HALIFAX URBAN FOLK FESTIVAL
Sunday, August 29 to Septmeber 5, 2010

The Carleton is pleased to present the inaugural Halifax Urban Folk Festival (HUFF, for short).

"Urban Folk Festival?" Yeah, it's a singer/songwriter festival that takes place in a perfectly good city - Halifax - that won't require you to drive for hours to a vacant, recently-cut, hayfield somewhere; that won't necessitate a tent, or OFF, or rain gear, or your own toilet paper and you know you'll be able to get good, hot, food and the sound will be brilliant... That's the premise... Hey, I've been to every major "folk festival" in this country over the years and I'm getting too old to do the camping thing. Call me "crotchety" but that's just the way it is. I HATE being cold, wet and eaten alive by insects... Sorry.

So, this year, from August 29th, through September 5th - 8 glorious nights - I've got some stellar entertainment for all of you!

For the full line-up, schedule, ticket prices, and more check out the
HALIFAX URBAN FOLK FESTIVAL website HERE.

Headliners include from NYC, the lengendary WILLIE NILE. And making his way across the pond to Nova Scotia for the first time, the UK's own MICHAEL WESTON KING. Alongside are multi-award winning Canadians RON HAWKINS (Lowest of the Low), STEPHEN FEARING (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings) and MIKE O'NEILL (The Inbreds, The Beginners, The Lodge).
 

And if that's not enough, we've thrown into the mix the best band from Newfoundland you've yet to hear of SHERMAN DOWNEY & THE AMBIGUOUS CASE plus the pride of the Annapolis Valley, THE HUPMAN BROTHERS.  But wait - there's more! DAVE MARSH of The True Love Rules and The Joel Plaskett Emergency, along w/ JAY SMITH, guitarist for Matt Mays and STEVEN MACDOUGALL of Slowcoaster will get the joint shaking on September 1st and some cool new band talent - in the form of DANCE MOVIE and CONSTRUCTION & DESTRUCTION - alongside TANYA DAVIS and STACY RICKER will knock your socks off on August 30th. JUST ADDED... PEI Night, Tuesday, August 31 with THE DANKS (featuring Alex O'Hanley of Two Hours Traffic) and MOLLY RANKIN (Joel Plaskett says her EP is the best thing he's listened to all year!)
 

This just in! As an added bonus, we're putting together a band of superb musicians to add some electric muscle to some of Willie's show!  Rob Crowell (who just became a member of Deer Tick in July. Deer Tick, out of Providence RI, are bona fide indie folk rock stars. Check them out on Letterman June '10) with Dave Marsh and Chris Pennell (the Joel Plaskett Emergency) and Jay Smith (Matt Mays band) Can you say, "show of the year!"

Check out our interactive HUFF PROGRAM GUIDE online now!

This is going to be interesting! I've been hearing a lot about The Spinney Brothers over the last few years and I've always been curious because, way back in the day, we had their dad - Frank Spinney - on our Mike & Mike's Excellent X-Canada Adventures show. He was living in Coldbrook (I think) and was making a movie on the premise that Elvis hadn't really died, he'd just gotten a lot of plastic surgery in Mexico and moved to the Annapolis Valley! But I digress...

Frank was a good musician and it isn't any wonder his children have taken to music as well. I love a good bluegrass band and we're hoping some of you do to. Come out to The Carleton on Sunday, September 12th to see the real deal in action. Show time is 9 PM and tickets are only $10. Dinner reservations are recommended for preferred seating! You can do that by calling 902-422-6335...

I'm always going on about the depth of talent in the singer/songwriter category in this part of the world and usually trot out Joel Plaskett, Matt Mays, Lennie Gallant, Jimmy Rankin, Jenn Grant, etc. etc. to illustrate that fact. However, stars aren't made overnight and the aforementioned group spent years honing their craft in front of club audiences before making the jump to the big leagues...

And that's exactly what the next generation is doing right now. Case in point - Norma MacDonald and Kev Corbett - are two exceptional songwriters gigging as often as they can, wherever they can. We're happy to have them playing The Carleton on Tuesday, September 14th. Show time is 9 PM. Tickets are only $10.

Come on out to see them so you can say, "I saw them when..."

The last time Gordie Johnson played The Carleton - it sold out, naturally - he was trying to arrange to have his old buddy, and Big Sugar bandmate, Kelly "Mr. Chill" Hoppe come to join him. Unfortunately, it couldn't be worked out.

So, imagine how happy I was when Gordie told me that this time around, Mr. Chill was on board! If you can't imagine it properly, I'll tell you I was VERY, VERY HAPPY to hear the news.

Gordie's been to the club twice and sold it out very quickly each time. I'd get tickets ASAP, if I were you!

The show is on Wednesday, September 15th at 9 PM. Tickets are $20. Dinner reservations are recommended for preferred seating.

Moncton's Great Balancing Act is a really, really, really, good night out. Fun AND Funky, Stylin' AND Sexy. If they lived in Halifax, I'd have them play every week. But they don't, so I just get them in whenever I can. If you have a rhythmic bone in your body, you should come out to see 'em

Show time is 10 PM and - because it's Absolut Thursday - admission is FREE! What have you got to lose!?!

I got a phone call from Michael Pickett one day asking if we could organize a gig for him at The Carleton. This came about a day or two after I'd had some customers telling me I should book him. Fate? Certainly! I should mention that I was pretty jazzed that Michael would phone me and took it as a cue that our venue was starting to get some serious traction with players of his calibre.

Hey, that's the way it ought to work, right? And, of course, I said, "yessir." And I call Michael "sir" because he deserves it. One of the best of the best, we're very pleased to say he'll be playing our humble room on Monday, September 20th. The show will start at 9 PM. Tickets are $20. Dinner reservations are recommended for preferred seating (902-422-6335 to book).

Here are some quotes from people who are more learned than I...

"I had a vision that he was gonna be one of the best. In my book he is." Hubert Sumlin

"His [songs] transcend the urban Blues idiom." Billboard

"An amazing artist who breathes new life into the Blues with energy and charisma." Downeast

"His [songs] transcend the urban Blues idiom." Billboard

"He's got it folks! A real student of the Blues." Sing Out! (USA)

"One of Canada's top acoustic Blues artists." Blues Revue (USA)

"Gives good chase to John Hammond on guitar and leaves him behind on harp!" Blues Matters!

"Occupying center stage is Pickett whose talents on harmonica and resophonic guitar shine throughout." Performing Songwriter (USA)

"... perfection at its rootsiest and purest best, from a man whose style and delivery is as good as the blues ever gets!" (Massey Hall review)*****

I've been following Ryan McGrath's progress for years and am happy to report that he's finally made the record he wanted to make, and even happier that he's chosen The Carleton as the venue he wants to offically release it in.

Joining Ryan on the night will be various members of Gypsophilia. This is going to be an "event." Miss it at your peril. Tickets are a mere $15 and are available by calling the club at 902-422-6335. Dinner reservations - on this very special night - are recommended for preferred seating. Come early, stay late. Oh, and bring money to buy the CD!

Hey, if someone asked you to book Connie Kaldor - Canadian legend - what would you do? You'd book her, that's what you'd do! And that's what I did. Connie is on her way to the fabulous Deep Roots Festival in Wolfville and we're giving her another gig at our joint. That will happen on Sunday, September 26th. Show time is 9 PM and tickets are $20.

If I were you, and I know I'm not, I'd book dinner reservations to get a table close to the stage. You can do that by calling 902-422-6335...

We're very much looking forward to having another great Canadian artist on our stage. The "bucket" list gets shorter all the time!