Happy 2012

Posted on by

Greetings for a very happy New Year to one and all!

We are coming to the end of a winter hiatus and look forward to hitting the road again in March. Our first two shows are will be in Winnipeg, at the McPhillips Station Casino on 16 March, and then we come back to home ice: The Commodore Ballroom in downtown Vancouver on 17 March, St Patrick’s Day. Tickets are going very quickly we are told, so please grab ‘em while you still can.

Other Spirit News: Vince Ditrich has been asked to appear on a panel of judges for ‘Variety’s Got Talent’ on February 3rd, at the River Rock Casino. Fellow judges will include Tamara Stanners of PEAK FM, Steve Darling of Global TV and Bruce Allen, the legendary music manager.
Hugh is at Celtic Connections Feb 3-5 with James Keelaghan, ready with woolies and travel mug.

We have some far-flung upcoming adventures to announce soon, in the meantime we wish you all the best for a prosperous and happy 2012.

Vince’s Log, stardate 012512

Posted on by

I would like to take credit for Ben Kelly.

Ben Kelly is the drummer of Fish & Bird who are opening for us at the Commodore on March 17. Ben is also the son of Spirit Geoffrey Kelly.

Ben was born a drummer, so it’s no surprise to see him playing professionally now that he’s in his twenties. But given that he received his first serious snare

Ben and Santa

"santa ith ENORMOUTH"

drum from a jolly red & white clad man, ostensibly Santa Claus, but with a voice that sounded exactly like mine, imitating Long John Baldry (“Miss Bartender Elf….Santa’s feeling a bit parched….”), I feel some sense of having had a hand in his current career trajectory. I certainly had a direct hand in teaching his sister MaeveWee Maeve  how to raid a band’s beer rider…So I officially claim some seminal responsibility for Ben and the noises he emanates professionally.

Ben builds a rhythmic structure for Fish & Bird that only a great musician could envision and perform; he controls the kit with power, dexterity & imagination.

I am delighted that F&B will be appearing with us and I look forward to jealously vandalizing Ben’s drumkit in some petty and small-minded way.

Vince Ditrich

 

Related show

  • : Spirit Of The West
  • SOTW St. Pat’s 2012
  • Date: Saturday, March 17th 2012
  • Time: 8:00pm
  • City: Spirit Of The West in Vancouver, BC
  • Venue: The Commodore Ballroom
  • Address: 868 Granville St.
  • Country: Canada
  • Admission: $44
  • Age restrictions: No Minors
  • Buy tickets
  • Notes: Special Guests: FISH and BIRD
  • Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

Melanie Dekker in EU with John Mann, March 20 – April 4 2012

Posted on by

Melanie in FinlandJohn Mann will be supporting singer/songwriter Melanie Dekker on some of her European Tour, March 20 – 31. Melanie’s complete tour itinerary is available at: http://www.myspace.com/melaniedekkermusic/shows.

 

Here’s a short note from John talking about his activities:

Hi All
It’s been a while since I’ve written something for the site.  I’ve spent the last 3 months in a production of the musical Blood Brothers at The Arts Club Theatre in Vancouver.  Continue reading →

BULEMBU — the Song and the Story

Posted on by

Buy the Bulembu Single on iTunes

Watch the Bulembu slideshow

Watch the slideshow

Map of AfricaBordered by South Africa and Mozambique, the Kingdom of Swaziland has been inhabited by humans since pre-history. Populated principally with the descendants of the southern Bantu people who arrived probably in
the 15th century in a migration from Central Africa, the country is, for all its physical beauty, being ravaged by the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate in the world. Swaziland is in the teeth of a crisis.

The town of Bulembu was once the site of a chrysolite (asbestos) mine with a population of 10,000. Eventually the mining company, as well as subsequent mining companies, went bankrupt and left Bulembu a ghost town with as few as 50 people remaining.John beside Bulembu town sign

Simultaneous with this was a massive increase in the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland. Statistics reveal that in ten years the infection rate grew by a staggering 900%. Nearly 40% of the population is now infected.This has left an entire generation of children orphaned and vulnerable.

The abandoned town was purchased by not-for-profit Bulembu Ministries Swaziland with the intention to turn it into a safe haven for children who would otherwise be left to survive or perish completely on their own. Bulembu International of Vancouver has acted to assist BMS by raising money, giving guidance and bringing the town to the attention of generous donors worldwide.Buy the Bulembu Single on iTunes

In 2010 Spirit of the West’s John Mann visited Bulembu to see its workings first handJohn holding wee child and experience what the town has become under the leadership of people with vision. He left a changed man.
His head filled with memories of spending mornings holding babies, singing to them, of conversations with remarkable new friends, of the amazing environment that had been provided for children who would likely otherwise be abandoned, John was moved to do something more.
Continue reading →

Our new website

Posted on by

Spirit of the West gives many thanks to Jeff Carter at FourSerious Creations for the logo and other graphic bits and bobs, James Trask and Thomas Gayef at Heart Development for backend/presentation structure and many pearls of good advice, and our own Vince Ditrich for reams of cleverly written prose! We’ve got ourselves a web 2.0 site at long last! Thank you to everyone involved in www.spiritofthewest.ca, the list is long and we are grateful. Cheers!

Comments welcome, click here!