Tag Archives: Fireside Patio

Bringing “Six Strings and Beyond” To The Radio

Michael Keith has been a professional musician for over 35 years, and lately people have been asking him to share some of his expertise on the radio. He finally launched ‘Six Strings And Beyond’ on Tuesday June 18th. 

“The idea of the programs is based on guitar, which is my area of expertise: guitar, guitarists, and guitar like instruments from around the world. So, plucked string instruments – a number of which I’ve studied privately over the years. I’m an  amateur ethnomusicologist,” he explained.

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Roots Round Up returns to Cortes since before the pandemic to play weekend of shows

By Louis Belcourt, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

The Gorge Harbour Marina and the Gorge Hall have both booked Roots Round Up this weekend for two shows.

The prolific Vancouver based band haven’t played Cortes since before the COVID-19 pandemic and have never played back-to-back shows on the island.

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What Moon Dance Productions wants for Cortes Island

Cortes Island has a new volunteer production company. According to their recent press release, Moon Dance Productions will pay travelling expenses, accommodation etc for bands coming to Cortes Island. They have already booked the Awakeneers for an Earth Day Contra Dance in Mansons Hall on Saturday, April 13th. A dance troupe will be coming on Tuesday, April 16th, and Elise LeBlanc with Sahara Jane on Saturday, April 27th.

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Michael Keith (Part 2): on Cortes Island 

Michael Keith was ‘blown away’ when he visited Hornby Island twenty years ago.

“I was like, ‘Wow, imagine living in a place like that.’ I remember going back to Toronto and telling my friends, ‘they don’t even lock their doors there. It’s incredible!’”

He was enamoured by the spectacular seascapes at Tofino, when he played there a few years later. 

Keith went through a divorce, sold his house, and then hooked up with a professor at the University of Toronto.  

“My new partner who I’ve been with for 10 years,  introduced me to Cortes because she would come here for getaways from Toronto. I was gigging two or three times a week, and teaching in Toronto. She wanted to move here. I came, checked it out and just fell in love with the land. We were fortunate enough to get a tiny little place.”

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Friday Afternoon Concerts in the Village Commons: Sean and Catriona

According to local musician Jemma Hicken, when the Gorge Harbour Marina partially shut down for renovations this summer, they also closed one of the most popular music venues on Cortes Island.

“Me and a lot of my musician friends have been playing at the Gorge and have been paid to play at the Gorge – which is amazing on Cortes. You don’t often find paying gigs here. Then the Gorge shut down most of its operations this year, and I think a lot of the community felt like there was a big hole left by the lack of live music. There’s been a couple of attempts at organizing live music around the island. I know that there’s live music happening at the Co-op on Saturday nights, which is awesome. We’re going to have live music for the Friday Markets as well.”

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