Petapan: First Light is pleased to welcome the public to a Performance Showcase featuring Indigenous Artists from across the Atlantic region. Featured performers include Matt Comeau, Kyana Kingbird, Sisters of the Drum, and more!
Join us for an extraordinary evening of song, dance, and comedy, highlighting the richness of the culture in these Wabanaki Territories!
Sat 11 Jun 2022, 7:30 PM at the Fredericton Playhouse.
As part of SYMPHONY NB, Camerata NB, Our French Connection at the Fredericton Playhouse.
Conductor: Mélanie Léonard
Part of the SPOTLIGHT SERIES, with Colin Fowlie, Montgomery Street Band, The Hypochondriacs, Grant Heckman, Jessica Rhaye and the Ramshackle Parade, and the Brent Mason Band.
When Bob Dylan turned 69, Saint John musician Brent Mason decided to throw him a birthday party, inviting some of his friends to play a show singing songs from Dylan’s extensive catalogue. Twelve years later, this annual event continues and thrives, having moved from sold out clubs to larger venues. For the first time ever, Brent and company will be joined by local favourites to hold an event at the Fredericton Playhouse celebrating Bob Dylan’s 81st birthday!
Brent and his band are joined by Jessica Rhaye and the Ramshackle Parade and Grant Heckman as the core of the show, with appearances by a revolving roster of talented artists each year, ensuring new and exciting interpretations of the Bard of Hibbing’s songs each May. This year they will be joined by Fredericton favourites Colin Fowlie, the Montgomery Street Band and the Hypochondriacs Trio for what promises to be a night of music magic!
May 24, 7:30 pm at the Fredericton Playhouse.
Get tickets here.
The Downchild Blues Band is excited to finally play their 50th anniversary show at the Fredericton Playhouse featuring special guests Matt Minglewood and Jenie Thai.
“There would be no Blues Brothers if it weren’t for Downchild”- Dan Aykroyd
One of Canada’s exciting, young up and coming blues talents, JENIE THAI will be opening the show. The 3X Maple Blues Award nominee made a major splash with Downchild in 2019 on their West coast swing, lighting up the stage with her stellar piano playing and singing on original material from her latest album “Night On Fire.”
Downchild experienced some unexpected changes during the two year pause due to the pandemic, including the loss of their long-time keyboard player Michael Fonfara (Lou Reed), who sadly pass away in 202,1 as well as the retirement of their drummer of over twenty years, Mike Fitzpatrick. Thankfully for fans, the band was keen to keep performing and recruited former member, Jim Casson to fill the drum throne and Thunder Bay native Tyler Yarema was a natural fit on Piano. The band is excited to hit the road with the new lineup and are sounding and performing better than ever!
Downchild is of course the inspiration for Hollywood stars Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi’s hit film The Blues Brothers. In fact, two Downchild songs “I Got Everything I Need (Almost)” and “Shotgun Blues” are found on The Blues Brothers smash album Briefcase Full of Blues.
The Longest 50th Anniversary Tour is dedicated to Michael Fonfara and to all of the many Downchild fans who patiently held on to their tickets from shows that were postponed in 2020.
Downchild has just released their 50th Anniversary Live At The Toronto Jazz Festival DVD, featuring special guests Dan Aykroyd, Paul Shaffer, David Wilcox, Kenny Neal, Gene Taylor and Erja Lyytinen, that was filmed at their 50th Anniversary Tour kick off shows in Toronto on June 22, 2019. The band shut down Bloor Street in Toronto for this once in a lifetime performance and torn it up for a magical night that was thankfully captured on tape by award winning producer, Joel Goldberg.
Downchild is a Canadian blues institution with an international reputation. They have shared the stage with blues icons B.B. King, Buddy Guy and John Lee Hooker to name a few and have performed around the world, leaving fans thoroughly entertained wherever the go.
Click here for tickets.