In February, Public Energy Performing Arts is taking Peterborough audiences on a trip down under with two dance presentations from Australian indigenous artists Djuki Mala and Victoria Hunt.

These dance artists, who bring fresh ideas and energy to the stage as well as insightful views to indigenous Australia and New Zealand, have been selected for Public Energy’s main stage season by curator Patti Shaughnessy.

Djuki Mala at Showplace Performance Centre on Tuesday, February 5th

First up is the acclaimed dance company Djuki Mala, who will be performing at Showplace Performance Centre on Tuesday, February 5th.

The five dancers come from Elcho Island, a remote community off the northern tip of Australia owned by the Yolngu, an indigenous people who have lived there for at least 50,000 years.

VIDEO: Zorba the Greek Yolngu style – The Chooky Dancers

Originally calling themselves the Chooky Dancers (“chook” is Australian slang for chicken), the group came to prominence in 2007 when they posted a YouTube video of 10 dancers performing a routine to the tune of “Zorba the Greek” on a basketball court in Ramingining in Australia’s northern territory.

Within 12 weeks, the YouTube video had 500,000 views (it now stands at almost 2.9 million views), and the dance troupe immediately found themselves in demand.

Since then, Djuki Mala — they changed their name in 2014, with “djuki” being an adopted word for chook and “mala” meaning people who share a common feature — has created a number of shows that fuse traditional Yolngu culture with pop culture, dance, clowning, and storytelling.

Dressed in traditional costumes and ochre, with gaga (spears) and galpou (spear thrower), Djuki Mala creates an exciting spectacle that appeals to all ages.

They have performed to sold-out audiences around the world, including China, North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

As much as the traditional dance, the comedic element that makes up a Djuki Mala performance has its origins in Yolngu culture; in fact, clowning has been part of Yolngu culture longer than many of the traditional dances themselves.

VIDEO: Djuki Mala in performance

The show tells the genesis of Djuki Mala, interspersed with multimedia, and gives audiences the opportunity to experience some of the more intimate moments and turning points that have shaped them.

The family-friendly performance takes place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5th at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) and will be followed by an on-stage question-and-answer session with the artists.

Tickets are $22 ($12 students and underwaged, $7 high school students) and are available in person at the Showplace Box Office, by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at www.showplace.org. There is an additional $3 ticketing fee when buying online.

Victoria Hunt at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday, February 19th

A completely different dance performance takes place two weeks later, when Victoria Hunt presents her solo show Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday, February 19th.

A dance artist based in Sydney, Australia, Hunt’s heritage is Maori, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. In 2003, Hunt went to Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand) and met her relations for the first time. She was taken to Tarawera mountain and lake and introduced to tribal stories and ceremonial practices.

There, she heard the story of the 1886 volcanic eruption that displaced her ancestors from their land. Over 150 people died in the eruption of Mount Tarawera, but others were protected from the ash and mud by sheltering themselves in a meeting house built in 1880 from native totara wood by two local carvers. The meeting house was named Hinemihi after a noted female ancestor, renowned in Maori legend for keeping the company of a giant lizard.

After the eruption, the survivors relocated to a nearby community and Hinemihi was left behind, almost buried in debris. In 1892, William Hillier Onslow — the Fourth Earl of Onslow and retiring Governor of New Zealand — purchased Hinemihi for 50 pounds as a memento of his time in New Zealand. He had Hinemihi dismantled and shipped to his home in Surrey, England, where she remains to this day under the care of the National Trust UK.

Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka interweaves the journey of Hinemihi with Hunt’s own experience of finding family, of reconnecting with culture, and of learning from land, ancestors, and peers.

Using sophisticated special effects and evocative sound, with beautifully suggestive dancing and her native Maori language, Hunt and her collaborators have created a world of rupture and foreboding and of resilience and joy.

Hunt’s production of Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka will be performed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) and will be followed by an on-stage question-and-answer session with the artists.

Tickets are $25 ($15 for students and the underwaged and $10 for high school students) and are available in person at the Market Hall Box Office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.

VIDEO: “Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka” – Victoria Hunt

As we crawl slowly towards the end of winter, we can rejoice in knowing that soon the cold weather will shift towards spring. Although the weather will remain mostly frigid for the month, there is a lot of excellent live music in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here are just a few of the shows happening this month.

TakeFive Ensemble at The Loft in Cobourg on February 3

Classical fans will love to take in the TakeFive Ensemble at The Loft (201 Division St., Cobourg, 905-372-2210) on Sunday, February 3rd.

