Royal City Rag, December 19 – Winter Solstice and Yuletide

It was a very special festive Royal City Rag on December 19. 

In the first hour, Ursalynn (Lynn Woodford) and Diane Hurst joined us to celebrate the upcoming winter solstice and chat about the pagan side of Christmas. Many people forget that much of what we now know as the Christmas season has its roots in pagan rites celebrating the solstice and our role as part of nature.

Listen to hour 1:

Elivia, Anita, Sya and Brian

In the second hour, we celebrated yuletide with storytellers Brian Holstein (The Silk Scarf) and Sya Van Geest (How Santa Got His Job) with seasonal music from “Detour”, the rich harmonies of piano and acoustic guitar duo, Elivia and Anita Cazzola, aged 16 and 14 respectively. The sisters have introduced their folky-pop style to many venues, such as church bazaars, local stores and eateries including Planet Bean, school talent shows and the Italian Canadian Club, not to mention competitions.  They will be performing at Guelph’s Battle of the Bands in the Spring.

Listen to hour 2:

Music:
Waterboys, A Pagan Place from The Secret Life Of the Waterboys
Hilary Stagg, The Edge Of Forever from Inspirations
Fantasia on Greensleeves, Kitchener Waterloo Symphony Orchestra from Carols And Choirs For Christmas
Sufjan Stevens, Winter Solstice from Songs for Christmas Vol 5 (2006)
St Matthew’s Lutheran Church Choir, In The Bleak Midwinter from Carols And Choirs For Christmas
Loreena McKennitt, The Holly And The Ivy from A Midwinter Night’s Dream
Vince Guaraldi Trio, O Tannenbaum from A Charlie Brown Christmas
Nick Lowe, What’s So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding (Acoustic) from At My Age (Bonus Tracks)
Detour, God Rest Your Merry Gentlemen (Live)
Detour, Silent Night (Live)
Detour, Joy To The World (Live)
Detour, Winter Wonderland (Live)
Detour, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Love)
Holly Cole, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Rebecca Jenkins, Jane Siberry and Victoria Williams, Count Your Blessings from Count Your Blessings

 

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Royal City Rag – May 13

On May 13, the focus of a 2-hour Royal City Rag was firmly on the performing arts.

In the first hour, Ingrid Gatin and Miss Emily Brown joined us in the studio. They are touring the country on The Great Lakes Train Tour and popped in to play a few songs for us prior to their show with Guelph’s Tannis Slimmon at the newly renovated and expanded Red Brick Cafe. They even tackled Royal City Rag’s opening theme, Nick Lowe’s “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love And Understanding?”. An interesting accordian version, I think you’ll agree.

Ingrid Gatin’s most recent EP, “Tin Heart”  features accordion, mandolin and piano. Miss Emily Brown who plays guitar and autoharp is currently working on her second LP, “Missing My Eddie”, a dreamy and nostalgic work loosely based on letters from her war-time grandmother and dispatches from the era’s women’s magazines.

Ingrid and Miss Emily are in London on May 14, St Catherine’s on May 15 and Toronto on May 17. Check out their myspace sites  (Ingrid Gatin, Miss Emily Brown) for songs and more details on their tour.

Later in the hour, we were joined by storytellers Brian Holstein and Derek Brisland, on their way to the monthly session of Guelph Guild of Storytellers at the Boathouse. Storytelling at the Boathouse takes place on the second Wednesday of every month from April till December. Admission is by donation (pay what you can).

In the second hour of this special show, Guelph guitarist Mike Mucci and local poet and Royal City Rag favourite Beth-Anne Fischer joined us for The Sound of Guelph.

Mike’s guitar playing is mesmerizing. Check him out if you get the chance. Upcoming dates include his own “pre-wedding” bash at the E-bar on May 17 at 8.00 p.m. and an Attic show (14 Northumberland Street) on June 5 at 8.00 p.m. with Harris Newman and Ignatz (cover $5). He will also be on CFRU 93.3fm’s Fishing with Boston show (Tuesdays 9-11 a.m.) at 9.00 a.m. on May 26. Later that day, at Noon, he will be playing live in the lilac garden at The Arboretum. Sounds idyllic!

Beth-Anne Fischer, an accomplished Guelph poet, will feature at the upcoming Guelph Poetry Slam show at the Guelph Googenheim on May 23 at 8.30 p.m. and at the Guelph Pride event “Pinch This Pride: An Eclectic Queer Circus” at the E-Bar on May 28 at 10.00 p.m.

