RUMMAGE SALE at Desboro Music Hall
We are having a Rummage Sale for TWO days! Stop on by either on
Sat July 24: 8am – 3pm
Sun July 25: 11am – 3pm.
Half of the proceeds will go to Desboro Music Hall.
This is our second fundraiser to make some money for the Music Hall. 2021 will be our second year without holding any concerts. We are crossing our fingers that next year, we will be able to once again have concerts inside the Hall without a limit on numbers. In the meanwhile, we have had to be a little creative in how we pay the bills. We’re lucky as we don’t have to pay rent or layoff any staff. We are looking forward to welcoming people back into the Hall, even if it’s not for a concert. So come out and Support the Desboro Music Hall on July 24 or 25.
We will be following all COVID protocols. Please wear a mask and keep 2m/6′ apart. Patrons inside will be limited.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at (519) 377-2358 or email us at [email protected]
Songwriters in the Round
Featuring Karen Morand, Ken Dunn and Gillian Nicola
This will be a slightly different format than our other concerts. All three musicians will be on the stage together. Each performer will tell a story and play their song before rotating to the next performer. We’ll have an hour of songs with a half hour break before another set of music. Come enjoy a fantastic evening of stories and songs.
Desboro Music Hall 2020 Concert Series
All Ages
Doors Open: 6:30pm, Music Starts: 7:30pm
Tickets:Regular: $25
KAREN MORAND
Karen Morand has roots that run deep. Born in Toronto and based in Southern Ontario, the award-winning singer-songwriter does life off the beaten path, sleeves rolled up with an eye on the eternal. Armed with feisty, powerhouse vocals, she delivers a soul-stirring show: lively, alt- folk with well-worn blues and gritty gospel on the side.
Karen radiates with energy in live performances both solo and accompanied by her acoustic trio, BOSCO (Aaron Verhulst and Benny Santoro). A graduate from the University of Windsor’s music therapy program, Karen enjoys making meaningful connections with her audience and inspiring hope. She is also a music educator, workshop instructor and music director.
Since her first studio release, ‘Carry On’ in 2012, followed by ‘I Think I’ll Lose My Mind Today’ in 2014, and Junkyard Heart in 2016, Karen has maintained an intense performance schedule throughout Ontario and most recently, touring Eastern Canada. Her first solo and most recent release, “Every Flash of Light” (2018) is an EP produced by Danny Gauthier including co-writes with Nashville songwriters Steve Hindalong (the Choir), Kelly Kessler and Linda McRae (Spirit of the West). Other collaborations include her recent pairing with internationally renowned bluesman, Manitoba Hal Brolund as bluesy gospel Americana duo, “Even the Bird Was Free.”
What some folks are saying:
“I met Karen Morand at the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals in 2010 where I was a mentor. She was just beginning her career as a singer/songwriter and I was immediately impressed by her warmth and straightforward attitude. She has made great strides since then and has just released her second recording of her own material. Her songwriting belies the amount of time she’s actually been writing and I believe she is on her way to becoming an artist who will be a force on the Canadian music scene” Linda McRae, platinum award winning musician
“Karen Morand is something of a standout in the crowded field of solo singer-songwriters. Her performances and recordings both display a careful attention to craft as well as a broad range of influences. Karen’s material demonstrates her comfort with a variety of styles and genres and her ability to create appealing melodies and lyrics.” Danny Sullivan, Artistic Director, Blue Skies Music Festival
“Songwriter Karen Morand casts power to stir the storm in your soul and part the dark clouds hovering over your heart. Karen drives the engine through songs that clang, grind and chug with bold defiance, shaken faith and cryptic warnings; breathing steam around embraces of the wounded and outcast.” Songstress and CJAM radio host Allison Brown
KEN DUNN
Over the past 30 years, singer-songwriter Ken Dunn has performed at hundreds of venues across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central America, as well as recording 10 albums of original music.
He has shared stages with a number of well-known artists, including Jerry Jeff Walker, David Amram, and Canadian folk icons Valdy, Willie P. Bennett, and Garnet Rogers.
Notable performances include those at Canada’s Festival of Friends, a sold out concert at the historic Santa Ana Theatre in San Miguel, Mexico, the Central California Neil Young tribute show in Paso Robles, California, and Jerry Jeff Walker’s Festival in San Pedro, Belize.
With the intention of promoting peace, social, and environmental justice through music, Ken has also performed a number of benefit concerts, including those for Amnesty International, Biblioteca San Miguel, Playing For Change, L.A. Family Housing, and the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida.