Chamber classics by Beethoven, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Handel-Halvorsen, and Dvorák will be performed by violinist Lynn Kuo (assistant concertmaster of the NBC Orchestra), violinist Csaba Koczó (assistant principal second violin of the COC Orchestra), violist Theresa Rudolph, assistant principal viola of the TSO), cellist Emmanuelle Beaulieu Bergeron (associate principal cellist of the TSO), and Shoshana Telner (the renowned pianist who made her solo orchestral début with the National Arts Centre Orchestra at the age of 16).

Tickets are $25 plus fees and HST and the show begins at 3 p.m. Advance tickets are available at the Victoria Hall Box Office at 905-372-2210 on online at concerthallatvictoriahall.com.

VIDEO: Shoshana Telner plays Liszt

The Watched Pots at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 7

The Watched Pots bring their tunes to The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Thursday, February 7th.

This relatively new local project is described as “a three-piece female band from Nogojiwanong who have reclaimed the sounds and experiences of the kitchen to combine feminist topics with humour. The band strives to make music more accessible for those who typically consider themselves to be non-musicians.”

The group is debuting some new songs off of their upcoming album. Tickets are available at the door with a sliding scale of $5 to $10. The show begins at 8 p.m.

Pine Box String Band at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 8

Let me paint a picture for you: it’s Friday, you just finished the work week, you’ve got tickets for the Lee Harvey Osmond show, but you want something to do before dinner as a buffer from the week. Well, head to The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) for a happy hour show from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring Peterborough’s own Pine Box String Band.

You’ll hear old-timey blues tunes played with soul and a whole lot of good vibes. Bring some cash, as the show is a pass-the-hat gig, and get ready for some Friday fun.

VIDEO: “Bring Another Half Pint” – Pine Box String Band

Tom Wilson as Lee Harvey Osmond at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 8

kawarthaNOW and Peterborough favourite Tom Wilson returns for an album release show of his new Lee Harvey Osmond record Mohawk on Friday, February 8th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146).

Wilson may be best known for his role in Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and also as the frontman in ’90s Hamilton rock band Junkhouse, but Lee Harvey Osmond may be among his finest work. The tunes are moody and truthful and full of musical layers that bring the listener into Wilson’s world one note at a time. Each show is seething with a depth rarely found in live performance.

The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $33 for general admission and $38 for cabaret table seats (for an extra $15, you can get an autographed copy of Mohawk on vinyl), available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.

VIDEO: “Forty Light Years” – Lee Harvey Osmond

Blue Valentine tribute to Willie P. Bennett at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 10

Folk music legend and former Peterborough resident, the late great Willie P. Bennett, will be honoured on Sunday, February 10th at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107).

Blue Valentine is an annual show featuring some friends of Willie P. and other Peterborough musicians who love his music, paying tribute both with his songs and songs about the brilliant songwriter who passed away 11 years ago, on February 15, 2008.

Musical acts will include Pat Temple, Benj Rowland, Charlie Earle, David Berger, Sweet Muriel, Kim Doolittle, Dennis O’Toole, event host Washboard Hank, and many more.

This is always a very special event and admission first come, first served. Thee show runs from 3 to 6 p.m. and a musical appreciation bucket will be passed around.

VIDEO: “Blackie And The Rodeo King” – Willie P. Bennett (1977)

VIDEO: “Patience of a Working Man” – Willie P. Bennett (1993)

VIDEO: “Willie’s Diamond Joe” – Willie P. Bennett (2001)

Matt Mays at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 15

Nova Scotia rock and roller Matt Mays brings old favourites and songs from his new record Twice Upon a Hell of a Time to Peterborough for a stripped-down show on Friday, February 15th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146).

Mays is a Juno award-winning artist whose discography is acclaimed and numerous. For this show he will be touring with bandmates Adam Baldwin and Ryan Stanley. And the rumours are true: our vrey own Melissa Payne will be joining Mays onstage as part of his band for this concert.

The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 for general admission seats and $40 for a reserved spot at a cabaret table, available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.

VIDEO: “Station Our of Range” – Matt Mays

Whitehorse at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 21

It’s hard not to love husband-and wife-band Whitehorse. Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet have carved out a fabulous career together with numerous albums under their belt and a sound that is all their own.

On Thursday, February 21st, they return to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) to perform tunes from their latest record The Northern South Vol. 2, along with songs from their previous albums.

You can describe them many ways. Ethereal folk. Space cowboy twang. Intergalactic blues. There may not be enough adjectives to pull together a cohesive description of their chameleon-like musical vibes and brilliant on-stage chemistry. Oh, and the Juno Award winners were just nominated this month for another Juno: Adult Contemporary Album of the Year for their 2018 Christmas album A Whitehorse Winter Classic.

