Snowbird concert; 3 acts; & 3 definitions!
Two exceedingly worthwhile organizations took over the Performing Arts Centre to offer three well known Canadian talents in order to spread their raison d'etre and the myriad advantages they offer. I now offer three definitions for the programme's title:
"SNOWBIRD" n. (a) a hit song by Anne Murray; (b) a fleet of outdated jets showcasing at air shows or big Canadian events; (c) holidayers that head south in search of winter sunshine. Given the producers of the evening, I'm guessing it's "c" that was the target audience.
MEDIPAC has been offering Canadians travel insurance for thirty years. Admission: when Terry and the kids would head south for the winter school break, Medipac was either our insurer of record, or the benchmark quote we used for comparison. They were reliable, and one of the few times when they weren't selected, it was the only time we had problems with a small medical claim. Everyone knows about the CANADIAN SNOWBIRDS ASSOCIATION. They have been the go-to group for information, support and lobbyists on behalf of travelers for thirty-three years. My late parents and their 'posse' would spend six months each year in Arizona. Wish the CSA could have formed a little earlier, Mom & Dad would certainly have benefited from being members!
The opening act (after a brief informational sales pitch) was well-known country & western singer/songwriter CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON. This talented Albertan moved to Nashville just before the turn of the century (how's that for feeling one's age!) and has been an award winner ever since. In spite of some microphone problems and house lighting, her personality and vibrant performing style leapt across the footlights and audience response to such numbers as 'Looking for a man like you' and especially her rendering of 'Don't let me die of a broken heart' touched everyone viscerally. Johnson demonstrates no false modesty about her accomplishments but also doesn't balk at some name-dropping, especially as she talks about awkward moments she experienced or encountered while conducting musical or creative business. We've all been there and some of us have surely 'done that' too. Being a media person occasionally offers opportunities for a one-on-one with celebs. The awesomeness of being in 'a presence' can mean us-ens (sic) can end up with verbally putting a foot in one's mouth. Ouch.
Then, the high point of the evening. Replacing Bruce McCulloch, and with no reason given, comedian SIMON RAKOFF gave the PAC audience 45 minutes of continual guffaws and even some side slappers. His subjects ran the gamut from travel to circumcision to hating Toronto, to NOT being a sports fan. All of these diverse subjects resonated with this scribe, and not just because I am a co-religionist with Rakoff. Meeting him during intermission, we were able to exchange some parallel histories; some Yiddishisms, and even some situational events one would need to be Jewish to appreciate! Rakoff has been doing stand-up for just shy of fifty years and I was scribbling for six months short of six decades when COVID closed everything down. He too, felt its dagger on both opportunities and income. Given the audience applause he received and standing ovation at his finale, my thoughts were: poor McIsaac having to follow such a performer.
Cape Breton's ASHLEY McISAAC is undoubtedly one of Canada's premiere musical innovators. His warp speed violin playing is aurally faultless, even to my ears and my background is writing about (and listening to) classical orchestra work. Performing with a young teenager, the two recalled the 60's duo of Louis Prima & Keely Smith, Prima in constant motion and exuberance; Smith deadpan and appearing bored. I loved their act.
There were some negative vibes, some visceral, others mechanical. McIsaac's constant cleaning the resin off his bedraggled bow and ubiquitous retuning of his instrument were an annoyance, but it was the negative vibes I kept feeling that emanated from him. I felt he was patronizing and exhibited the same sense of superiority that was epitomic of the late Marvin Hamlisch. Fortunately, at least McIsaac never iterated the 'Royal WE'.
Final observation, bet my seatmate Kathi 10¢ that the last seats in our row would definitely be the precise middle ones. Kathi, you owe me a dime! After six decades of being part of an audience, I've noticed some negative behaviours are engraved in stone.