# Canadian Guitar Festival - this coming wkend



## Crossroads (Apr 23, 2006)

Who is coming to Odessa, ON, this weekend for the guitar festival?


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## Stephen W. (Jun 7, 2006)

The wife and I have three day passes and are booked into the Fox Motor Inn for Friday and Saturday nights. It sure will save on the long drive each day, each way to and from the banks of the Trent. As well as my having to be there early Sunday for sign in and the drawing for playing slots.
See you there. :food-smiley-004:


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## YardApe (Mar 5, 2006)

Well i live in Odessa and the prices there charging i'm sure they are worth it but i cant come up with the $35 bucks for the entrance thats just for me, my wife and kids want to go to so there is hefty entrance fee why dont they just gharge you when you want to do a wrokshop? anyway we will see about sunday.

The YardApe


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

What is it you are getting for $35.00 ? Is this what they were charging just to attend the festival?


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## Stephen W. (Jun 7, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> What is it you are getting for $35.00 ? Is this what they were charging just to attend the festival?


You make it sound like the admission price was so high that it was criminal. *FAR* from it!
It might seem like a lot of money but, that was for non stop fun all day Saturday.
(I work with guys who spend more than that on smokes in a week!)
Look at what all was happening.

*Workshops *(Open to everyone at no extra charge.)

9:00am Celtic Guitar - Bob MacLean 
9:45 Classical - Jeff Hanlon 
10:30 Guitar and Voice - Marco D'Amico 
11:15 - 12:30 Open Stage 

*Mainstage*

1:00pm Andy McKee 
2:00 Duane Andrews 
3:00 J.P. Cormier 
4:00 Michael Chapdelaine 
5:30 - 6:45 MAINSTAGE WORKSHOP FEATURING: Don Ross, J.P. Cormier, Ian Melrose, Andrew White, Kerstin Blodig, Pino Forastiere and Robert Michaels with HOST: Gary Rasberry 
7:00 Del Vezeau presents... (mystery act)
8:00 Pino Forastiere 
9:00 Ian Melrose 
10:00 Montreal Guitar Trio 
Go to the Canadian Guitar Festival website and check out each act. Follow the links to their websites and listen to the audio clips or watch the videos, (for those sites with vids and if you have highspeed). See just what all you missed. 
Now what would pay for a two-three hour concert anywhere else, hmmmmmmm???
Just to underscore my point, Ian Melsrose and Kerstin Blodig together play as a duo called Kelpie. They are playing in Foxboro (5 minutes north of Belleville) this Saturday evening. It's $20 per person for about 3 hours. And if you like their music that's not a bad price for a small intimate home concert were you get to be up close and personal with the players, is it? 
I'd have paid the 35 bucks just to see the last four acts on Saturday night in Odessa. Pino is a great player, I've seen him several times now. Ian Melrose I'd not seen live before and he was spectacular. The Montreal Guitar Trio was a fantastic, entertaining group who gave a stellar performance.
And remember, kids under 12 were free and students were 1/2 price.
I bought 2 three day passes, (for the wife and myself) in advance for 90 bucks. We had a blast. I'll be first in line to order tickets for next years festival, what ever they cost!


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## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

*Fingerstyle Competition*

Stephen W, how was the fingerstyle competition on Sunday?


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## Crossroads (Apr 23, 2006)

*good deal.*

I can appreciate where people come from on the price of admission. 

However, for the quality of entertainment, the access to the perfomers, and the friendliness of the audience, there is no better deal.

consider going to a concert, and this is a steal ! If a person has the disposalable income, please mark next year on the calendar..

My Brother-in-law and myself were so impressed with Kelpie, we are going to Foxboro on Saturday night to see and hear them again.:food-smiley-004: 

see you on Saturday


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## Stephen W. (Jun 7, 2006)

WarrenG said:


> Stephen W, how was the fingerstyle competition on Sunday?


*FREAKIN' AWESOME!* And in a most unexpected way too.
I knew I didn't stand a chance against the likes of David Gillis, Don Alder and Antoine Dufour. I was there just for the experience and the exposure. I was very surprised though that Eric Mongrain backed out and went home Saturday. In fact a lot of people backed out. We ended up with only 20 competitors.
What I found most unexpected was the number of classical and stylized players, (those who fuse elements of jazz, blues, funk and rock but play it in a rhythmic strumming and picking pattern with little or no use of hand slaps or bongo hits). There were only about six true finger style players. And they didn't play all fingerstyle tunes. It was a true smorgasbord of talent, tunes and temperaments. As entertaining as Saturday in some respects.

Del's a little busy so the festival web site hasn't been updated yet. but here's how it went down.
Top five were: Don Alder, Antoine Dufour, Kelly Valleau, Craig D'Andrea and David Gillis, 

Final winners were:
*1st *Antoine Dufour, fingerstyle (chose the Stonebridge as his prize)
*2nd* Kelly Valleau, classical 
*3rd* Craig D'Andrea, fingerstyle


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## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

Stephen W. said:


> I knew I didn't stand a chance against the likes of David Gillis, Don Alder and Antoine Dufour... I was very surprised though that Eric Mongrain backed out and went home Saturday.
> 
> What I found most unexpected was the number of classical and stylized players, (those who fuse elements of jazz, blues, funk and rock but play it in a rhythmic strumming and picking pattern with little or no use of hand slaps or bongo hits). There were only about six true finger style players. And they didn't play all fingerstyle tunes.
> 
> ...


Knowing 4/5 of the guys, I'm a little surprised Don Alder didn't win, nor even place! I had *heard* that he didn't expect to win because of who the judges were and what they liked.

I remember being very impressed with Dave Gillis and Craig D'Andrea last year. Antoine (sigh), although really good technically, just doesn't do it for me. Too derivative of Don Ross and Michael Hedges. Just like that Pino guy... 

So Erik picked up his ball and went home, huh? Bahaha! Oh well, he'll always have Les pourris de talent...

I'm very curious as to what you mean by stylized and true fingerstyle players. Can you give me some examples I can check out? 

Cheers,
Warren


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

Am I just out of the loop... why do I find out about these festivals when it's "this weekend"... or why weren't you there "last " weekend... Where are these festivals or workshops lsited in advance... Like I said, I might just be out of the loop.


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## Stephen W. (Jun 7, 2006)

You can read the Concerts and Events listings on a regular basis or check the bottom of the main forums page where it lists Upcoming Events for the Next 20 Day(s) (George Thorogood & Destroyers - Niagara Falls ) are listed as the next big attraction.
But don't worry, you have 11 months to plan for next years festival. :tongue: 

Oh and Warren, I haven't forgotten about your question. I'm just not happy with my answers yet. I type slow.......


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