RECENT NEWS and UPCOMING SHOWS
Earth Day!!! Downtown Duncan in Charles Hoey Park, all along the greenbelt, fun was had by all. The spits of rain didn't keep Longevity John Falkner, Garage Showroom, and tech folks from providing steady music for wafting throughout the streets of the downtown core. Joining forces were many great organizations, like the Council of Canadians, of which I have become a member recently, Cowichan Valley Bottle Depot, and more.
We performed at the Piggy Awards, Victoria, April 11, 2010, St. Ann's Academy. 2:00 pm Joining me were Martyn Jones and Moritz Behm. My song Liquid Gold was a musical feature, following a skit about corporate greed in the water sector.
Come to the Brigantine Inn, May 2nd, to hear me with Ron Ingram and Martyn Jones as my guests, followed by Ron as the headliner, and I get to be his guest, May 9th! We'll be really mixing it up... we've learned a whole bunch of groovy tunes, woo hoo!! 8 - 11pm
Shipyard Pub and Restaurant, May 7, 2010, 8 - 11pm, Martyn Jones joins me for outright harmonies on everything. We have a little following here, and you may recognize a few cool folks who are regular supporters of the Shipyard's ambience and my original music and the way we play it. Brian and Aude, Chris, Laurie - you people keep music going and make it happen with your enthusiasm...
McKeen and Jones play The Green Lantern Pub, Chemainus, 2010, May 14th, 9 - 1pm. Olde time Dance floor favorites
Hear McKeen and Jones as we join Ron Ingram, in Langford, BC at the Log House, Millstream Rd. May 16th, 3 - 7pm No cover, and tons of fun music
Check out McKeen and Jones at the Ladysmith Maritime Festival, May 30th, 2010, 12:00 - 2:00pm.
Saturdays May 29th and July 3rd,2010 from 10am till 2 at the Duncan City Square farm market! Shop local, buy local, support local!!
Fridays June 18th and July 30th, 2010 at Nanaimo Farm Market at Bastion Square, from 10am till 2.
Moss St. Market, Victoria, BC August 7th, 10 - 12pm. Check us out if you haven't heard us yet, Victoria area!!
Sept. 6th, 2010, Labour Day Picnic, sponsored in part by the Nanaimo Duncan District Labour Council, McKeen and Jones perform, picnic for members, retired and active of unions, their families, etc.
I'm still on the subject of water, and recently attended two public meetings of the Capital Regional District of Victoria. Those councillors were forward thinking enough to vote to keep water infrastructure in public hands for a generation to come hopefully. Just say No, to private sewage treatment in Canada. We can learn from other countries. I remember listening intently to a high ranking British parliamentarian, a keynote speaker at a National Convention of CUPE, who warned us back then, in 1999, to be sovereign over our water supply. We ought to learn the lessons of other countries and avoid their mistakes.
Observed Day of Mourning ceremonies, April 28th, Lake Cowichan, BC, at the Worker's Memorial, 11:00pm I sang and played Trouble In The Mines. This day was originally a 1984 CUPE Initiative, and enacted in 1986, has since been recognized by employers, workers, unions, families, governments, business and historians. Considering there were so many miners killed at once in the US this month, the annual Day of Mourning is so relevant in these times. We endure reduced health and safety regulations, increased workloads and stress, shortages of resources and staffing, and ever greater risk of injury and disease in the workplace. Vancouver Island District Council, of CUPE was supportive of my music recording project/song about the dangers of the mining industry, locally and abroad. Now, the offshore oil drilling disaster focus will make politicians look deeper into health and safety issues in the workplace, industrial and civil.
'The Diary' movie project is full on; Louie Lawless is waiting to hear back from Melbourne, Sarajevo, Toronto and Edinburgh Film Festivals, so yahoo!! This film is getting more and more attention! Check out the trailer on the website. It's great...
Previous shows 2010:
February 5th, 2010, Shipyard Pub and Restaurant, Maple Bay. 8 - 11
No cover charge
February 6th, 2010,
Dermod & Dudley's Irish Pub, Lake Cowichan, 7:30 - 11:30
No Cover charge
Don't forget to check out clips from "Poetic Wax" in the music section!