MOOSE JAW — The Moose Jaw Co-op and the Co-op Ethanol Complex are thrilled to present “A Night in Nashville,” featuring a captivating songwriter’s round with the incredible talents of Damhnait Doyle, Jeff Cohen, and Phil Barton sponsored by River Street Promotions (RSP) this December.
A Night in Nashville will bring “an unforgettable evening of music and storytelling” on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Mae Wilson Theatre. Doors will open starting at 6:30 p.m.
The show will take place as a writer’s round or guitar pull, which is based on a southern tradition where a small group of musicians sit down and take turns playing songs on a guitar.
“Basically, the artists will all be on stage at the same time and they just go down the line, taking turns performing songs, and they also tell the story of how this song came to be or what the song is about,” explained Jared Mathiesen, a RSP board member.
“So, it’s a very stripped down acoustic version of the song,” he said. “And yeah, it’s kind of neat to see what they were thinking when they wrote it.”
The genres, he added, will likely include everything from country to pop to folk and will offer something for everyone.
Mathiesen and James Murdoch originally hosted similar events for the Moose Jaw Health Foundation. When RSP was founded, the annual Homestand concert became the promotional company’s flagship event but Mathiesen retained a show for high school students focused on mental health and continued to host the separate adult-focused writer’s round.
Proceeds raised by RSP are added to its youth mental wellness fund, which is accessible to both school divisions to use as they see fit with the goal of supporting youth mental wellness initiatives.
Returning this year will be host Joel Stewart and guests can expect plenty more of his telltale comedy routines during the show.
The overall experience, Mathiesen added, will feel like guests are directly transported to a concert hall in Nashville. “I remember, three years ago, I took some friends to Nashville and they were like, “Jared, this is exactly what you do in Moose Jaw,’” he recalled.
Guests will recognize many songs and the selection is expected to range from Gin Blossoms to the Paw Patrol theme song played by Jeff Cohen during his last Moose Jaw visit.
Damhnait Doyle “has one of the best voices in Canada,” Mathiesen said in one example. “She’s a proud Newfoundlander and she’s also the host of CBC Music (from) Monday to Friday (during) the morning show. It’s nice to have her take some time and help support the cause.”
All the artists scheduled to perform this December are friends supporting the same cause. “It’s cool too, because all four of these artists know each other in one way or another, which again, adds another element. They might play songs that they’ve written together or they might sing them together,” he added.
“The songwriters love doing (the tour) because they love the (Mae Wilson) Theatre and they love Moose Jaw,” Mathiesen added. Each performer has been to Moose Jaw and this will be the first time an entire RSP-hosted lineup will have returning artists.
Plus, he said, guests can expect “a few surprises” and added that, in these writer’s rounds, “you never know what will happen or who will show up.” At the very least, an auction held during the show’s intermission will contain some “pretty cool stuff” — but you’ll have to attend to find out more.
For a glimpse into the show’s format, Mathiesen recommends watching a video called “Music City in Moose Jaw” available on RiverStreetPromotions.com.
Tickets are available starting at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 30, and can be purchased from the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts & Culture at MooseJawCulture.ca, [email protected], or by calling 306-693-4700. Mathiesen advised everyone to purchase their tickets early as last year’s show was sold out.
For more information visit RiverStreetPromotions.com or ‘River Street Promotions’ on Facebook.
