Yellowknife (Sep 15/06) - Next Friday, Yellowknife musician Steve Smith faces two monumental tasks.

First, he will try to raise awareness about homelessness in Yellowknife. Second, he is going to try to fill the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre for the official release of his first CD, Beaches to Barrens.

Steve Smith performs with Hindsite during Canada Day outside of city hall for Music in the Park. All of the proceeds from the release of Beaches to Barrens, Smith's first CD, will go towards the Bailey House, a transition home for men. - NNSL file photo

Okay, maybe it's just one monumental task.

The venue, with a capacity of around 300, will see Smith joined by his band, Hindsite (Rick Maddeaux, Bob Baggs, and Steve Prowse), along with Steve Goff, Steve Lacey, Marilyn Morrison, Helene Croft and master of ceremonies, William Greenland.

All the proceeds from the event will go to the Bailey House, a men's transition home spearheaded by the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition.

Speaking from K'alemi Dene school in Ndilo, where Smith teaches, he said he has been waiting to "officially" release the CD since copies of the album showed up in July.

"Because the band was away for July and August, I couldn't do a proper CD launch," he said.

"(NACC executive director) Ben Nind was gracious enough to give me NACC," he said. So I decided to look at it from a charity-based perspective."

He said homelessness is a problem he has noticed more and more in town, and raising money for the Bailey House, was a good fit.

"There aren't a lot of services in town for men," he said.

Lydia Bardak, chair of the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition, agreed. "Men are falling through the cracks right now," she said.

The Bailey House project has been underway for several months, since the commission decided to move beyond its support of emergency housing in Yellowknife.

"When people are living permanently in an emergency shelter, we need to do something about that," said Bardak.

"I just couldn't be happier," she said of how the event has come together. "This was a completely unsolicited contribution. It was amazing that someone would just come up with that."

"It's going to be a boost in many ways," she added. "In addition to the cash contribution, he's really inspiring and we're confident we'll see other people step up as well."

While the concert is for a good cause, Smith can't help but get excited about performing at the show.

"I've never had my own concert," Smith said. "This is a dream come true."

"It'll feel really good to be there and be on that stage."

He said he hopes the friends he's made over the last 13 years in Yellowknife will help ensure the event is a success.

"I know that most Yellowknifers come out for a good cause. This is something completely different.

"This is getting homeless people off the street. We can't have people living on the street when it's -40C.

"That's ridiculous. That shouldn't be happening in our territorial capital."