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Home Routes Concert Tour makes its way to Thompson

Lisa Evasiuk, co-ordinator of the Reel North Film Festival, has teamed up with Thompson Public Library administrator Cheryl Davies to bring the Winnipeg-based Home Routes Concert Tour to Thompson.

Lisa Evasiuk, co-ordinator of the Reel North Film Festival, has teamed up with Thompson Public Library administrator Cheryl Davies to bring the Winnipeg-based Home Routes Concert Tour to Thompson.

The Thompson Public Library's basement Bijou Room, of course, is the main home of the Reel North Film Festival every November, along with Saturday night double features that generally run monthly, except for during the summer, the rest of the year, and Evasiuk and Davies have worked closely on that for more than a year now

The way the Home Routes Concert Tour works, Evasiuk says, is: the cost for each show is $15 and every cent goes to the amazing musicians who come to us from all over Canada. I supply a bed and a meal (for free); Cheryl is supplying the basement Bijou at the library (for free) as our "living room" for the up close and interactive acoustic event (of which there will be six in total). You buy a ticket, supply your time and sit back and totally enjoy the music while visiting with the musicians.

Evasiuk says, "We will have limited seating so if you are interested please make sure to contact me before each show to get your reserved ticket."

Homes Routes is a not-for-profit organization with a small founding board of directors whom have a significant knowledge of folk-roots music.

The chairperson is Derek Black, a 25-year veteran of the Winnipeg Folk Festival, including eight years as its board president. Black plays guitar and sings as well.

Other board members include Chris White, artistic director of the Ottawa Folk Festival, who is also a songwriter; Troy Greencorn, artistic director of the Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso, Nova Scotia; Manitoban Steve Schellenberg, a songwriter who is the artist representative on the board; Robert Lyons of Regina, an owner of nightclubs and restaurants, who is also described as "a very decent lyricist and guitar player and an old hand at producing house concerts"; and Les Siemieniuk, general manager of the Calgary Folk Festival and a long-time broadcaster including producing CBC Radio's Simply Folk.

The paid staff include artistic director Mitch Podolak, founder of the Winnipeg and Vancouver Folk Festivals and Winnipeg's West End Cultural Centre. The concept of Home Routes originated with Podolak.

The Thompson Home Routes Concert Tour kicks off Sept. 22 with Corin Raymond and Sean Cotton, who make up The Undesirables.

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