As we head into the last weekend of August, the calendar is relatively free of major events or festivals, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay at home and dread the onslaught of autumn this week. Heck, we even get a bit of a reprieve thanks to a late Labour Day weekend, so you might as well make hay while the sun shines, as farmers like to say.
For example, at the deCoste Centre in Pictou, there’s one last chance to enjoy some live music on one of the region’s favourite stages before it goes dark until fall breaks in late September, with the 3 Pianos showcase on Thursday, Aug. 27.
This is truly a “needs no further introduction” kind of lineup, for which I am nonetheless going to provide one, because otherwise you’d be staring at a large, blank space where a chunk of column should be. But Cape Breton keyboardist Kim Dunn (Matt Minglewood, Rita MacNeil), Halifax’s Owen “O’Sound” Lee (Nova Scotia Mass Choir, Classified) and Big Island’s Doris Mason (Mason-Chapman Band, Denny Doherty) are three of the most in-demand musicians in the province for their skills and versatility, while also making some fantastic music in their own right.
Dunn has recently been doing shows with Windsor songsmith Terra Spencer but was also doing stellar duty at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival this summer, performing his own soulful songs while also leading the house band for the Celebrating Stan kick-off concert and joining Matt Andersen’s band for a powerhouse Saturday night set.
Lee is a wizard producer and arranger when he’s not working on his own material, like his 235 EP where all his influences – gospel, soul, R&B and hip hop – come together in an uplifting whole that you can hear for yourself on your favourite streaming platform.
And Mason has one of the longest resumes of any musician in the province, and deservedly so, from her intuitive keyboard playing to her ability to work with large ensembles and theatre groups like the touring show Drum! and Denny Doherty’s story of the Mamas and the Papas, Dream a Little Dream.
Together these three friends will have a wealth of material to delve into, and countless stories to share, so 3 Pianos will definitely ensure three is a magic number on Thursday.
For show and ticket info (60 per cent sold out as of this writing), visit decostecentre.ca.
If you’re hanging out in New Glasgow on Thursday, Aug. 27, you can get your share of songs and stories from Geoff Arsenault at the Shoebox Cantina.
Arsenault became known as one of the East Coast’s most inventive and desired drummers, but when he straps on an acoustic guitar and starts sharing his life experience in song with a distinctively warm and textured voice, it’s a whole other equation.
He’s kind of like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, only in this case both sides of the coin are talented and welcome, and not to be feared in a dark alleyway.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, the Shoebox welcomes New Brunswick’s Dillon Ryan & the Dream Romantic from the Moncton/Miramichi region, creating original pop-rock with a nod to classic U.K. post-punk and Gothic bands. Jangly guitars, a wall of synth and pulsing bass lines are part of the mix that make it feel like the early ’80s all over again, and you can get an advance listen for yourself on Bandcamp and other streaming platforms.
For information on these and other upcoming Shoebox Cantina shows, visit shoeboxcantina.com.
Across the Canso Causeway, Big Spruce Brewing in Nyanza has posted the remainder of its summer music lineup in time to meet this column’s deadline, and it’s a terrific lineup. On Friday, Aug. 28, strait-area roots group Shiretown plays a 3 p.m. matinee, in case you need an excuse to slip out of work early, and singer-songwriter Dane Pedersen teams up with multi-instrumentalist Malcolm MacNeil for a Saturday, Aug. 29 matinee at 2 p.m.
On Sunday, relax with the Rockerfellas for an enjoyable 2 p.m. matinee.
Looking ahead to Labour Day weekend, Big Spruce welcomes Nova Scotia folk faves Rachel Davis McMullen & Darren McMullen for a lively Celtic set on Friday, Sept. 4 at 3 p.m., and on Saturday, Sept. 5, it’s the mighty music of Slowcoaster at 2 p.m. Flip-flops and tiki torches optional.
All of the Big Spruce weekend matinees are all-ages and free of charge, and you can even bring your dog along, which you can’t say for many shows outside of Granville Green.
And if you happen to see this in time, on Wednesday, Aug. 26, the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay wraps up the summer with a one-night-only cabaret called Showstoppers: An Evening of Broadway Favourites with an all-star cast
Performers Breagh Kelly, Ciaran MacGillivray, Heather Kerr, Ian Furlong, Julie Martell, Michelle Langille, Paul Gatchell and Robyn Cathcart will present their favourite tunes from the Great White Way, accompanied by keyboardist Peter MacDonald.
That’s a lot of talent for one stage to contain, but I’m sure the Savoy can handle it, starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the box office or online at savoytheatre.com.