It has been the season for showcasing this past month. First up there was the second annual Music PEI International Showcase September 28 & 29 at the MacKenzie Theater. Eighteen PEI acts from different genres and styles showcased for delegates from the UK and across Canada. They represented festivals such as, Mariposa and Vancouver Folk Festival as well as, a good sized group of Atlantic Presenters such as, Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, Lunenburg Folk Festival, Stanfest, Evolve, Salty Jam and Halifax Pop Explosion. Also on hand were representatives from Home Routes, Fontana North and the Paquin Agency. We did ourselves proud as the quality of the product we are presenting from PEI just gets better and better. Final numbers for this year are by no means in as yet but last year which was the first year for this event, artists who showcased created over $80,000.00 in new business for themselves.

PEI was also well represented at Contact East in Moncton NB October 1st thru 4th. Most of the showcases for this event were held at the Capitol Theater. What a venue! One of the region’s best theaters and a real treasure to enjoyed whenever you are able to get over to Moncton for a concert or show. Sandbar acts did well with terrific performances by John Connolly and Meaghan Blanchard. It looks like work will come out of that showcase as well for PEI artists and that’s what it is all about. Congrats also to Nudie & The Turks and Grass Mountain Hobos for their strong showcases at this event.

Music PEI ‘s grant deadline has come and gone. Results should be available sometime the week of October 19th. ECMA showcase and nomination deadlines have also passed. Word should be out to the public by mid-December sometime. (the 19th maybe?). Music PEI Awards Show nominations deadline is October 30th. The show takes place in January 2010. Our “Songwriters In Nashville” group leave the Island October 18th for a two week stay in Nashville hanging out, showcasing meeting the folks and getting in some co-writing. The group includes John Connolly, Dan Currie, Dennis Ellsworth and Meaghan Blanchard. They will be there from October 19th thru November 1st.

Catherine MacLellan has just returned from a US radio promo tour and showcase that saw her showcase in Denver and Los Angeles, tape a national NPR Folk show in Los Angeles and visit a bunch of radio stations from Taos and Santa Fe New Mexico to Boulder and Denver as well as Los Angeles and up the coast. She heads out for dates around the Maritimes as part of the Canadian Songbook tour from October 15th thru October 24th with Murray MacLauchlan, Nathan Rogers and Barney Bentall. Following the last show of the tour she jumps in her vehicle with guitarist Chris Gauthier and heads to Boston for the first gig in her year long residency at Club Passim. She is off the UK on November 24th for a series of shows over there that will see her play London, Manchester and at least six other cities.

We expect to be adding the new release from Saint John singer/songwriter Andy Stevens aka White Rabbit called “Awakenings” to our web site soon. CD Release Party is set for the Blue Olive in Saint John NB on October 15th. Well known singer/songwriter Clinton Charlton whose latest CD “Parade” is available from Sandbar Music will open the show.
Look for Andy to play some shows around the region in the new year after he tours the country with his heavy metal project. He leaves on that tour right after the CD release.

Another series of episodes in the PEI Songwriters Podcast series will be recorded in November at Big Grey Studio in Charlottetown PEI. They should be available on line early in the new year. Last year a series of eleven episodes was created and can be heard or downloaded from www.closetothecoastradio.com. They are also available from the iTunes podcast directory.

Congrats are in order Colette Cheverie and Catherine MacLellan for picking up nominations for Canadian Folk Music Awards to be announced at their awards show in Ottawa on November 21st. Colette received two nominations and Catherine one. Also picking up two nominations were the Lazy Jacks.

November 21st is also the night John Connolly and his band will be in concert at the Mackenzie Theater along with Meaghan Blanchard as part of the “Live from the Center” series. Look for Catherine MacLellan in a February show with Tim Chaisson as part of the same series.

Check out the releases now available from the Sandbar store including recent adds like Gadelle, Vishten, The Sidewalks, Grass Mountain Hobos, Chas guay and the Haunted Hearts.

Battery Point just returned from a week in Athens Ga recording with Drive By Truckers producer and former Husker Du member David Barbe at his Chase Transduction Studio. The sessions went extremely well. The band had a great time. The result is a killer demo of new material that will be used to raise the stakes for a new album due out in the summer of 2010. Stay tuned.

Until the next time, keep supporting live local music wherever and whenever you can.