Start: 9:30 p.m.

Cover: $10

 http://www.rachellevanzanten.com or www.myspace.com/rachellevanzanten

After 11 years in the trenches slide guitarist Rachelle Van Zanten isdone with bands After 11 years in the trenches,  In 2006 she released her first solo album, “Back to Francois”, which is packed with funky blues riffs and stellar slide performances. The surprise is that van Zanten juxtaposes her gutsy guitar playing with very personal and introspective lyrics- a stylistic trait she attributes to her diverse influences" (Guitar Player Magazine U.S.- Oct. 2006). She has come a long way from her bluegrass upbringing in the foothills of northern British Columbia, recently recording a rock album with producer Joby Baker (Cowboy Junkies, Alex Cuba, The Weakerthans, Mae Moore) and world-renowned sound engineer, Tchad Blake (Sheryl Crow, Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, Los Lobos, Pearl Jam). Rachelle is a unique and eclectic Americana singer-songwriter much in the style of Lucinda Williams. Rachelle has performed with Feist, Blue Rodeo, Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Sue Foley; and has supported Indigo Girls, Eagle Eye Cherry and Dar Williams. Rachelle's recent tour schedule took her through Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, India and Nepal.

Raised in the foothills of northern British Columbia, van Zanten grew up playing bluegrass and old time country with her family. She spent the majority of her preteens singing to Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Sr., and Johnny Cash recordings. By age 13 she was well schooled in piano, drums and trumpet but wanting to be modish with the 90's rock movement, took up guitar.

In the fall of '95 van Zanten took her talents to the city of Edmonton, Alberta. After a year of university studies and varsity basketball, Rachelle joined forces with Daisy Blue Groff, Carolyn Fortowsky, and Kim Gryba to form the renowned Canadian rock quartet, Painting Daisies. Simultaneously, van Zanten heard the inimitable slide guitar stylings of Lester Quitzau and immediately began to develop her own slide guitar technique. Over a span of 11 years, the group recorded 4 rock albums in between touring Iceland, Belgium, Holland, Germany, 36 States of America, and 7 provinces of Canada. While co-fronting the band, Painting Daisies won "Entertainer's of the Year" for the 2001 Prairie Music Awards beating out Jann Arden, Nickleback, and Wide Mouth Mason. In 2003, van Zanten's penned, "Walking Home Lately", was the song that lead to winning top prize in CBC's "Great Canadian Music Dream" competition, over 4000 acts. The prize of a one-hour television special aired December 30th, 2003 featuring special guest Randy Bachman.

In 2005 the band performed their final show in September leaving van Zanten with opportunity to craft a solo recording and tour her new material. "Back to Francois" was recorded that same year with Island Music Awards, Producer of the Year, Joby Baker. 'Back to Francois' is a "fresh and rootsy debut album. It is contemporary, bright & optimistic whilst retaining its origins in the core values of North American music." (Mick Glossop, UK Producer). As a solo performer, van Zanten and her slide guitar are gracing the international stages alongside such greats as Sylvia Tyson, Colin Linden, Sonny Rhodes, and Alison Brown.

She is now touring through Europe, Canada, and the United States in support of this new recording, and as an active member of the music community van Zanten is the producer of Western Canada's music camp for young women, Rocker Girl Camp (www.rockergirlcamp.com

Tod Robinson And the Gleu  www.myspace.com/todrobinson  

 Tod Robinson and the Gleu play a little bit of everything from country to alternative to blues rock.