The Awakening in Perth

Time: Thursday, October 4th, 2007 6pm opening ceremony
Location: Stewart Park and the Perth Fair Grounds, Perth ON

Focused on the Future, Honoring the Past!
A Three Day Circle of All Nations Celebration of the Waterways of North America and 175th Anniversary of the Rideau Canal (Newest Unesco World Heritage Site!)
Coordinated by Merriwolf Productions

Guest speakers will cover the topic of Uranium Mining in the Frontenac and Lanark region.

October 7, 2007

3:20 PM - 3:50PM
Joan Kuyek, Mining Watch Canada
Impacts of Mining and Mineral Exploration

5:20 PM - 5:50PM
Doreen Davie, Algonquin Chief
Local Struggles to Protect Lands and Watersheds

6:20 PM - 6:30PM
Paula Sherman, Algonquin Chief
Local Struggles to Protect Lands and Watersheds

James Cotton, merriwolf, The Awakening and the entire shebang - almost.

The producer of The Awakening is onto is first funding concert.

Can I get another three tickets for James Cotton of you?" The five year old boy says, while his tiny arms reach out to receive a poster and a free ticket from Brent Ringer, on tour to promote his next concert. "Well, do you know who he is?" The organizer of The Awakening (see The Perth Courier, June 22nd), a gathering in Perth in October asks, barely hiding the surprise in his smiling eyes. The kid's answer is understood: "Yeah, of course, he is the king of the blues, and I want to buy tickets for my mum and dad and my uncle."

King or faithful servant of the Blues, Superharp James Cotton will be in Carlton Place on the 29th of July for everybody to get swept away by his superb blues harmonica playing, singing and his award winning performance. To name just the most recent: James Cotton was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, in Memphis, TN in 2006 - the 2007 album "Breakin' it Up & Breakin' it Down" was a co production with Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter. On his myspace page (www.myspace.com/jamescotton55), listeners can sound sample his good times style, and watch it - at the end of the song, you'll catch yourself wishing you hadn't thrown out that old rocking chair but fixed it. Somethin' about the south of the States ... good thing, there are live concerts like this one.

Not enough, that Ringer managed to set up one of the two only concerts of James Cotton in Canada this summer, he also has Lorraine Davies and The Too Drunk Too Fish Band booked to open the same night. This local band bestows with solid Country and Western arrangements (foot tapping a given, dancing very likely), distilling the best out of the here-and-now-pleasures and challenges of family life and country livin'. Mother of two, caregiver also to the four kids of her husband and singer Rob, Lorraine Davies certainly appears qualified. "I made a commitment to my family, I raised my kids first, now it's time for my own projects", the singer and songwriter explains smiling - and the title of her first cd "A time for me", was born. All of her songs can be listened to on her web page.

Both artists' cd's will be available at the night of the show, and James Cotton promises on his web page to autograph if nicely asked! Tickets are available at $ 21 in advance or $ 26 at the door. You can get them on TicketWeb, or here:

SHADOWFAX 4 Gore Street E. PERTH

NORDIC STAR 68 Mill Street ALMONTE

KWICK-E-MART 3 Main Street SMITHS FALLS

ARMY NAVY AIRFORCE CLUB

315 Townline Rd E. CARLTON PLACE

Latest update on that concert:

Elyssa Mahoney will be playing from early the same night on, about 6.30pm, followed by Lorraine Davies and band, followed by James Cotton. Rumour has it, that 16 year old Elyssa might join in Cotton's show for a 60-something-years-of- blues-spanning duo!

Now what does all this have to do with The Awakening in Perth in October (The Perth Courier on the 22nd of June)? Ringer explains: "The proceeds of the James Cotton concert will back up The Awakening budget. The interludes between presentations for example: we are all set for a wonderful line-up of local, native and international artists who, in part, have committed to do more spontaneous, shorter performances between the talks or for the Elders. We'd like to be able to reward that." Ringer's theme for this concert fall: "woman in song". It also engulfs a local showcase in Perth. Any names yet? Yes, Ringer opens up: "We have Maria Hawkins (who happens to be of native, black and white descent) Band for the first of September, Rebekka Paige on the 15th and PEACEWORK on the 29th of September. It's going to be a little introduction for the local audience to present the concept of the entertainment program, like a little preview, where we feature one local band. PEACEWORK has their first CD publication coming up for September, October, and all three are awesome live performers, as we all know. We hope here in particular, to attract interest of potential corporate sponsors, whom we would be delighted to welcome to one or even all of these concerts - these artists are all a big surprise and/or long-lost-friend-kind-of-people to me - I am just so happy, that there is this incredible talent around here, and not enough people have fun with that."

Merriwolf seems dedicated to change that with his concert series. All concerts are open to the public, tickets will soon be sold in Perth and on ticket web. The proceeds will offset entertainers' fees, advertising/posters/brochures, children's activity's and entertainment, guest speakers, special guests from other countries, stage, sound and lighting equipment and staff, security, parking attendance, catering, portable washrooms, transportation, lodging and more.

For web junkies and other music lovers

all of the following three on the 29th of July Army Navy Airforce Club Carlton Place

www.JamesCottonSuperharp.com

www.LorraineDavies.com

www.elyssamahoney.ca/mainframes.htm

www.MariaHawkins.ca 1st of September Perth

www.leedsandgrenville.com/rebekka 15th of September Perth

www.peaceworkband.ca 29th of September Perth

"Superharp" in Carlton Place with Elyssa Mahoney!!!

Blues fans, there's something going on down and dirty:

James Cotton (song samples are here) will be playing


July 29th 2007


at the Army Navy Airforce Club, 315 Townline Rd East, Carleton Place,

and Lorraine Davies (song samples are here) will be opening that night.

Please click on the links for more information of the artists.

Latest update on that concert:
Elyssa Mahoney will be playing from early the same night on, about 6.30pm, followed by Lorraine Davies and band, followed by James Cotton. Rumor has it, that 16 year old Elyssa might join in Cotton's show for a 60-something-years of-blues-spanning-duo!


Tickets ($ 21 in advance, $26 at the door) are available on TicketWeb, or here:

SHADOWFAX 4 Gore Street E. PERTH

NORDIC STAR 68 Mill Street ALMONTE

KWICK-E-MART 3 Main Street SMITHS FALLS

ARMY NAVY AIRFORCE CLUB
315 Townline Rd E. CARLTON PLACE