Skip to content

Country and Blues concert rocks the house

The swagger of country and the seductive sounds of the blues could be heard throughout the Theatre at the Riverside Centre on Saturday, April 30, 2011.
46397princetonPierreGagnon
Larry Saidman and Rick Law provide back up during guest performer Pierre Gagnon's awesome solo during the Country and Blues concert held at Riverside Centre Theatre on April 30 in Princeton.

Princeton residents and visitors from Alberta, Abbotsford and Vancouver made up the audience of approximately 100 who enjoyed 2 plus hours of entertainment by “Princeton’s Musical Family” and their guest performers.

Nora Whelpton sang her way into the hearts of the audience with her rendition of “Guitar Man”, and played her violin. Cactus Cat, Hugh Money played a real ‘mean Harmonica’, Little brother, Jim Berg swooned the audience with “Keep the Porch Light On,” Darryl Brewer mesmerized with, “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes” and Pierre Gagnon rocked the house with an incredible guitar solo.

Princeton’s Musical Family as they’ve dubbed themselves consists of members of;

The Back Door Blues Band: Rick Freeman, Guitar and vocals;  Larry Saidman, French Horn, Guitar and vocals; Rick Law, Bass; Henri Ruel, Drums; Don McIntosh, Sax and Dave Mansfield, Trombone.

The Allenby Road Band: Mel Berg, Guitar and vocals; Larry Saidman, Keyboard, Guitar and vocals; Rick Law, Bass and Dwayne Sininger, Drums.

“We were all just practicing in our own way,” stated Mel Berg, spokesperson for the family “then we started having jam sessions at the Four Square Church.”

The jam sessions include scrutinizers, who give constructive criticism and with this and  practice sessions, the bands have come a long way in a years time.

“We’ve improved 100 per cent,” states Berg, “we want other musicians from town to come out and be an addition to our family.”

Bergs wife Marg, said of her husband and his passion,  “If your gonna play music, you’ve got to make it fun—and Mel is a fun person.”

Princeton’s Musical Family extends an invitation to all the musical artists within the community to join them. Come to a jam session at the Four Square Church on Wednesday and/or  Friday at 7:00 p.m. If you are interested in booking for an event or just want more information, call Mel Berg at 250-295-4059 or Rick Freeman at 250-295-0430

The two bands can be booked together as Princeton’s Musical Family,  as each individual band or even as a mish-mash of whichever talents you prefer.

There seems to be quite a lot of talent in this little place between two rivers, check out The Family at their next event during the July 1 festivities at the Tee Pee Lakes Store (Tee Pee Lakes Resort) in Bankeir.