By Heather Killen
The Spectator
NovaNewsNow.com
An upcoming music festival aims to convince music lovers to start shopping local for their tunes.
Steve Baxter, of Middleton, says a two-day music festival being planned in Middleton this year not only aims to create a local venue for new original music, but hopes to promote it as well.
Baxter’s son Adam, who has been studying music education in Newfoundland, is planning the Valley Legends Music Festival on June 1 and 2 in Middleton. This event aims to introduce original music rather than showcase local talent performing already popular songs typically played in the local clubs.
“We’re inviting original music,” he said. “It’s a chance to not only showcase the talent here, but an opportunity to introduce new styles of music and sounds.”
Legends
Baxter said this event is building on the Legends of the Legion show held at the Royal Canadian Legion last year and they hope it will become an annual event, growing in popularity and scope each year.
“There is a rich music culture in Newfoundland, why can’t we have one here?” he said. “The musicians here are as talented as musicians in Montreal, or Vancouver. We need to support our own.”
He added by offering musicians the opportunity to play their own music and develop their own styles here, the Valley can create as rich and diverse music culture locally as the music scene enjoyed in St Johns.
“You can walk down George Street and there will be a real variety of live music playing in the clubs,” he said. “It’s not just cover bands, it could be anything from jazz to celtic.”
First Evening
While the first evening features unplugged performances and songwriters’ circles at the Old Holy Trinity, the second night will be all plugged in at the Royal Canadian Legion and feature a variety of acts from Atlantic Canada.
The festival, according to Adam Baxter, is his way of giving back to the community that always supported him. He’s invited a number of his friends and fellow musicians to come to Middleton in June and participate in the two-day music festival.
Performers from the Valley, Halifax, and Newfoundland are among the headliners.
“I’ve tried to offer a geographically eclectic festival,” he said. Ten different acts are already confirmed over the two days and feature musicians such as Caleb Miles, Michael Dalton, Joey Bennett, Billie Dre, Sons of Peat, and the Poor Boys.
Songwriters’ Circle
The Valley Legends Music Festival starts on Friday June 1st at The Holy Trinity Church, in Middleton. This unplugged session features two songwriters’ circles, admission to this event is a freewill offering.
Baxter says he hopes that aspiring young singers, songwriters, and musicians will come out to these sessions to work with the evening’s performers. The following afternoon another songwriters circle will be held, while the music plays on starting at 7 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion, tickets $7 at the door.
For more information on the festival contact Adam Baxter (http://www.facebook.com/adambaxtermusic)
