The Lethbridge Folk Club features their second show of their new season in a brand new location— The Cave at Lethbridge College.
Calgary based blues musician Erin Ross performs Nov. 15 with her trio with Ryland Moranz opening the show at 8 p.m. sharp. Ross regularly performs at th
e Owl Acoustic Lounge as well as at the Mocha Cabana. She last played for the Lethbridge Folk Club opening for Pharis and Jason Romero in February 2013.
“We’re coming to play a show as a trio. It will be similar to my solo show except as a trio,” she said adding bassist Kaley Kinjo and drummer Jon May will be joining her at the Cave.
“ I play with a trio once in a while, but not necessarily with the same players, so it is a rotation of different players,” she continued adding this show will be the first with this particular trio.
“Though I’ve played with Kaley many times.”
She noted she enjoys playing with a band behind her, though she can more than hold her own as a solo act.
“It’s a different sound. Solo, there is just one person who can make a mistake and that’s me,” she deadpanned.
She enjoys playing folk club shows.
“I play them a few times a year. It’s a great way to appeal to a different type of audience. They are more attentive,” she said.
“For me I play just the right number of folk club shows. They’re also a great way to open for other talented artists,” she said pinpointing her last Lethbridge Folk Club show opening for Pharis and Jason Romero as one highlight.
“ I remember another folk club show I played in Medicine Hat. It was in the middle of winter and it was cold like -30 and I didn’t think anybody would come out, but I was really surprised that they did,” she recalled.
She is working on a new CD which is almost ready to be released.
“ I need to do mixing and mastering for it. I’ve definitely been playing the songs though,” she continued.
Lethbridge Folk Club president Morris Soenen said this year's season has started slowly with bluegrass jams on the first and third Fridays of the month at MJ's Cycle ( 1502 -2nd Avenue South) and open mics on the second and fourth Fridays.
“ It’s started off pretty slow. But hopefully people who don’t know about it will find out about it and start coming,” Soenen said. The Lethbridge Folk Club has been operating since 1989.
Due to liquor license restrictions, only Folk Club members and invited guests can attend the open mics as the room has been redefined as a private club. Memberships only cost five dollars for the season. Admission to each individual show is $20 for members and invited guests.
The Folk Club has approximately 50 members this year.
“ Of course we’d love to have quite a few more,” he continued.
Their first show of the season was Oct. 25 with The Wardens.
As usual the Lethbridge Folk Club has a lot of variety this season.
They don’t do anything over December as people are preoccupied with Christmas related activities, but they will be back on Jan. 10 with the Sadlier-Brown band featuring Polyjesters bassist Jason Valleau.
They will be performing with New Brunswick's The Married Men.
The folk club goes bluegrass in February with Calgary based bluegrass band Rotary Park playing the Cave Feb. 21.
In March they are bringing back the Ben Sures Trio who was supposed to close their last season, but whose show had to be cancelled. They will be playing March 28 with special guests Steve Cormier and Peter Van Kampen.
The Lethbridge Folk Club wind up their season on Thursday April 23 with bluesman Guy Davis.
“ I wanted to do something like this in the community, though it is getting harder to find poster space in the community,” Soenen said adding the club is considering having special shows apart form the season on their Friday nights, especially the bluegrass jam nights which aren’t as busy as he hoped they would be. The first special show is Charlie Ewing, who will be playing the Wolf’s Den, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m.
“I’ll do what I can to keep the place open in the winter time,” he said.
