The musical talents featured in the Solid Rock Cafe packed the house at the Rock Youth Centre in 108 Mile Ranch on March 17.
Hosted by the Cariboo Christian Life Fellowship (on its church property), event spokesperson Pat Melanson says word of the great musicians it features at its musical and social coffee house is getting around to community.
Together with the home-baked sweet treats and custom-brewed espresso grinds available with cappuccino and latte’s by donation, the wide-assortment of all ages and musical styles turns out more folks to this public coffee house held the third Friday almost every month from fall to spring, he notes.
The musician styles and sounds featured from around the globe have included everything from jazz, blues and bluegrass to gospel, pop, and swing, and from classical guitars to awesome African singers, with performers of all ages included.
Musicians don’t need to be professionals or play religious pieces at this community coffee house session, although those who do wish to play need to sign up ahead, and are only asked to keep their lyrics clean for family viewing, he adds.
“It’s all organized musicians at the coffee house, so anyone interested in performing can call me at 250-395-3846, or they can call the church office at 250-791-5532.”
However, it offers a good opportunity for school band students, their teachers and others still learning to play instruments or studying singing to perform a song or two on the small stage in front of an and audience in a “safe and warm environment,” he explains.”
Melanson says that days later people are still making enthusiastic comments to him about what a great time they have at the Solid Rock Cafe, he notes.
The next Solid Rock Cafe is slated for April 21, at the Rock Youth Centre building on the church property at 4930 Telqua Drive.
While the performers begin at 7 p.m., the seats always start to fill up well ahead so he suggests getting there around 6:15 to secure a chair and then enjoy the time spent beforehand in some social time conversations.
Melanson notes this is not held as a fundraiser, but previous funds that sometimes surface after the church’s dedicated volunteers put on these events have been sent to help disaster relief victims in other parts of the world.