In one week, on Saturday, March 19, the Pasadena Folk Music Society presents Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen as they make a stop in Pasadena during their bi-annual snowbird pilgrimage to California from Bennington, Vermont. Steve is the fine guitarist, singer and songwriter who penned the classic Darcy Farrow, Back on the Street Again, and numerous other great songs. Cindy Mangsen married Steve in 1989 and she had been a solo performer before that. She brought to this new enterprise her gorgeous voice, guitar, banjo, concertina, her own fine songs, and a great taste for traditional ballads. During the intervening years, they have recorded and performed an amazing body of songs, original, traditional, and collected from their contemporaries. Hear them sing Steve’s songs, Darcy Farrow and The Old Trail, and their delightful version of Lou and Peter Berryman’s Double Yodel, from their recording, Berrymania. Their web site is http://www.compassrosemusic.com.
Tickets for this show are $15 for adults and $5 for Caltech students and children. You can order them by calling (626) 395-4652 or by clicking here before Thursday, March 17. The Ticket Office is located at Winnett Student Center on campus, and you can buy tickets there without a fee. They are open 9AM-4PM Monday through Friday.
In just a note the John McCutcheon is coming up very soon, on Saturday, April 2. John is a superstar of folk music, a master of guitar, hammered dulcimer, banjo, piano, autoharp, fiddle and other instruments, a wonderful songwriter, and a fine singer. If you aren’t familiar with him, just listen to the inspiring Step by Step.
Another reminder about the Irish band, Caladh Nua tomorrow, Saturday, March 12 in Beckman Auditorium (Big Beckman), a program that we are marketing partner with Caltech Public Events, who is presenting them and offering a $5 discount on each ticket you buy by phone or at the door if you mention the Folk Music Society discount. Regular prices range from $25-$35. This will be a great show, which we enthusiastically endorse. Caladh Nua is very good at traditional Irish tunes, but they also do a few modern songs, including a beautiful version of Richard Thompson’s Beeswing, which is a beautiful change of pace from their usual high energy, up tempo music. We can expect them to do a lot of dance tunes but they also do traditional ballads, such as The Cruel Lowland Maid, which highlights the fine vocals of Lisa Butler. Consider this show an early celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. You can buy tickets for all of these shows at once and pay only a single service charge.
Lots of other things going on in the next couple of weeks. Art Night Pasadena is tonight, Friday, March 11! A chance to see most of Pasadena’s fine art museums and establishments for free, with free bus service connecting them all. With the new Gold Line extension to Azusa, this event is more accessible than ever by train (the Memorial Park station). See http://www.artnightpasadena.org for more information.
Not an advertisement, but a bit of news- Old Town Music Co. changed hands (now Bertand’s Old Town Music) last year and is now moving from Old Pasadena to East Pasadena, and for the next week or so, they are offering a modest 15% discount on their impressive collection of sheet music, song books, and instructional materials.
And tomorrow, March 12, consider Re-Pete, a Celebration of Pete Seeger– His songs & spirit, a sing-along event being held at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanical in Topanga at 1:00 PM. And next week, The League of Women Voters Climate Change Forum will take place at the Neighborhood Church (301 North Orange Grove Blvd.) in Pasadena from 9AM to noon.
A few things to add to your upcoming calendar: The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will be at USC on April 9 & 10. The amazing Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival, a delightful day in the country (Paramount Ranch) with music and dance is coming up on Sunday May 15 and the Claremont Folk Festival is the following week, now on Sunday, May 22.