seeing the Blues Brothers on Saturday Night Live and discovering the Toronto band she’ll be celebrating with here, on October 30.
Rob Gilgan
Alberta
Just 35 dollars to see Jess Moskaluke and 10 of Alberta’s best recording artists at the 2020 ACMA Awards
Pssssst…. Central Alberta… We’ll let you in on a little secret…
Here’s Ryan Langlois with the details…
You probably already know the Association of Country Music in Alberta is holding their 2020 Awards Show in Red Deer at the Cambridge Inn and Suites on the weekend of January 25 and 26.
You probably already know that Jess Moskaluke, one of Canada’s hottest Country Music stars is hosting and performing!
But here’s something most people don’t know yet… The ACMA Awards has started something new called The Fan Zone!
The ACMA’s are making it easier than ever for anyone to join in this incredible industry event and enjoy one of the most incredible musical experiences you’ll ever see in Red Deer (until next year’s Award Show).
Perhaps best of all… the tickets are incredibly affordable!! For just 35 dollars, you can see all ten acts.. the awards show and speeches… AND.. you’ll be spoiled with a pre-show event sponsored by Hotels Red Deer… exclusively for the Fan Zone ticket holders! A drink… snacks.. your own pre-show acoustic performance… And then there’s the Award Show itself! More than 10 live performances, speeches from the winners, come see some of Canada’s best musical talent.. all for one amazing low price!!!
That’s right… We’re yelling this secret out. Sorry. We just don’t want you to miss out.
From Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery (MAG)
Anne Frank: A History for Today opening at Red Deer MAG
The travelling exhibition Anne Frank – A History for Today, a travelling exhibition from the Anne Frank House (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), will be on display at the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery (MAG) January 12 to March 22, 2020. This exhibit aims to bring Anne’s life story to the attention of people all over the world to encourage them to reflect on the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism and discrimination and the importance of freedom, equal rights and democracy. As part of this exhibit the MAG will be showing artworks created by Red Deer high school students in response to the Anne Frank story.
This exhibition tells the story of Anne Frank set against the background of the Holocaust. The exhibition makes use of images from the Frank family and quotations from the Diary of Anne Frank. Each panel displays information about the most important developments of that time: the rise of National Socialism, the Second World War and the persecution of the Jews. This exhibition has three artefacts that visitors will be able to see: a replica of the Diary of Anne Frank, a Yellow Star of David, a 3D model of the Anne Frank House and a Nazi program from 1935-1936.
“We are pleased to present this exhibition during the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Holland from Nazi occupation,” says Lorna Johnson, Executive Director. “The Diary of Anne Frank continues to be a moving testament to the optimism of youth in the most trying situations. The Anne Frank House Museum in Amsterdam has made a commitment to work with youth all over the world to eliminate racism and discrimination. We are pleased to bring their message to Red Deer and we would like to thank the teachers and students of Red Deer’s high schools who have embraced the project and created artworks for display, and who have volunteered to be tour guides in the exhibition.”
Aims of the exhibition
- To increase knowledge of youth and public on the historical events of the second world war, the Holocaust and the life of Anne Frank
- To foster dialogue between attendees on topics such as the dangers of discrimination and the importance of tolerance and the human rights
- To increase the knowledge of local /national / international history through various activities in conjunction with the exhibition
- To invite youth to live a learning experience of exchange and dialogue.
Opening Reception: Join the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery at 2pm on Sunday, January 26, 2020 for the joint opening reception of Anne Frank: A History for Today and the MAG’s in-house exhibit Sacrifice, Hope, Friendship: Canada and the Liberation of Holland.
Anne Frank
In many countries Anne Frank has become the symbol of the mass murder of Jews during the Second World War.
Anne Frank was born on 12th June, 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany. She was the daughter of Otto and Edith Frank and had a three year old sister, Margot. Just like many other Jews, the Frank family fled Germany after Hitler and his National-Socialist party came to power in 1933. The Jews who stayed in Germany were step by step excluded from society. The Frank family went to the Netherlands where father Otto started a company.
In May 1940 the Nazis occupied the Netherlands and soon anti-Jewish measures were introduced. In July 1942 large-scale deportations of Jews took place. The Frank family went into hiding along with four others. They hid in the annex of Otto Frank’s office building on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam, right in the heart of the city. During their time in hiding, Anne Frank kept a diary. In August 1944 the hiding place was betrayed and the eight people were taken to different concentration camps. Anne Frank eventually died in the camp Bergen-Belsen. Only Otto Frank survived the war. In 1947 the diary of Anne Frank was first published. By now it is translated into sixty languages and has become one of the best known documents about the Holocaust. The building where the Frank family hid is now a museum.
For more details regarding the exhibition Anne Frank: A History for Today contact Kim Verrier, Exhibitions Coordinator at kim.verrier@reddeer.ca, 403-309-8440.
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