The show, which begins at 8 p.m., is almost sold out, with just a few general admission tickets remaining for $38. Get yours now at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.

VIDEO: “Baby, Scratch My Back” – Whitehorse

Lunar Bloom, Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, and Mary-Kate Edwards at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 22

There will be a triple bill of excellent acts at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Friday, February 22nd as Toronto group Lunar Bloom and their lovely harmonies take the stage along with Newfoundland’s Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, with local Mary-Kate Edwards opening the show.

A mix of folky vibes with deep lyrics and a whole lot of fun will be on tap for the evening. Tickets are $10 or pay what you can at the door. The show begins at 9 p.m. sharp.

VIDEO: “Monster” – Lunar Bloom

VIDEO: “Cleaning Up My Mess” – Jessica Pearson and the East Wind

Russell deCarle at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 23

Russell deCarle, best known as the lead singer and founding member of country-roots group Prairie Oyster, performs at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) on Saturday, February 23rd at 8 p.m.

deCarle is a talented singer-songwriter who’s latest album Alone in This Crowd has a certain vintage feel to it. It sits somewhere between country and soul, chock full of rich and compelling tunes all sung with his wonderful voice.

Joining deCarle for the evening will be guitarist Steve Briggs (Bebop Cowboys, Sylvia Tyson, Murray McLauchlan, Carroll Baker, Leon Redbone), pianist John Sheard (Vinyl Cafe, Rita MacNeil, Ian & Sylvia Tyson, Rita Coolidge, Olivia Newton-John, Celine Dion), and bassist John Dymond (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Bruce Cockburn, Lindi Ortega, k.d. lang, Colin Linden).

Tickets are $30 for general admission and $35 for cabaret-style seats. You can order tickets at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.

VIDEO: “Shooting Star” – Russell deCarle with Steve Briggs and Denis Keldie

Sitting down over hot chocolate at Haaselton’s in downtown Peterborough, local musician Al Black had ample reason to smile the smile of a contented man.

Trudging through the snow to keep this early afternoon appointment was anything but a chore for the self-professed aficionado of the winter season; a love of all things cold and fluffy that features snowshoeing and long walks in the wintry wilderness at its centre.

And then there was the principal subject of the conversation to come: music and, specifically, the April 20th concert at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre featuring Jackson Delta, of which he is an original member alongside Rick Fines and Gary Peeples.

As if that wasn’t enough to brighten the sparkle in Black’s eye, in from George Street walks bandmate Fines. Black asked him to join us and Fines did just that.

“I don’t want him telling you all the lies,” joked Fines of his motivation. “I want to tell some too.”

Fibs and tall tales aside, there’s one undeniable truth at play here: Jackson Delta’s acoustic blues sound remains as musically relevant today as it was when the trio headlined music festivals across North America and the U.K. while earning two Juno Award nominations during the mid to late 1980s and into the following decade.

VIDEO: “Sink or Swim” – Jackson Delta

Billed as “Jackson Delta – Bringing It All Back Home”, the April 20th return to Market Hall (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) marks the band’s first performance since SLAB Productions brought them together for an intimate performance last November.

The Market Hall is a favourite venue of the trio, having first reunited there in October 2014 for a show called “Jackson Delta – Revisited”, and then again in April 2017 for a show called “Jackson Delta: Slight Return”.

Tickets to the 8 p.m. concert on Saturday, April 20th cost $35 ($45 for cabaret-style seating) and can be ordered in person at the Market Hall Box Office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.

“The three of us make one hell of a one-man band,” assesses Fines, a nod to the fact that all three — Fines and Peeples on guitar and Black on drums and harmonica — alternate on lead vocals. What’s old isn’t new again, notes Black. It simply works and that’s good enough for each.

“We all like to sing but it’s also fun to play behind someone else, doing a song you might not have chosen for yourself.”

Saying “We weren’t crossing paths” back in the day, Black still marvels that the trio came together at all. Fines agrees fate was at play.

“I just happened to see Gary going into a house with these really cool guitars and amps,” Fines recalls. “He had a handlebar moustache and I thought ‘This guy is into Duane Allman’. I was into Duane Allman too and I was only 17. So I just walked over and talked to him. When Alan and I met up, it was because we were both hired by Mike Langford to be in his band.”

Almost immediately, Fines, Black, and Peeples discovered they had a common interest in, and love for, the blues. That led to their getting together at each other’s houses to refine their craft — “a hobby” of sorts, according to Fines.

