Inuvik (Feb 16/04) - More than 140 people attended a cabaret-style event Feb. 7 to help raise more than $2,000 toward the multi-million dollar Family Centre.

Fans of the arts were treated to an evening of live music and theatre at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex. The performances featured local talent as well as story teller/actor Ben Nind and musician Pat Braden of Yellowknife and folk singer Aengus Finnan, of Cobourg, Ont.

A collection of Inuvik musicians, dubbing themselves O.W.W. (One Week Wonder), warmed up the crowd with its interesting mix of folk, jazz and blues.

Perhaps the most unique part of O.W.W.'s performance was when group member Bob Mumford gave a reading of his poem "Belong on the Edge," which recently earned first-prize at the Whitehorse portion of CBC Radio's cross-Canada Poetry Face Off.

It was accompanied by the group's free-form sound impressions.

Next up was singer/songwriter Aengus Finnan, who entertained the crowd with his brand of folk songs, interspersed with several anecdotes about how some of the songs came about.

And to finish the evening, Yellowknife storyteller and actor Ben Nind who, with the musical stylings of bassist Pat Braden, dramatized Shel Silverstein's poem The Devil and Billy Markham.

First appearing in Playboy magazine, this risque romp about a mediocre country singer who loses his soul to the devil in a game of dice, was somewhat of a departure for Silverstein, who is best known for his children's poetry.

Following the production, musicians reunited on stage for a jam session that went into the wee hours of the morning.

The fundraiser netted more than $2,000 for the Family Centre. Now that's music to the ears.

-- with files from Erin Fletcher