The man, the music, the legend
Emotions high during Arviat concert for Charlie Panigoniak
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
ARVIAT
The community of Arviat opened its heart with an outpouring of affection for Charlie Panigoniak at the Mark Kalluak Hall on the evening of Aug. 30.
Charlie Panigoniak performs during a benefit concert in his honour in Arviat.- photo courtesy of Eric Anoee |
The concert was organized as a fundraiser to help with Panigoniak's ongoing battle with Parkinson's disease.
But, in truth, the concert was a celebration of the legendary singer, songwriter and performer's career that has spanned more than four decades.
And if, in fact, Panigoniak's stage appearance in Arviat proves to be his final time playing before a live audience, it is only fitting it be where his musical journey began in the early 1970s, and which led to his wife, Lorna, playing by his side since about 1977.
John Main helped organize the event and said the idea of having an appreciation concert for Charlie had been floating around Arviat for awhile.
He said the idea was run past the Arviat Music Festival Society and organized from there on a shoestring budget.
"We were so happy to get Charlie and Lorna here for the concert because that was such a big part of it," said Main.
"The concert was run as a fundraiser and it produced just an amazing night of music.
"It was a night I'm not going to forget anytime soon.
"It was a really special happening that we managed to put together here."
Ten performers took to the stage during the show, which lasted a little more than two hours and was attended by upwards of 300 people.
The evening's musical lineup all shared one thing in common, they performed only Charlie Panigoniak tunes.
Main said that's exactly the way it had to be, because the night was all about Charlie, Lorna and the music.
He said it can be an honour, in some ways, to have musicians with their own songs agree to play only Charlie's music, and that was a way of focusing the entire evening on Charlie and the amazing music he's written over the years.
"Charlie's music is a reflection of life up here and, like all great musicians, he tells stories or sends a message through his music.
"If you add those all up together, it gives you a picture of what it's like to live up here.
"A lot of his music is about being Inuk, which is something I don't really know anything about, but I can certainly identify with all his stuff about life up here, the wildlife, the land, missing relatives who have passed away, and songs of both heartbreak and joyful times.
"Many of these things are universal, no matter where you're from, but, the unique thing about Charlie is that he does it in Inuktitut and in a purely Inuk way."
Main said another unique aspect of Charlie's music is that it provides a soundtrack to a lot of people's experiences and memories.
And, he said, that's true for a number of different generations because he's been performing for so long.
"My wife (Amanda) noticed it at the show, and she was impressed by all the young folk - teenagers and people in their early 20s - who knew all the songs and were singing along and tapping their feet.
"So, you have this audience that spans decades, from elders to young folks with their iPods, who all know the songs and who this guy is. That's something really worth celebrating.
"We had a lot of help with all this, and we owe a big thank you to all the musicians and volunteers, as well as Padlei Co-op, the Northern store, the hamlet, Eskimo Point Lumber Supply, Arctic Connections and Arctic Traders."
Main said emotions ran high throughout the two-hour show, which raised about $4,400.
He said there were tears shed at different points during the evening, and it was quite heartwarming to see so many people come out to celebrate his music.
"Charlie performed once about halfway through the show and everyone gave him a standing ovation.
"People started coming up to the stage and throwing cash at his feet as he was singing.
"Then, to close out the show, Charlie got up and played with the members of the first band he ever played in, the Kapurvik Band.
"He seemed to feed off the energy in the crowd and that's how he's always been.
"If there's a crowd there, Charlie always wants to give them something special.
"Everyone was focused on the man and his music, and that was the idea behind this, to celebrate what he's given us over the years and, maybe, pay him back just a little."