GILLIAN NICOLA
Hamilton’s Gillian Nicola took an unusual route to becoming a folk/Americana singer-songwriter: trained in classical voice, Nicola spent her teens gigging in a classic rock cover band, singing Janis Joplin and Led Zeppelin before launching herself into alt-country when she began writing songs. Nicola’s music centres around her chameleonic vocals – at one moment with a hint of tobacco in her voice, the next outright rocking – strummed and finger picked guitar, and versatile, melodic songwriting. Nicola’s songs are often built around open and alternate guitar tunings that allow her to throw her music theory upbringing out the window. Nicola released her debut full-length album, Dried Flowers, on May 3, 2019. Produced by John Dinsmore, the album reached number 3 on the earshot! Folk/Roots/Blues Charts and has received CBC airplay nationwide.
Dried Flowers is “an alt-country-folk-rock masterclass in the affairs of the heart” – Hamilton Magazine.
Big Little Lions
Desboro Music Hall 2020 Concert Series
All Ages
Doors Open: 6:30pm, Music Starts: 7:30pm
Tickets:Regular: $25
BIG LITTLE LIONS
Big Little Lions have been described as ‘a blissful marriage of new folk and sophisticated pop’. Prolific songwriting, infectious folk-pop style, and an offbeat, memorable live show. This award winning duo consists of Helen Austin and Paul Otten who, despite living thousands of miles apart, have found a way to connect and create music together. Despite being in two different countries, they have found common ground to share their message. Despite the pull to avoid the hard topics and pretend it’s all ok – they’ve chosen to speak out.
“What is truly amazing about Big Little Lions is that its two members, Helen Austin and Paul Otten, were born to make music together, their voices made to combine, but they are in different countries. It just goes to show you, destiny is a powerful force.” [east of 8th]
Big Little Lions Website
Big Little Lions Facebook
Big Little Lions Twitter
Big Little Lions Instagram
Big Little Lions YouTube
DAVID LUM
Born and raised in Vancouver, David made his way across Canada, spent a decade in Winnipeg before settling in Hamilton. Infusing a blend of contemporary folk and roots, his influences include renowned Canadian singer/songwriters such as Bruce Cockburn and James Keelaghan, as well as American blues artist Keb ‘Mo and folk-rock duo The Indigo Girls.
His songs are as varied as the landscapes he has travelled through, and his versatile guitar style traverses folk, blues, pop and everything else in between. His intimate voice will draw you into his world, filled with tales of quiet desperation, longing and triumph of the human spirit.
Dance Classes
Dance Class
Over The Moon
Saturday May 20, 2023
Featuring award-winning vocal and multi-instrumentalists,
Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell
A short while ago the Traveling Mables from Calgary were recording a CD and they hired Craig Bignell to record drums, percussion, and banjo from his home studio in Grey County, Ontario. Everything was as usual for this type of thing, until they asked him to be part of their CD release in Alberta a few months later. This would be Craig’s first time meeting Suzanne Levesque and they seemed to hit it off right from the start!
A few days after, a close mutual friend (Tom Jackson singer/actor) was having a dinner party at his Calgary home and many of the guests were from Alberta’s music community. As fate would have it, Craig was staying with Tom at the time, as he was rehearsing for one of Tom’s Huron Carol Tours. After dinner, people were sitting in a large circle taking turns playing and singing songs. When it came time for (the ever shy) Craig’s turn, he bravely went forth, clutching his acoustic guitar with obvious great strain and fear for his life:)
You see…Craig had made his career as a drummer/percussionist (www.craigbignell.com) and without a huge array of drums, cymbals and various incendiary protecting him, he was sitting utterly alone on a stool, singing some silly love song, completely terrified. Now as luck would have it, Suzanne’s band was also at this event. She was watching as Craig struggled on in front of his often overconfident peers. So from the shadows, Suzanne appeared, bass in hand to rescue Craig by adding her incredible voice and bass playing to this seemingly silly love song. In doing so, she made him sound and feel so much better…
Craig could just feel himself relax, and he even ventured a smile as his voice returned to normal, losing the Slim Whitman vibrato sound that was present before she appeared…He thought his heart was going to burst!
And that was how the whole thing started. They’ve been singing together ever since and even have people asking if they were related, as their voices blend together so well they sound like family. I guess they are now as they were married five years ago:)
They continue the music and magic of that first night now with Over The Moon and getting rave reviews and gaining new friends and fans wherever they perform. Their first CD “Moondancer”, was released in 2017 and it reflects the beautiful two-part harmony style that they are known for and the wide array of acoustic instruments that they play. Most of the songs are original and tell stories of life lived in Southern Alberta’s ranching country. The title song “Moondancer” was given to them by their artist/ranching neighbor Ian Tyson!
Dance Class
Dance Class
Desboro Ag Society Meeting