Patron Appreciation Party Poster

Hot and Spicy New Orleans Style Rockin’ Roots and Bayou Blues

Gary Comeau and the Voodoo Allstars Bring an Original Blend of Cajun and Zydeco-Influenced Music to Horizon Stage

“Take the rhythm of the Maritime Acadian music, season it with Louisiana zydeco blues and, add a twist of Highway 61-era Dylan, serve it up with great showmanship, and you’ve got a potent musical cocktail that will have your head spinning and your feet dancing." This is an apt description of a Gary Comeau and the Voodoo Allstars concert. These hot and spicy swamp kings from Canada’s west coast have been electrifying audiences across British Columbia with their original brand of swamp, roots, and bayou blues and they’re looking forward to energizing everyone at Horizon Stage on Friday, April 7.

 Lead singer Gary Comeau is a songwriter and musician with unusual diversity and talent. Playing a range of instruments, including guitar, mandolin, fiddle, accordion, and piano, he delivers originally crafted, high-energy, New Orleans-style rockin’ roots and blues. Although Gary’s own roots are French-Acadian, he was born and raised in Nova Scotia, his soul seems to have taken a long and inspiring detour through Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta enroute to his current home in Vancouver. And while Gary may not necessarily consider himself to be a Cajun or zydeco artist per se, those styles have certainly influenced the music he has written and recorded over the years.

Between 1997 and 2004 Gary released four CDs. More recently he and the Voodoo Allstars released One Night Only - a recording of their February 2016 concert at the Dream Café in Penticton, BC.  Gary’s talents have also caught the attention of the film industry with songs like "Marianne" being featured in the Paramount film Double Jeopardy (1999) and "I Think About You All the Time” being part of the The Wild Guys (2004) soundtrack.

Gary Comeau is an authentic minstrel and a genuine character with a top hat and a penchant for colourful clothing. His Voodoo Allstars are a close-knit, highly experienced group of first-class musicians. Drummer Chris Nordquist, bassist Rob Becker, guitarist/slide guitarist Tim Hersey, and saxist/percussionist Jerry Cook are well-known for their chops in Vancouver’s music community. They have all worked consistently with Comeau for years and know how to follow the merest blink of his eye. When not working as the five-piece Voodoo Allstars, Gary, Tim, and Chris also perform as the hybrid blues and roots band Cannery Row, who had crowds up and dancing at Spruce Grove’s 2015 Canada Day Celebration.

Join us for a night of invigorating music and entertainment by Gary Comeau and the Voodoo Allstars at Horizon Stage on Friday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for Adults and $30 for Students and Seniors and may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online through Ticketpro.ca.

Harp and Violin Blend Together Beautifully and Battle Artistically

Duo Milot & Bareil’s Unique Concert Pairs Their Instruments Together Then Pits Them Against Each Other 

A couple on stage and in life, harpist Valérie Milot and violinist Antoine Bareil’s performances are marked by exceptional artistry and intimate connection. With custom arrangements and transcription by Antoine, their unique concerts highlight the similarities and the differences between two musicians and their instruments. While some works pair harp and violin as a beautifully intertwined duo, others pit them in an artistic battle of virtuosity. Valérie and Antoine also take time to explain their instruments, tell stories about the music, and share anecdotes about their own experiences. Experience the smooth, sweet, and sizzling sounds and stories of Duo Milot & Bareil at Horizon Stage on Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Valérie and Antoine were each awarded the prestigious Prix Avec Grande Distinction after completing their studies at the Conservatoire de Musique de Trois-Rivières. Valérie won the Prix d’Europe scholarship and went on to perfect her art in New York, while Antoine pursued his studies at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg in Austria.

Duo Milot & Bareil have collaborated on several critically acclaimed recordings including Old Friends – A Classical Tribute to Simon & Garfunkel (2011) and Around Christmas (2012). They have participated in numerous radio broadcasts together and regularly collaborate with a variety of other artists. Horizon Stage audiences will remember Antoine from his 2009 show, Soaring Strings, with cellist Sébastien Lépine, which was an introduction to 20th century classical music for younger audiences that came complete with a light show!

In addition to her busy schedule with Duo Milot & Bareil, Valerie has an active career as a soloist and chamber musician. She is regularly invited to perform with orchestras internationally, particularly in Switzerland, Brazil, and France. Introduced to music when she was very young, Valérie studied the piano for several years before choosing the harp at age ten. She has been teaching at her alma matter - Trois-Riviéres Conservatories of Music - since 2015 and has recorded 7 albums in total. In her latest solo work, Orbis, she pushes the boundaries of her style by marrying music and digital art.

Antoine has performed in more than a dozen countries. He has been a member of Quartango since 2009 and the concertmaster of the Laval Symphony Orchestra since 2013, and he plays regularly with Les Violons du Roy, a French-Canadian chamber orchestra based in Québec City. Antoine has also written music for some National Film Board of Canada short films. A versatile musician, he can be heard on fifty albums of varied styles. He has won several awards, including a Juno for Best Instrumental Album for Encuentro by Quartango. Antoine plays on a violin made by Vuillaume with a bow made by Voirin, courtesy of Canimex.

Allow Duo Milot & Bareil to enchant, enlighten, engage, and entertain you with their beautiful music and fascinating narratives at Horizon Stage on Saturday, April 1. Tickets are $35 for Adults and $30 for Students and Seniors and may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online through Ticketpro.ca.

“Milot’s touch on the strings is effortless. She conjures both harp and notes away. They vanish on her fingertips. What pours out is pure musical perception.” - The Chronicle Herald 

“[A] beautiful couple… masters both in their discipline, they were on stage relaxed, visibly determined to distill pleasure and share it with us. No one of the two protagonists, violinist or harpist, was the star in this concert. On the contrary, it was in turn that they were the prime contractor, supported and accompanied by the other.”

- The Journal of Citizens