Longevity John has quite the mother-lode of talent ready to bloom on the Showroom stage for the month of May.
READ MORE: One-woman immersive folk experience at Duncan Showroom April 19
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On May 3, the Beautiful Maladies bring the brilliance of Tom Waits to the Duncan Showroom at 7:30 p.m. Waits fans will want to ‘hold on’ to their hats and get ready to ‘clap hands’ as it is always a performance to behold. Tickets are $30.
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On May 4, listen to sounds of students honing their craft with the Long & McQuade student recital from 2 to 4 p.m. The long treasured biannual presentation by Duncan Music continues under the new ownership of Long and McQuade. This showcase of skilled students will be live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook, and admission is by donation.
The James Vickers Band takes the Showroom stage at 7:30 p.m. Vickers is described as a musical force to be reckoned with, and is just shy of 15 years old. He’s been making waves at the Queen’s Hotel Sunday Blues Jam since he was 11. This young guitar slinger and singer will be filling out the evening with phenomenal players Carson Maertz, Rick Becker, and Sara Varro. Tickets are $15.
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On May 5, get lost in the sweet sounds of bluegrass with The Hoss Mountain Stringband at 3 p.m. This six-piece bluegrass band from Sooke is making the trip to spread the joy of their music. A $20 admission is suggested.
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Life is not a dress rehearsal, so bring your talents to the stage on May 7. The Showroom’s ‘Dress Rehearsal Tuesday’, also known as their weekly open-mic night, gets underway at 7:30 p.m. It’s a great chance for newcomers to get their feet wet, or for past performers to bring new material to the stage. Whether you sing, play an instrument, or both it’s your time to shine. There will be another open-mic night scheduled for the same time later this month on May 14.
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On May 11, experience the art and beauty of belly-dancing as Saidi Sisters Studio presents Femme Fatales in Smoke and Mirrors with special guests. Tickets are $20 in advance and are available at the Duncan Showroom or Saidi Sisters Studio, or can be purchased at the door for $25.
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On May 12, enjoy the awe of acoustic with the Tony Turner Trio at 3 p.m. The Nanaimo-based band has Tony Turner at the helm on lead vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonica, Arlene Carson on supporting vocals, piano, and accordion and Joe Spinelli all about that upright bass. This trio are sure to delight music lovers with their repertoire, penned by Turner, that is anchored in roots, while touching on blues, pop, with even a twist of humor at times. Tickets are $20.
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On May 26 at 2 p.m., sink into the ancient art of storytelling with the Island Storytellers. These tale tellers are from the Victoria Storytellers’ Guild, The Around Town Tellers, from Nanaimo, and the Mid-Island Storytellers, based out of Qualicum Beach and Parksville. This event takes place on the fourth Sunday of every month — there are two 45-minute sets with a short break in between. A donation of $15 to $20 is suggested.
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On May 29, cap off the month at the Showroom with a staggering performance by singer-songwriter, and producer Leeroy Stagger and his trio featuring multi-instrumentalists Ryland Moranz, and Tyler Lieb. This talented threesome celebrate over two decades of touring the globe with talent such as Steve Earle, Frazey Ford, Josh Ritter, The North Mississippi Allstars, Los Lobos and The Pixies just to name a few. On top of his several award winning records, Stagger is also a natural storyteller which he incorporates into his performances, and while wearing his producer hat, he has worked alongside artists such as Corb Lund, Chip Taylor, Mariel Buckley, John Wort Hannam, Tim Easton and many more.
Tickets are $30.
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The intimate, and enchantingly eclectic Duncan Showroom is located in the heart of downtown Duncan on 131 Station St. Tickets for all shows and events can be purchased in person or by visiting showroomproductions.ca