News Article

The Music PEI Best of The Island showcases at Old Home Week kick off on August 7th with the early show featuring Dan Currie and What Happened Tomorrow doing their brand of ?rocky-tonk? playing tunes from their new album ?Crown of Stars?. The second set will feature Garnet Buell and friends playing a mix of country favourites.

August 8th there is one set with Island fiddling favourite Cynthia MacLeod backed up with a band. August 9th will again be one early show with Mulligan?s Stew which features Sheila Fitzpatrick on fiddle, John Webster on guitar and Kendall Docherty on vocals.

August 10th it?s back to two shows with the first kicking off with Dave Wigmore and Friends. Dave mixes his unique guitar stylings and vocals with a little folk, country and other favourites. The second show is John Connolly with guitar whiz Chris Corrigan backing him up. John is one the Island?s truly gifted songwriters and weaves stories and history in with catchy melodies.

August 11th the in the early set the Avonlea Villagers are back by popular demand and bring their multi talented group in to Old Home Week for a set that is sure to please the whole family. The group features Meaghan Blanchard and Neil Matthews and they were one of the highlights last year. Following them will be country honk rising stars Nudie and the Turks fresh from the recording studio with their new album Looking for a Good Time.

August 12th the night gets a revved up start with the new bluegrass sensations Grass Mountain Hobos, self described as ?Full Throttle String Bandery. A wandering pack of ne’er-do-well’s and stumble-bums.?

The second set of the night begins our partnered stage with the ECMA. These stages will feature 2008 ECMA winners and nominees. Our first one kicks off with the world class Acadian group Vishten, winners of the ECMA Francophone Recording of the Year.

August 13th is a special night with two 2008 ECMA winners. Starting at 7:00 is the winner of 2008 ECMA Bluegrass recording of the year Saddle River String Band with their zany and always entertaining mix of blues, old time, bluegrass, country, gospel and originals. The second set is 2008 ECMA winner of Alternative Album of the year Nathan Wiley with uncles Tom and Dale DesRoches on bass and drums and James Phillips on guitar.

August 14th Music PEI award winners the Lazy Jacks offer us a lively mix of Irish and folk music. The second set is our final ECMA night featuring ECMA nominee for Roots/Traditional album Gordon Belsher. Gordon will be joined by his daughter Savannah on vocals and Todd MacLean on sax as they join up as Saxafras. Saxafras was also nominated as the Music PEI 2007 New Artist and Folk Recording of the year.

August 15th the Disco Rockin Llamas take the stage for the only set beginning at 7:00. To change things up the Llamas offer groove based danceable tunes sure to please and get the feet moving.

The Best of The Island Showcase stage at Old Home Week closes off with Island jazz sensation Ian Toms doing his typically flawless mix of old standards and his own originals. This year at Old Home Week there will be something musically for everyone in the family. Music is free with entry to the grounds. See full schedule listings below.

Thurs- 7 7~8:15 Dan Currie and What Happened Tomorrow
8:45 ~ 10 Garnet Buell & Friends

Fri- 8 7~8:15 Cynthia MacLeod

Sat- 9 7~8:15 Mulligan Stew

Sun- 10 7~8:15 Dave Wigmore & Friends
8:45 ~ 10 John Connolly & Chris Corrigan

Mon- 11 7~8:15 Avonlea Villagers
8:45 ~ 10 Nudie and the Turks

Tue- 12 7~8:15 Grass Mountain Hobos
ECMA 8:45 ~ 10 Vishten

Wed- 13 7~8:15 Saddle River String Band
ECMA 8:45 ~ 10 Nathan Wiley

Thu- 14 7~8:15 Lazy Jacks
ECMA 8:45 ~ 10 Saxafras

Fri- 15 7~8:15 Disco Rockin Llamas

Sat- 16 7~8:15 Ian Toms