The Performances in the Park concert series this summer in Boitanio Park wouldn’t be what it is without Paul Maas working quietly behind the scenes.
Maas, from the Guitar Seller, is the sound guy for Performances in the Park, as well as many other events in Williams Lake.
He said he’s been running sound at events for about 10 years, and that the busiest weekend of his life is the recent Métis Jamboree in McLeese Lake where he put in 15-hour days.
“It only takes me about an hour to set up for Performances in the Park when there’s not a hurricane,” he laughs, referring to a recent storm that shut down one of the concerts this summer. “And less to tear down.”
A musician himself, Maas said that he thoroughly enjoys seeing the variety of music and talent that comes through every week at Performances in the Park.
“I like being exposed to this spectrum of talent,” he said. “At the end of the season I always look back on this and it’s good.”
At Performances in the Park last Thursday the sun was nice, the music was beautiful and the bannock was spectacular, said Sarah Thommeret and Severine Benoit, who were visiting from France. The two were in the area helping out on Karen and Clint Thompson’s ranch.
“We haven’t seen anything like this in France,” Thommeret said. “There, it’s more like big festivals that go for three days and it’s never free: this is so great.” “And to have this beautiful grassy area where you can have a picnic is very nice,” Benoit added. “And the music is wonderful.”
