One often hears the lamenting cry, “There’s nothing to do here.” Though quite commonly heard among young people, it is often heard among adults as well. While the validity of such a statement is entirely subjective as individuals should be entitled to determine what offerings are of interest to them or not, it certainly cannot be said that the community is devoid of offerings.
This past weekend saw two performances on Morinville stages: one on the elevated stage of the Morinville Community Cultural Centre, the other in the intimate surroundings of a local coffee shop (still not a well-known Friday night entertainment venue). Comedian Chris Gibbs performed a roughly 90-minute one-man show on the trials and tribulations of fatherhood as well as a number of other equally amusing topics. At the other end of town singer / songwriter Justin Hogg, whose star is rising in country music circles, performed an evening concert at Higher Grounds Espresso Bar. The show was one part concert of new and cover material combined with a fundraiser for his upcoming trip to Nashville, a well-known geographical location for those looking to take their career to the next step.
Hogg is but one of a large and seemingly increasing number of local entertainers who regularly take to the stage in venues in and around Morinville. Whether a coffee shop, local bar or festival stage, Morinville has no limit to the number of home-grown performers. Bassist Angela Proulx and her band Mercy Funk are one group not to be missed, particularly if you want to see a band now that you will one day boast about having seen when they were starting out in Morinville. Another group we will likely hear more and more about is Edgore, a metal band whose energy is as impressive as their music. There are many others, and how lucky we are to have them.
-SD
