Beat winter blues with a bluegrass tune-up

By Nadine Eagles-Harvie

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

Feeling winter weary? Don’t fret, a little touch of spring is all that’s in order and it’s headed our way. The Spring Tune-up Bluegrass weekend, the first of it’s kind in West Hants, will set the stage for some good old fashioned toe tapping this March, and what better way to bury winter. Bluegrass festivals need not wait for summer say Tune-up organizers, and it seems they are onto something. The first event Friday night has already sold out. All 66 rooms at the Super 8 will be crammed that evening as musicians and fans from all over Nova Scotia reunite. And like any good music festival there is no set stage or agenda; performers will tune up their instruments in every nook and crannie for one massive, impromptu jam session.

It will be like nothing else our region has ever seen, (well, for this time of year) and the Super 8 is more than happy to accommodate the melange when it means the venue is booked solid.

The following days events will include workshops displays and prizes.

But for those who weren’t lucky enough to get a ticket early on there is still time to take in the weekends main event, March 6 at the Windsor Legion. The Saturday night concert will feature the Spinney Brothers, Shady Lane and New Ground with special guests Hants counties own, Glen Parker and from New Brunswick multiple award-winner Frank Doody and the not to be missed, legendary bluegrass fiddler, Ray Legere.

Sound techs Mike Jamieson and Greg Griffin will help make the music resonate loud and clear.

Planning for this event began last spring and has relied solely on a handful local volunteers.

Organizer Blair Wheaton says the weekend will be a great way to beat the winter blues and do some good in the community. “This is about brining music and friends together for a weekend as we usher winter out” Wheaton said. “If you can picture a summer festival thats what we’re aiming for.”

For years this group of organizers have attended similar events in neighboring towns and thought it was time to bring the fun closer to home. “Basically, we got tired of driving in winter weather to go to all the events” said Glen Parker. The idea sprang to mind as soon as the Super 8 in Windsor opened, providing an ideal base, he said. “This will give us a chance to do some jamming ourselves and hobnob with other musician too,” said Bill Lake”

Booking the entire Super 8 presented an unknown but they had it filled by December. “There was so much interest we probably could have filled two hotels, that’s pretty encouraging,” Wheaton said. And well worth the financial risk, he adds. “Bluegrass is very social and you can’t put a price on the human element of bringing fun to winter.”

They hope to attract hundreds of patrons to the Saturday night concert. “We really wanted to include a show that people who lived locally could take part; we want everyone to enjoy this.”

Aside from the immediate benefits to music lovers Wheaton said there will be a significant benefit to local businesses, as well. “This will add to the growing awareness of what Windsor has to offer.”

The Spring Tune-up organizers are all members of the Annapolis Valley Bluegrass Association, a benefactor of the children’s Wish Foundation.

It is hoped a sell-out Saturday night show will defray expenses and contribute to local charities such as the Wish Foundation and add to the coffers for a sequel in 2011.

At only $20 per person tickets are moving fast. For ticket info call: 757-3440 757-2635 or 538-0052