ESTEVAN - The Estevan Arts Council will be bringing seven talented acts to the Energy City for the 2024-25 Estevan Concert Series.
EAC president Wilma Mantei said they have an exciting and diverse lineup slated for this year. It will open with a concert by the Wardens on Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. The group shares stories and songs from the land they're protecting as Canadian national park wardens in the Rocky Mountains, blending folk, roots and western styles.
"They really have great stories to tell, and they do it in song," said Mantei. "And they do it in video. They have this huge … screen behind them, so while they're singing, you just see what they're going through, whether it's a forest fire or whether it's a joyful thing or whether it's the beauty of the mountains, it's all there in visual effect."
Up next will be a show by Ryan McMahon on Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. McMahon has been creating music for the past 25 years, and toured with Canadian rock groups throughout 2023.
Two weeks later, the arts council will have a special concert with the Barra MacNeils on Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the Estevan Comprehensive School. The group will bring their East Coast Christmas show to Estevan, drawing from ceilidhs, midnight masses and other festival music.
"With their captivating vocals, distinctive harmonies and extraordinary musicianship, the Barra MacNeils inject new life and energy into the sights and sounds of Christmas, one moment a rousing chorus, then a hauntingly beautiful Gaelic ballad, the next a flurry of foot-stomping, instrumentals," states a brochure for the concert series.
Mantei said people can look forward to fiddle music, dancing and wonderful harmonies.
The 2025 portion of the schedule kicks off on March 2 with a performance by the Prairie Sons at 2 p.m. at St. Paul's United Church. They draw inspiration from the vast Canadian west and celebrate their deep Prairie roots.
"They just have such a wonderful repertoire. Their energy and their enthusiasm for their music is just amazing, and it's so nice," Mantei said. "To see the Canadian landscape, the Prairie landscape through their music, they have a great vision."
Susan Aglukark will perform on March 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Estevan Comprehensive School. She is Canada's first Inuk Juno Award winner, having won four of them, and she has scooped up numerous other national honours for her musical skills. Mantei said this will be one of the more well-known acts on this year's schedule.
Every Brilliant Thing will be performed on April 1 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul's United Church. Starring Sarah Robertson, the show revolves around a seven-year-old dealing with his mother's depression by listing everything wonderful about life.
Mantei said the show is largely unscripted and it incorporates the audience into the show, and it weaves in humour for a serious topic.
The final show will be Jeff Newman on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Estevan Comprehensive School. The mentalist and magician will influence people's thoughts and predict what people will do before they know they're doing it.
The EAC did not want to have any concerts in January of February next season to avoid the frigid temperatures often associated with those months. When they had a concert this past January, there were 40 people present due to the cold weather.
Early-bird pricing is in place until July 31 at $175 for seven tickets. From Aug. 1 until the date of the first concert, they are $210 for the seven shows. Those who purchase an early-bird ticket will be entered into a draw for a $50 basket.
"If you can't [make it] you can pass them to other people," said Mantei.
Tickets for six of the concerts can be used at any time, so someone could use one ticket at each show or six at one show. The Barra MacNeils concert is the exception, as it is a special attraction, but a ticket specifically for that show is included in the package.
For an individual concert, tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Children enter for $10, and a parent accompanying a child pays $15.
Ticket packages can be purchased through the Estevan Arts Council's office, which is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
