A recent showcase of some local musical talent was more than just the usual sit, listen and clap session.
On Sept. 29, the Bashaw United Church was the venue for a different type of show — one that was a lot more informal and intimate for both the artists and the audience.
Called the Local Mic coffee house music night, the idea was to invite a few Bashaw musicians along with some with ties to the community for an evening of entertainment along with an opportunity for people to enjoy the companionship of others.
Pastor Robin King came up with the idea as another way to further promote local musical talent as well as give an opportunity for people to come together for a less formal gathering.
“We’ve done a similar kind of event before, but basically we just feel like there’s so many talented people in Bashaw and around this area, it’s a chance for them to perform and us to hear them, right here in town,” King explained.
Toss in some coffee and apple cider courtesy of Bashaw’s newest enterprise — Meeting Place Coffee Roasters — and some baked goodies donated by a few local residents, it provided the feeling for people of an evening out for coffee with some friends.
Andrea Benoit and sister-in-law Holly Benoit (Chappelle) were among the featured artists along with a few songs performed by Ben Wilson plus Tigs and Whiskey from Camrose (better known as Becca Bouma and Monica Littleton).
Holly stated that while King came up with the vision, the evening ended up as a collaborative effort of a number of individuals.
“The performers and some church members helped out with getting everything organized and set up,” she stated, noting there were volunteers to sell tickets and work the sound.
“I think the evening went well. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed very much listening to the other performers and drinking the cider and coffee. I would definitely want to do it again.”
For Andrea, the whole evening was phenomenal — from the performers to the snacks.
“The squares were delicious, I personally ate several,” she said.
“We had lots of positive feedback from those who attended. We would always love to see more people show up to these events to lend their support to the performers and to the causes we are raising money for. Holly and I are passionate about supporting such causes, which makes us very happy to be involved in these events, and we hope to spread that passion to others in the community.”
Andrea added there are plans in place to host another event soon, possibly in January.
“We hope to have another event in the future, which will be more of an Open Mic setting, meaning anyone can come and share their music,” she said.
“This Local Mic event will hopefully encourage other talented local artists to come forward for future events.”
Proceeds from the tickets went to support programming for the community through the Bashaw Church Community Impact Fund.
