The promise they乌鸦传媒檙e not rebuilding their railway heritage concerts, only fine-tuning them.
After two decades of delivering tales and songs about life on the railway to their ever-increasing fan base, you might wonder why they would want to mess with success. But for 2018, they乌鸦传媒檙e introducing new songs, plus a surprise concert ending added to their shows.
Jack Godwin, the leader of the band, said they乌鸦传媒檙e busier than ever.
乌鸦传媒淲e used to just start playing in April and play through to September and October,乌鸦传媒� said Godwin. 乌鸦传媒淭he valley is now filling up in the winter with snowbirds. They乌鸦传媒檙e seniors and they know trains because a lot of them are prairie people.乌鸦传媒�
The Brakemen have two concerts booked already, performing for northern snowbirds wintering in the South Okanagan. On Feb. 24, they will be at the Osoyoos Seniors Centre, a concert that has sold out over the past couple of years. For more info about his concert, call 250-495-3211.
乌鸦传媒淭hey sell out a week in advance,乌鸦传媒� said Godwin. 乌鸦传媒淲e started doing the same thing in Peachland. Then in the summer, we乌鸦传媒檙e travelling around to music festivals.乌鸦传媒�
Peachland is also already booked, for an afternoon concert on March 11 at the local seniors乌鸦传媒� centre. Call. 250-767-2647 to find out more.
The number of places you can find the Brakemen playing is growing too.
About ten years ago, the Brakemen also started playing seniors乌鸦传媒� accommodations, though only a few, since most couldn乌鸦传媒檛 afford the band.
乌鸦传媒淭hey were used to, in those days, having kids come in from the piano class and playing 茅tudes, and they would listen for a while,乌鸦传媒� said Godwin, explaining that the kind of seniors乌鸦传媒� accommodations opening up in the last five years or so have been radically different.
乌鸦传媒淭hey have sound systems built in, they have seating areas,乌鸦传媒� said Godwin. 乌鸦传媒淭he people that are going to seniors homes nowadays are just a little bit younger than I am and they are wanting entertainment.乌鸦传媒�
Plus, the modern homes tend to be wired and ready for professional entertainers.
乌鸦传媒淵ou just show up, plug in and perform.乌鸦传媒�
Godwin is also being mysterious about a new ending to Brakemen shows, saying that they乌鸦传媒檙e not going to make the audience 乌鸦传媒減ay乌鸦传媒� for an encore this year.
No excessive applauding, cheering or foot stomping needed. The free encore follows the full Brakemen concert/singalong and they promise will finally answer one the most persistent questions asked of the band, according to their press release.
乌鸦传媒淔or some reason, people love this, we乌鸦传媒檙e all in on this encore joke,乌鸦传媒� said Godwin, adding that for the encore they usually play a song relating to where they are performing, like Rattlesnake Rain if it was Naramata.
乌鸦传媒淲hat we are doing this year is something completely different. It will still be the same Brakemen ending, but then there will be this little, added treat.乌鸦传媒�
They have lots of their own original songs, but the Brakemen have been known to take some liberties with classic railroad songs, like Orange Blossom Special 乌鸦传媒� specifically Johnny Cash乌鸦传媒檚 harmonica version.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e adapted the lyrics, so it乌鸦传媒檚 now called Cantaloupe Special. The first product they carried when they opened up the southern part of the Kettle Valley line in the 40s, was cantaloupes. They grew them down in Osoyoos and Oliver and there was a famous little train call 乌鸦传媒楥antaloupe Manny乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
Beyond just appealing to the love of railroads in everyone, Godwin said their mix of humour, music and storytelling has a timeless appeal.
乌鸦传媒淭hat combination of stories and songs really works. The first guys who were musicians and ever made money 乌鸦传媒� or their food 乌鸦传媒� made it by travelling from community to community, telling stories and singing songs,乌鸦传媒� said Godwin. 乌鸦传媒淭hat appeal still works for people.乌鸦传媒�
Steve Kidd
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