Celtic penny whistle and metallic bluegrass twang will soon fill Lac la Hache’s Cariboo Pioneer Centre.
The country folk duo Great Plains will play in Lac la Hache on March 5 at 3 p.m. as part of their six week tour through Western Canada.
The Canadian singer-songwriter duo play a variety of songs with celtic, bluegrass, folk and country flavours. “Canadiana” is a term often used to describe the band.
Saskia and Darrel Delaronde have played together for 15 years, touring before as just “Saskia and Darrel.” Saskia brings a celtic background to her music, while Darrel adds in the country flavour.
While the two are from Saskatchewan, they now live in Comox, B.C. but spend much of their time doing what they do best—touring.
Saskia says she particularly loves coming to the smaller communities.
“You get to actually connect with people that never go to the bigger places. You get to connect with the people who are having a hard time getting out. You get to connect with, as I look at it, the salt of the earth. The people who make the places happen, who are the core of the community,” she says. “Certainly if I had to chose I would pick a smaller centre over a bigger centre any day.”
The duo has toured with Gary Fjellgaard and played the Lac la Hache Garlic Festival in the past.
“We’re really looking forward to reconnecting with our friends and to make new friends. That’s the whole deal about playing smaller places. People open up their hearts and their little community for us and we get to meet them,” says Saskia.
The Old Age Pensioner Organization (OAPO #176) was happy to host the duo when they learned they wouldn’t be making stops in any of the bigger centres in the Cariboo.
“We’re really looking forward to them coming,” says Judy Boehm, treasurer for the OAPO. “It’ll be just a nice day out on a Sunday afternoon on a half-spring, half-winter day.”
She hopes the duo will get people out while it’s still too drab to do things outdoors.
From Lac la Hache the duo will head to Valemont and into the Prairies.
Tickets are $15 and are available at Donex in 100 Mile House, the Bear and Race Trac Gas in Lac la Hache, as well as at the door.
Up to 50 per cent of ticket proceeds (based on ticket sales) will go to OAPO #176 in Lac la Hache for upkeep, utilities and maintenance on the hall.
