A music festival highlighting local musicians playing a variety of stringed instruments will debut at McKinney's Pub in Townsite on Friday, February 9, and Saturday February 10. Plucked ’n’ Strung Music Festival organizer Martin Williams said the idea for the event came to him randomly one night as he listened to local musicians.
“I got thinking, there’s a lot of different things we can showcase, and a lot of musicians who play here have some outstanding skills,” said Williams.
Artists and instruments featured over the two-day event will include Kevin Stanway on mandolin, Janine MacLeod on concert harp and Sam Hurrie performing on a hollow neck lap-slide guitar, also known as a Weissenborn guitar.
“Sam is going to play in a way people haven’t seen him play,” said Williams. “He might even perform a raga of the Indian style.”
Stanway will host the Friday night event in addition to performing.
“It’s going to be a great show on Friday,” he said, “because of all the diversity of instruments and musicians.”
Stanway said he is particularly looking forward to MacLeod’s set. She will be singing blues and jazz ballads accompanied by the harp, he added.
“It’s going to be a real treat to see the full-size concert harp in action and Janine has an especially excellent voice,” said Stanway.
Rounding out Friday evening will be a set performed by singer-songwriter Tyler Bartfai and guests featuring original songs.
“The festival is awesome,” said Barfai. “It’s really cool to look at diversity in stringed instruments.”
Saturday’s sets will include opportunities to get up and dance, said Williams.
“To jump it up to a different level of enthusiasm on the Saturday, we’re bringing a little bit of Zydeco in, some Cajun dance music,” he said. “We have a band coming up for that; it’s going to be a whole lot of fun.”
For more information, go to facebook.com/mckinneyspowellriver.
