The Oaksong Music Society wraps up its 2008-09 fall-winter-spring concert season at 8 p.m Friday (May 15) at Bernie’s Guitar (3086 Bechelli Lane) with Canadian singer-songwriter Maria Dunn. For Celtic music fans and those who love storytelling singer-songwriters, this show should be a real treat.
Dunn was born in Scotland and raised in Ontario and Alberta. She’s toured internationally for years and been nominated for a Juno (Canadian Grammy) award in 2002 for her second recording, “For A Song.”
Her songs are inspired by historical and contemporary characters and their struggles and triumphs come out in her lyrics. It’s a show that rides along the same tracks laid down by Woody Guthrie and Utah Phillips. Tickets are $15, and for more information, click here or call 223-2040.
The Oaksong Society has presented another killer season over the past several months, including artists like Tracy Grammer, David Jacobs-Strain and 101-year-old Bill Tapia. Attendance was kind of light for a couple shows this season (reflecting the recession, I suspect), but it wasn’t because of lack of talent.
It continues to be a music society that really honors artists. Organizers Pete Angwin, Barry Hazle, Lynn Schroeder and Bruce Wendt are to be commeded once again.
• Other picks? How can you beat the great community gathering that is the Asphalt Cowboys’ Pancake Breakfast. The true-blue Redding event starts at 5 a.m. (ouch, I’ve never actually been awake that early) and runs through 10 a.m. (more my style) on Friday. Ride to the event on your bicycle and you get a free breakkie. Otherwise, tickets are $3 presale or $4 at the event.
• The Redding Improv Players kicked off the most recent 2nd Saturday Art Hop, but their regular performance is from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Old City Hall (1313 Market St.) in Redding. There’s a reason this group has been around for years and continues to have success each month. Here’s what people typically come away saying: “I laughed a lot more than I expected.”
• It’s supposed to warm up quite a bit this weekend so maybe you want to be indoors on Sunday afternoon. Here’s the best place to be — the 2 p.m. concert by the North State Symphony at the Cascade Theatre. The concert will feature works by Mozart, Stravinsky and Gershwin, as well as solo performances by award-winning students. Tickets range from $15-$40. Click here for tickets and more information.
