An upcoming concert this weekend is a special fundraiser for the more than three decades-old Crescent Moon Coffee House.
But the show, Saturday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Crescent Branch 240, (2643 128 St.), is also “quite a bargain” for music lovers, according to co-organizer and performer – and Crescent Moon regular Randy Schultz (Mojo Zydeco).
For $10 (tickets at the legion or Tapestry Music) audience members will see a line-up of five different acts which have benefited from Crescent Moon’s friendly informality in developing performing skills.
Well-known local musicians Dennis Peterson, Joady Bell, Jason Mitchell and Big Back Yard will join Randy Schultz in a current side-project, Comfortably Numb, which pays tribute to the music of Pink Floyd.
“It’s a whole night of entertainment, plus people are supporting something that has stood the test of time,” Schultz said.
The roster of performers and variety of music is testament to Crescent Moon’s role in developing and nurturing local groups and talents in their formative stages, Schultz said.
Now it’s time for musicians, and the local audience, to give back a little, he said.
“Our current residence is Kwomais Point Park (formerly Camp Kwomais),” said Schultz. “But there are associated costs with using the room, and the coffers are getting a bit low.
“We’ve also been using the same drum kit for 30 years, and it wasn’t a good one to start with.”
Schultz said one of the purposes of the evening is to raise awareness about Crescent Moon and encourage participation, even if its just playing hand drums in the background.
“Lots of people have used the coffee house to raise the courage to perform; to stand up in front of the group,” he said.
“It’s unique in that way, quite different from any open mics I’ve seen. It’s more like round a camp fire – a good transition before going to open mics.”
Mitchell is a welcome addition to the line-up, because he hasn’t performed for a while, particularly locally, Schultz noted.
Peterson, he added, who is currently hosting an open mic at the Good Day Sunshine Cafe, is also “a frequent flyer” at the coffee house. As far as his own performance is concerned, Schultz said he plans to cover three Pink Floyd songs and add an original.
“I thought I’d step very much out of character,” he said.
“It puts me under a fair bit of pressure as a guitarist, but I’ll give it my best David Gilmour impression.”
For those wondering, Mojo Zydeco will continue, Schultz said. He had considered winding the group down after the death of his wife Jane – an integral member of the group on rub-board – in October. But while thinking of the band’s recent New Year’s Eve gig, to which he was contractually committed, principally as a memorial for her, he said the energy of the evening inspired him to go forward.
“It made it do-able,” he said.
