Lethbridge Folk Club president Morris Soenen is looking forward to Sept. 9, because that’s when the Lethbridge Folk Club kicks off their fall season with their first open mic.
Though attendance has been hit or miss for them, open mics will be returning on the second and fourth Fridays of each month as of September.
“There are always people saying they’ll come one of these days, but one of these days never seems to come for them,” Soenen said.
“I don’t know if it’s a problem, or if it’s complacency,” he said.
The Folk Club open mics are one of the most supportive audiences in the city. It is also the longest standing open mic in the city, running for at least 25 years at numerous locations including the Bowman Art Centres and a variety of now defunct downtown bars, before settling into the Wolf’s Den (Upstairs 325 - 5 St. South, Lethbridge just down from The Penny Coffee House)). Registration is at 8 p.m. with the music starting at 9 p.m.
Bluegrass jams are also returning on the first and third Friday of the month beginning Sept. 16.
“We’ve been doing bluegrass jams on and off for a while,” he said.
We want to keep it simple. It’s all acoustic instruments, the only electric instrument is a bass. It’s a jamming circle, so everybody can participate. Just bring your music,” he said.
“If you can play a G, C and D chord, you can play anything. Just bring a capo,” he said. Bluegrass jams will start at 7 p.m. sharp.
But the open mics are only part of the Folk Club’s busy season
They hold concerts on an average of once a month.
Bill Bourne plays first on Saturday, Sept. 17 with local acoustic bluesman Leon Barr opening the show. Bourne was last here a couple years ago with Tri-Continental in January 2009 but hasn’t played solo for the Folk Club in Soenen’s memory.
Duane Steele will be playing Oct. 15 with opening act Charlie Ewing.
The Brock Zeman Band will be playing Nov. 12 and Lowry Olafson on Dec. 3. Opening acts haven’t been chosen.
The Spring 2012 schedule looks good too with Sultans of String playing Feb. 11, Andrew and Zachary Smith on March 24, the Willy Blizzard band on April 21 and Fish and Bird closing the season on May 19.
“ It’s just got a such a variety of stuff. But mostly it’s people who sound good. And people who we just like what they do. We can’t afford to pay big bucks for names,” Soenen said. They wanted to keep ticket prices affordable as well, so they are $20 per show for members or $25 for non-members, which includes Folk Club Membership.
“We can’t put on concerts at the drop of a hat,” he said.
“People will still complain that the prices are too high, but the artists have got to get paid,” he said.
