DIRTY GRACE in the Studio at Centre 64, Kimberley, Saturday July 6, 7:30 pm.

Over recent weeks it appears that audiences in the area have been once cursed and thrice blessed. The Curse?- that would have been the implosion of the NARARETH concert at the Cranbrook Curling Rink. It should not have come as a surprise. A UK rock band that was at least 30 years past its due date playing in a curling rink in a small remote Canadian town should have been a clue. This is a band not likely to be at the top of its game. On the blessed side there was the sweet Bluegrass flavored vocals of the The Rosie Brown Band at BJ’s Creekside Pub a few weeks back. Then there was the rockin’ sounds of that super tight organization 60 Hertz playing at the Summersounds last Saturday. This sparsely attended free concert in Rotary Park raises the question of how come Nazareth can attract an audience to a concert that ended up collapsing while 60 Hertz played to a no-where crowd? Was it because the concert was free or are local audience so celebrity struck that they are incapable of discerning the over-the-top quality of a band like 60 Hertz? One wonders. Last, but not least, was the “birkenstock and granola music” of Dirty Grace. With minimal publicity and  lack of local knowledge this unknown trio of musicians dared to trek across the country to perform in Kimberly. It was geographically new terrain for the group and for local audience it was sonically unfamiliar territory. So in a sense everybody was out there exploring.   Even for the locals the venue was different. It was held downstairs in the Centre 64 Studio that was set up like  a Cafe with tables and chairs. It provided a nice ambient atmosphere for the European sensibilities of the trio. In the band Betty Supple was featured on vocals and mandolin, Marley Daemon on vocals and accordion and Jesse Thom on percussion. All musicians doubled on guitar throughout the evening. It was all original music with nice tight vocal harmonies and an overall sound that had the flavor of Eastern Europe music. Betty`s mandolin was a nice departure from the usual Bluegrass cliches. There was not a 2/4 mandolin chop in sight. Here is a YouTube link for a piece they call The Wrecking Ball.   Dirty Grace and The Wrecking Ball .This should give you some idea of their music. Jesse played a Peruvian beat box called a Cajon . With several local players on the scene this is not an unheard of instrument in this area.  It is basically a small rectangular wooden box with or without internal metal snares. The percussionist sits on the “drum” and beats on the wooden face to produce a remarkable facsimile of a conventional drum kit. Originally it migrated from Peru into Spanish Flamenco music but now is showing up in all sorts of genres. Here are some images from the concert (click on the image for a larger view).

Dirty Grace, Laurel Ralston and the Kimberley Arts Council would like to thanks the sponsors of the event: The Pedal and Tap Restaurant & Mountain Spirit Accommodation.

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