“When we started playing, there was that unplugged thing happening,” says Black. “There was already a shift there and we were fortunate to be a part of that. It surprised us more than anybody. When you think of 1980s music now, you certainly don’t think of Jackson Delta.”

Blending acoustic roots music with traditional blues, Jackson Delta quickly made a name for itself. Coffee house gigs morphed into large venue shows. Recording wise, the band’s debut recording Delta Sunrise was done in 1988 at landmark Sun Records in Memphis — a collector’s item as only 250 copies were pressed.

That record was followed by 1989’s Acoustic Blues (nominated for a 1990 Juno for best roots/traditional album), Lookin’ Back, and I Was Just Thinking That (a live recording with pianist Gene Taylor at the Ultrasound Showbar in Toronto in 1991, which brought the band its second Juno nomination).

VIDEO: “Back Up From Zero” – Jackson Delta

But come the new millennium, with each member looking to pursue other projects, Jackson Delta faded into the sunset … but not from people’s memories.

“When people come and see us now — some haven’t seen us for 20 years — they’ve made up their mind that they want things to be right back to where they were 20 years ago … it’s nostalgia,” says Fines, with Black adding “Where there’s music, there are memories.”

What’s clear from the get-go for anyone who has caught a Jackson Delta performance, whether that was 30 years ago or as recently as last fall, is the friendship between Fines, Black, and Peeples that anchors their common love of playing music.

“There’s a thing that happens with music that’s beyond just words and beyond the standard level of intimacy that happens between men in our society,” Fines says.

“When you play music together, there’s something else that happens there between you that sort of raises that bar. You drop some of your boundaries and your pretenses and you share something that’s emotional and personal.

“We love each other and we love our music and we love playing each other’s music. We love playing music together. We love playing music for our friends.”

VIDEO: Jackson Delta promo video for “Jackson Delta: Slight Return” in 2017

For Black, that Jackson Delta is able to come together so seamlessly after long periods of absence is indicative of “just how easy it is” — a reality strengthened by the respect each member has for the others.

“We talk a lot … there’s lots of catching up to do,” says Black of the rehearsal sessions that precede each live show reunion.

“They (Fines and Peeples) talk way too much about guitars for me but that’s okay. We get caught up in terms of whom we’ve been listening to, pass around CDs, and bring out new things we’ve learned.”

For the Market Hall show, Black says the plan is to “freshen things up a bit. we’ll go over our repertoire and look for something we haven’t done for awhile. We don’t want it to be a blueprint of the last show.”

AUDIO: “T.V. Mama / Bad News Blues” – Jackson Delta (live)

While performing live has been nothing new for Black and Peeples — Black remains a staple on the Peterborough live music scene fronting his Steady Band and performing with numerous other acts while Peeples, along with Black, has been a mainstay with The Rocket Revue — Fines has, by choice, limited his live performance activity. That’s all the more reason he’s excited for the Market Hall show.

“I spend too much of my time playing alone but that’s the way I write and come up with things,” says Fines, who has made several cross Canada treks leading blues workshops, most notably with the Blues In The Schools program.

While both Fines and Black have material for new album projects — Fines had just recorded demos for what he says is an upcoming acoustic album — both are leaving the door open for a new Jackson Delta album project. In addition, the three have talked about possibly playing shows outside of Peterborough.

“We’ve been asked but we have to feel really comfortable about it,” says Black.

As for the name of the April 20th show, “Bringing It All Back Home”, Black says it’s just a nostalgic reference to the band’s history.

“I had to come up with a name for this show. There’s no hidden message here. They’ve all had some reference to looking back, like a memory. We’ve been out there and done it, but we really enjoy playing for folks here at home.”

Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, January 31 to Wednesday, February 6.

If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.

On Thursday, January 31st, Trent University’s student-run the Anne Shirley Theatre Company (ASTC) makes their long overdue return to The Theatre on King (TTOK) stage with their production of Don Zolidis’ The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon.

Directed by first-time director Kate Mills, the show features elements from all 209 of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s legendary 19th-century fairy tales, with all of their whimsy and horror, in a fast-paced comedy full of fresh new performers and a truckload of zeal.

There is little production history available online on The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, other than that it was written by American playwright Don Zolidis, a former middle and high school teacher who has published almost 100 plays produced more than 10,000 times in 61 countries.

However, I want to just say how pleasantly surprised I was to watch this very clever and laugh-out-loud show produced by a very talented and vibrant cast of young performers who, for the most part, I have never seen on stage before.

Simply put, The Grimm Brothers Spectaculathon is the best show I’ve seen done by the ASTC in a number of years now, and one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve ever seen to come out of Trent University.

