100 Miles of Music presents Canadian Music Nights #1 starring James Young & Friends, featuring Erin McNamee, Jonny Evergreen, and Ian Jones, w/ special guests at The Rabbit Box
Wednesday, June 20th // Doors 6:30pm // Music 7:30pm
Space is limited, get your tickets now!
Canadian Music Nights #1, is the first in a series of concerts where American artists will be celebrating their love of Canadian music and the culture that created it. We will be singing the timeless songs that our neighbors up north penned or simply made famous.
We will be working with Canadian music journalist Phil Saunders on considering songs we have yet to discover, as well as highlighting music that should be better known on both sides of the border. Phil Saunders is a former CBC journalist and author of the book No Flash Please: Underground Music in Toronto 1987-1992. His deep knowledge and scholarship has already made this music series a more authentic study of Canadian song. His research and first hand experience exploring the relationships between Canadian and American musicians, is one of the major touchstones of the night.
More of a musical bridge than simply a headliner, our own Pike Place Gospel music legend, James Young will be at the top of the bill, as we present his unique collection of multi talented music friends that will perform Canadian music they connect with deeply. We will also be showcasing some music from a forthcoming solo album by Mr. Young that has been made possible by Friends of The Market, a group of citizens of Seattle that have themselves had a unique role in preserving and protecting Pike Place. Erin McNamee,Jonny Evergreen, Ian Jones and more special guests to be announced, will be accompanying James Young, and performing as soloists. The evening will be presented by the radio show 100 Miles of Music and emceed by program's hosts, Davin Stedman and Stevor Compton. Not coincidentally, Phil Saunders was the co-owner of the short lived Canadian American magazine that's mission of connecting our two nations inspired Davin to create 100 Miles of Music, as a clever way to describe the fact that nearly the entire population of Canada lives within 100 miles of the United States.
Canadian Music Nights was a thought that Davin Stedman had about what could actually be done to encourage Canadians we love to come back to Seattle to visit Pike Place Market. It's no secret that the number of Canadians crossing the border has dropped off a cliff because of circumstances beyond our control. But in looking for a solution like a Stoic he realized that there are some things we can control and one of them is music. Another is how we can treat each other with empathy, kindness, and dignity. After all, the #1 tell Davin discovered when spotting a Canadian was not how they say the words "aboot" or "so-ree". It was simply how kind they were. So we stole a page from that playbook and with the help of Pike Place Gospel legend, James Young who has been described as our own Mr. Rogers, we are turning empathy and kindness into action. We have gathered an incredible group of music friends to express our love for not just Canadians, but the visitors and immigrants of all kinds that make places like Pike Place Market not just profitable, but possible. This is where action meets word. This is about utilizing the power of music the way we should to bring our communities together.