Events & Ticketing Info
* RESCHEDULED to FEB 8, 2025 – Shuswap Local Love Concert & Fundraiser
Our local love concert is happening February 8th! Celebrate the magic of mid-winter with a special concert in support of the Shuswap Second Harvest Food Bank. Local musicians, singer-songwriters & storytellers flock to the Song Sparrow stage to share their winter songs and stories. Expect cosy, heartwarming entertainment for all ages and some sing-along moments.
Shuswap Second Harvest Food Bank are local champions who distribute groceries to many families in the Shuswap area. The Shuswap Carol was created as a way to contribute and, following the holiday season, the need is still present. We know that offering this event in February will provide a wonderful gathering of local artists in support of a very worthwhile cause in our community. Find them at https://shuswapsecondharvest.ca.
JAN 30 – Catherine MacLellan Duo
Catherine MacLellan has been captivating audiences around the world with her music for over two decades. Born and raised in the idyllic province of Prince Edward Island, Catherine’s songs reflect her deep connection to the land and the people that call it home. Her passion for songwriting runs in the family; her father, Gene MacLellan, wrote beloved hits like “Snowbird” and “Put Your Hand in the Hand.”
While Catherine’s music is rooted in folk and roots, her sound has evolved to embrace a wider range of influences over the course of her 7 albums. From heart-wrenching ballads to uplifting anthems, her music has a universal appeal that speaks to the struggles, triumphs, and joys of life.
In addition to her musical pursuits, Catherine has also dedicated herself to shining a light on her father’s legacy, producing an award-winning documentary and stage show that explore his life and struggles with mental health.
Through it all, Catherine remains committed to the craft of songwriting and the art of connection. Whether she’s playing to a packed theatre or an intimate gathering, Catherine’s warm presence and heartfelt music create an unforgettable experience for all who hear her.
FEB 14 – Megan Abel Band: Blues & Rock Valentine Boogie
Plan for great loving fun on Valentine’s Day with The Megan Abel Band. They play a variety of feral, outlaw blues-rock originals and spiced up funky favourites. Megan Abel is a vibrant vocalist and songwriter, and her performances are eclectic and captivating. The virtuosic playing of guitarists Adam Hokenson and Jon Treichel create extremely exciting dynamics. Bassist Neil Braun lays down fierce grooves that drummer Jared Wilman is locked into while multi-instrumentalist Alex Ward sprinkles ear candy all over the place. This explosive group of seasoned players is set to make your night unforgettable.
MAR 8 – Krystle Dos Santos: ‘Motown Get Down’
MAR 11 – Sue Foley: ‘One Guitar Woman’
The Salmon Arm Folk Music Society is proud to present Sue Foley—One Guitar Woman on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at Song Sparrow Hall. Foley’s tour, named after her new album, will give audiences the chance to hear Foley’s self-taught interpretations of Charo’s La Malagueña on flamenco guitar, Niccolò Paganini’s Romance in A Minor, and Lydia Mendoza’s Mal Hombre. Foley’s ingenuity shines in original compositions like Maybelle’s Guitar, where the Carter scratch underscores the towering
influence of the Carter family’s music.
Foley’s international attention and accolades include the 2024 Blues with a Feeling/Lifetime Achievement award at the Maple Blues Awards, the 2024 Blues Music Award for Best Traditional Blues Female (her fourth consecutive win), a Juno Award, multiple Austin Music Awards, Blues Music Awards, and Trophées de Blues de France.
Presented by Salmon Arm Folk Music Society
APR 26 – Ethan Askey & The Elevators: Boogie Blues
Our series concludes on April 26th with funky, electric boogie blues by rocky Mountain singer-songwriter Ethan Askey and his band, The Elevators. Having had the opportunity to share the stage with these incredible blues musicians, and before them with British bluesman John Mayall and string-bending legend Amos Garrett, Ethan has a strong foundation in real deal blues. He will be playing songs from his debut album, Walk When You Wanna Run, that offers a fresh take on the funky urban electric blues played by one his mentors, Junior Wells. Not only is his music great to dance to, he also provides compelling, original stories and sounds that are expressed in many colourful ways.
MAY 24 – COLIN LINDEN
Colin Linden’s tale is the stuff of legend, the kind told in the Coen brothers’ O Brother Where Art Thou or Inside Llewyn Davis, both of which featured his guitar playing on the soundtracks. That film would begin with an 11-year-old meeting his musical idol Howlin’ Wolf at a matinee show in his native Toronto, accompanied by his mom, who took a picture of the two during a nearly two-hour long conversation before the gig, the legendary bluesman idling over coffee and cigarettes.
“I’m an old man now, and I won’t be around much longer,” Wolf told him. “It’s up to you to carry it on.”
Linden still carries that frayed photograph in his wallet, along with a Sears 5/8” socket wrench in his pocket to play slide guitar. He has taken Wolf’s plea seriously, performing since he was 12 years old, leaving home as a teenager to travel the south at the invitation of Mississippi Sheiks delta blues guitarist Sam Chatmon which took him to Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Memphis and Hollandale, Mississippi, meeting and visiting the sites of his heroes – Brownie McGhee, Muddy Waters, Sippie Wallace, Tampa Red, Blind John Davis, the Rev. Robert Wilkins, Sleepy John Estes and Son House, visiting the landmarks and juke joints, many of which he’s played in during the course of a 45-year career producing and playing blues and roots music.
As a singer/guitarist, he’s accompanied everyone from Bruce Cockburn (as his producer and touring musician) to Bob Dylan, Greg Allman, Rihannon Giddens, Pistol Annies, John Prine and more.
“Roots music and blues do speak to a lot of people right now,” acknowledges Linden. “Much of the healing and release you get from listening to this music, the power and form of expression, has shown itself to be so vital in these times. It feels timeless because it’s such a raw nerve.”
Presented by Salmon Arm Folk Music Society