In The Brother Grimm Spectaculathon, two narrators (Mary Grace Murphy and Jordan Shabsove) take the audience through all 209 stories collected by the Brothers Grimm in one show. Furthermore, the pair does so in trying to prove that all the stories are interconnected in one common continuity.

Sure, they take a few liberties here and there, and touch only briefly on some of the more obscure stories, but all your favourite characters are here: Hansel and Gretel, The Frog Prince, Rumpelstiltskin, Rapunzel, Snow White (or is it Sleeping Beauty … and does it matter?), Cinderella, and Lean Lisa. What? You’ve never heard of Lean Lisa? Oh, you soon will.

As a collective, eight performers (including the above mentioned narrators along with Shae-Lynn Reesor, Victoria Arbour, Warren Moore, Emma Lee, Jesse Jamieson and Hannah Lash) brilliantly bring more than 50 unique characters to life. There is a lot going on in this show, and it’d be impossible to give you a play-by-play of everything you are going to see (and honestly, you don’t want me to give away the surprises), but just some of the highlights you can expect include deals with the devil, a satanic road trip, crab people, a woman fighting a dwarf, cannibalism, awkward dating practices, and a series of bad parenting decisions.

The show takes the stories that you grew up with, strips away the sugar-flavoured Disney versions you remember, and turns them on their head with some modern real-life sensibility and occasional moments of social commentary. It’s a lot to take in, but that just means non-stop fun from beginning to end.

I cannot contain my enthusiasm for this wonderful ensemble cast of primarily newcomers to the Peterborough theatrical community. I always love seeing faces I don’t recognize take centre stage, and this show contains a feast of fresh performances. By playing a multitude of different characters, the performers show a great amount of versatility and every one of them get a chance to shine with their own place in the spotlight throughout the show, making every player a star during their own moment.

At the head of the show are narrators Mary Grace Murphy and Jordan Shabsove, who guide the audience through the zany madcap world of the Brothers Grimm. Jordan is wacky and enthusiastic, while Mary Grace maintains a certain amount of grace and poise. However, the pair is allowed to change characters, with Jordan playing the Big Bad Wolf, and Mary Grace portraying a vain and ditzy sorceress.

Other outstanding performances include Victoria Arbour as Rapunzel’s bad-decision-making mother, Warren Moore as the Frog Prince, Emma Lee as an incel king, Shae-Lynn Reesor as Little Red Riding Hood’s profanity-spewing grandmother, and Jesse Jamieson in a series of charming performances including the magic fish, Satan’s grandmother, and Little Red Riding Hood.

But possibly the performance of the night goes to Hannah Lash, who not only plays an angry cannibal dwarf and a cynical teenage Rapunzel but also performs the entire cast of Cinderella (including the animals) in one madcap solo performance.

Together this fantastic cast is completely irresistible. I’d think that one of them gave my favourite performance of the show, only until the next performer took their moment in the spotlight.

Again, there is a lot going on in this very fast-paced show, so it is impossible to give out a shout-out for every performance, except to say that you will be delighted by what you see this vibrant cast can do. Whoever cast these performers together did an amazing job.

I also can’t express how truly funny this show is. The acting is deliciously over the top, but it works for this type of play. The jokes are both obvious and subtle, and the comedic timing by the cast hits each target. Honestly, anybody can read a funny line, but it takes skill and timing to have that line make an impact, and the performers in this show hit the mark again and again and again.

Part of the success of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon is due to its whimsical sense of charm and fun. In the cold bleak months of winter, sometimes it’s just good to watch something that can be silly yet smart at the same time. Not every show needs to be filled with metaphysical monologues or joyless and pretentious melodrama. Sometimes the best show you can bring to the stage is something that’ll make the audience laugh.

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon is a bright turning point for the ASTC. I’d like to thank the people who had a part in selecting this show for the 2018-2019 lineup.

It’s been a long while since ASTC has been at TTOK, but their return is truly a triumph. It’s going to be a cold few days in Peterborough this weekend, and nobody wants to be outside. Instead, head to TTOK and warm up your soul with this wonderful show. You will be disappointed if you miss it. It won’t be the cold that will make your face hurt — it’ll be from all the laughing you’re going to do.

Congratulations to Kate Mills and her fantastic company. They have something to be very proud of with The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon. I can’t wait to see what they put on next.

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon runs from Thursday, January 31st to Saturday, February 2nd at TTOK, with performances beginning at 7 p.m. The show continues for three additional performances the following weekend on the Peterborough Theatre Guild stage.

Tickets are $15 at the door, and will also be sold in advance during business hours outside of Wenjack Theatre and in the TCSA Office at Trent University until February 8th.