Music:
Ingrid Gatin and Miss Emily Brown, What’s So Funny About Peace, Love And Understanding? (Live)
Miss Emily Brown, Flash Freeze from Morlove EP
Ingrid Gatin, How Did I Get So? from Tin Heart EP
Miss Emily Brown, Technicolour (Live, demo)
Ingrid Gatin, In The Backseat (Live) from Tin Heart EP
Mike Mucci, Eramosa (Live) from Under The Tulip Trees
Mike Mucci, Along The Speed River (Live) from Under The Tulip Trees
Mike Mucci The Ward (Live) from Under The Tulip Trees
Mike Mucci, Small Triumphs (Live)
Mike Mucci, For R.M. (Live) from Under The Tulip Trees

Storytelling:
Brian Holstein, Truth And Fantasy (Live)
Derek Brisland, The Well O’ The World’s End (Live)

Poetry:
Beth-Anne Fischer, Snake, (Live)
Beth-Anne Fischer, Gender Martini (Live)
Beth-Anne Fischer, Mirrors (Live)

Listen to the show:
Part 1

Part 2

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Coming Up on Royal City Rag – The Sound Of Guelph

We have a double dose of Royal City Rag on CFRU 93.3 fm on May 13. We’ll be on air from 6-8 p.m.

With an array of musicians and spoken word artists coming in it promises to be lots of fun. You won’t want to miss it.

In the first hour, Ingrid Gatin and Miss Emily Brown will be joining us. They are on The Great Lakes Train Tour and will be playing with Guelph’s own Tannis Slimmon this evening at the newly renovated and expanded Red Brick Cafe, Douglas Street, Downtown Guelph.

Royal City Rag is lucky to get a preview of the duo prior to their date with Tannis.

Sponsored in part by Via Rail, the tour kicked off in Winnipeg on May 7 and travels vial the rails through Toronto, London, and culminating in Montreal.

Ingrid Gatin is a former member of Winnipeg’s Magnificent 7s. Layering accordion, mandolin and piano, Gatin’s work combines French-inspired accordion and Balkan rhythm. Back from a month in a Northern Saskatchewan cabin sponsored by the Winnipeg Arts Council, Ingrid will premiere some new songs on the tour. 

Montréal’s Miss Emily Brown, fresh from a six-month Canada Council song-writing project, will debut tracks from her second record, “Missing My Eddie.” Dreamy and nostalgic, Miss Emily Brown’s new work is loosely based on letters from her war-time grandmother and dispatches from the era’s women’s magazines.

Storyteller Derek Brisland

Later in the hour, we’ll be joined by storytellers Brian Holstein and Derek Brisland. Brian and Derek will be telling stories at the Boathouse, later in the evening, at 8.00 p.m. The bill will also feature famed Canadian storyteller, Dan Yashinsky.

And, as if that isn’t enough…

In the second hour of the show we’ll be joined by Guelph musician Mike Mucci for “The Sound of Guelph”. Mike is a fabulous guitarist. I absolutely love his CD “Under the Tulip Trees”. Mike will be playing live for us in the studio. We’ll also be joined by local poet and Royal City Rag favourite Beth-Anne Fischer.

Promises to be a great show. Don’t miss it!

Wednesday, May 13 from 6-8 p.m. on CFRU 93.3fm, Guelph’s Campus Community Radio Station.

Listen live on CFRU 93.3fm or after the fact via the website or CFRU archive.

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Storytelling At The Boathouse – April 8

April 8 marks the beginning of another season of Guelph Guild of Storytellers’ Storytelling at The Boathouse. Sessions start at 8.00 p.m. and take place on the second Wednesday of each month until December.

Come join us by the river for stories and ice cream – if the weather’s warm enough. Otherwise, we’ll have tea or cider, or even coffee.

This year’s theme is Incredibly Edible Stories. They have also lined up some great guest storytellers, starting off this month with Adwoa Badoe.

In  May, Toronto’s  Dan Yashinski will be the guest teller while Brad Woods will be featured in June.

As always, admission is free, but donations are graciously accepted.

