Gumboots return to NACC

Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 10/06) - Canadian folk icon and four-time Juno nominee Stephen Fearing will join the Gumboots for their 16th annual concert at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre at 8 p.m. Feb. 17 and 18.

Past Gumboots concerts have featured big name performers like Valdi, The Waylin' Jennies and Murray MacLauchlan.

Fearing is on tour promoting his latest CD release, entitled That's How I Walk.

"These concerts have never been money-makers," Gumboot Ray Bethke said. "It's just been a way for us to bring in a special guest, promote some new material and say thanks to Yellowknife for keeping us going for 20 years."

About 20 musicians have worn the gumboots on stage over the past two decades, including United Church of Canada moderator Peter Short and former Yellowknife Centre MLA Bob MacQuarrie. Three Gumboots remain after violinist Chic Callas left for the Yukon last summer. Bethke is joined by Steve Lacey and Gumboot founder Bill Gilday.

"Vocally, this concert is going to be interesting for us because most of the Gumboots repertoire is four-part harmony," Bethke said.

The trio will share bass, tenor and lead parts arranged by Gilday.

The musicians will seek a fourth band member after they finish their latest CD in the Spiritwalker Productions studio. It's scheduled for release next winter.

Summer festival line-up

Canadian guitarists of African origin including Alpha Ya Ya Diallo with Naby Camara on balafon of Guinea, Pa Joe with Theo Boakye of Ghana, Kofi Ackah of Kenya and more;

Psychedelic country rockers The Sadies, a band with a spaghetti western feel and reel;

Renowned Somalian hip hop artist slam poet K'naan

Rockabilly old school punsters The Farrel Bros.;

The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir, Delta blues and Appalachian music like no gospel band you've ever heard;

Steve Dawson and the Gold Coast Ensemble, a multi-Juno winner that plays blues, alternative country;

The Marigolds, made up of singer/songwriters Caitlin Hanford and Gwen Swick of Quartette and Suzie Vinnick, 2003 Canadian Maple Blues Female Vocalist of the Year; and,

Emcee will be Tomas Kubinek, part comedian, part acrobat, magician and clown who's been described as a "certified lunatic and master of the impossible!"