Schedule for April 8
Sandy Schoen, Raj’s Tiger
Brian Holstein, The Thief & The Parrot
Tyler, 2 Wee Lads & The Apple Pie Surprise
Adwoa Badoe, 30 minutes of telling
Beve Matson and others, Two Mice
Joan Holland, Work Is Work
Beve  Matson, Lazy Jack
Sandy Schoen, The Question
Brian Holstein, Cockroach

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Royal City Rag, December 17 2008 – Our Yuletide Show

A 2-Hour festive Royal City Rag featuring a singalong with Sam Turton, Jane Lewis and Monique Vischschraper, storytelling by Brian Holstein and Sya Van Geest with traditional readings, Christmas trivia and poetry from Sheryl Spencer and Jan Andrea Hall. We also featured interviews with several Guelphites, including the Mayor about their plans for the holidays and hopes for 2009.

Sam created a Guelph version of the Twelve Days of Christmas, “The Guelph Days of Christmas” especially for the show.

THE GUELPH DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

On the First day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… a Farbridge at City Hall
On the Second day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 2 Hillsides
On the Third day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 3 James Gordon songs
On the Fourth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 4 Bookshelf books
On the Fifth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 5 local festivals!
On the Sixth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 6 woofers farming
On thr Seventh day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 7 drivers biking
On the Eighth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 8 hipsters dancing
On the Ninth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 9 artists painting
On the Tenth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 10 singers playing
On the Eleventh day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 11 drummers grooving
On the Guelph day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 12 councillors greening

Storytelling:
Sya Van Geest – How Santa Got His Job
Sya Van Geest and Brian Holstein – The Night Before Christmas (Not A Creature Was Stirring)
Brian Holstein – Brian’s Christmas

Music:
Sam Turton and Friends Live in the Studio:
What’s So Funny About Peace, Love And Understanding?
Jingle Bells
Felix Navidad
Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life
The Guelph Days of Christmas
Walking In A Winter Wonderland
Silver Bells
Happy Christmas (War Is Over)
Deck The Halls
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

The audio for this show is no longer available on the website.  If however you wish to hear it again, please contact us at info@royalcityrag.ca. Thank You.

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The Guelph Days of Christmas! Royal City Rag – December 17

Sam Turton has written a Guelph version of The Twelve Days of Christmas entitled The Guelph Days of Christmas for tonight’s Holiday Special Royal City Rag that takes place between 6-8 p.m. tonight, December 17, on CFRU 93.3fm.

Sam, ably assisted by Jane Lewis and Monique Vischschraper, will be taking us through a seasonal singalong while Brian Holstein and Sya Van Geest tell some seasonal stories. We’ll also have readings by Sheryl Spencer, Christmas trivia and short interviews with individual Guelphites, including the Mayor about their plans for the holidays and hopes for 2009. Marie Zimmerman will also update your holiday event guide.
 
You don’t want to miss this.

If you’d like to join in with the Guelphs Days of Christmas, here are the words:

THE GUELPH DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

On the First day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… a Farbridge at City Hall
On the Second day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 2 Hillsides
On the Third day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 3 James Gordon songs
On the Fourth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 4 Bookshelf books
On the Fifth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 5 local festivals!
On the Sixth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 6 woofers farming
On thr Seventh day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 7 drivers biking
On the Eighth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 8 hipsters dancing
On the Ninth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 9 artists painting
On the Tenth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 10 singers playing
On the Eleventh day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 11 drummers grooving
On the Guelph day of Christmas, My true love sent to me… 12 councillors greening

It all promises to be great fun.

Listen live on CFRU 93.3fm or online at www.cfru.ca from 6- 8 p.m. Wednesday evening.

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Coming Up on Royal City Rag, December 17 – Our Second Holiday Special

Join us on Wednesday for a 2-hour holiday special Royal City Rag featuring a singalong with Sam Turton, Jane Lewis and Monique Vischschraper, storytelling by Brian Holstein and Sya Van Geest and readings by Sheryl Spencer.

Marie Zimmerman will update your holiday event guide.

It all promises to be great fun.

Listen live on CFRU 93.3fm or online at www.cfru.ca from 6- 8 p.m. Wednesday evening.

Jan Andrea Hall

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Royal City Rag, August 13 2008 – Brian Holstein, The Municipal Beat

Finally back in the saddle again. Brian Holstein joined us again to talk about city issues including John Galt Day, laissez faire developers and bad neighbours.

The audio for this show is no longer available on the website.  If however you wish to hear it again, please contact us at info@royalcityrag.ca. Thank You.

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