ThereB次元官网网址檚 something special about performing in front of your devoted fans.
Just ask Ken Lavigne.
The talented tenor, who spent his formative years on the Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 West Shore and now calls Chemainus home in the Cowichan Valley, loves playing on the Islands, where his fans know what he brings to the stage.
His upcoming six-concert tour, called B次元官网网址淧laying Favourites,B次元官网网址� opens Tuesday, Sept. 25 on Salt Spring Island. It features a combination of popular songs that are sprinkled through his various album releases, a handful of his new favourites and even some of LavigneB次元官网网址檚 original compositions.
B次元官网网址淥ver the course of a career you develop a rapport with audiences, and you get to know their favourites. These are the ones youB次元官网网址檇 want to have on your iPod,B次元官网网址� he says of tunes by Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, Billy Joel, Leonard Cohen and David Foster, among others.
But there will be a twist at these concerts.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to be doing some of my newfound obsessions,B次元官网网址� Lavigne says, revealing that the shows will include a taste of old cowboy medleys by the likes of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a crooner and I love to perform all things in the tenor voice.B次元官网网址�
Of the Black Press-sponsored tour, which continues on consecutive nights with performances in Sidney (Sept. 26), Mill Bay, Colwood, Comox and the windup in Chemainus, Lavigne says theyB次元官网网址檙e all places heB次元官网网址檚 enjoyed success before.
B次元官网网址淩econnecting with my fans is always a good feeling, and letB次元官网网址檚 face it, a theatre is always a lot more fun when itB次元官网网址檚 full and youB次元官网网址檙e going where the people know you and are eager to hear what you bring them.B次元官网网址�
He believes that comes from developing a sense of trust with his audiences over the years and he hopes the slight change in material will sit well with them.
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Lavigne has worked hard on building that stage rapport, but admits it didnB次元官网网址檛 come naturally to him at first. In his earliest days performing, he found himself terrified of speaking or telling stories in between songs. He quickly found that concert-goers were hungry to connect in a different way.
B次元官网网址淭he audience is clamoring to know a little bit about the person behind the voice; knowing more about the person who theyB次元官网网址檙e going to spend the next two hours of their life with,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about meeting the audience where theyB次元官网网址檙e at and guiding them through this repertoire.B次元官网网址�
In general, people are hungering for narrative, he adds. B次元官网网址淪ometimes the storyB次元官网网址檚 in the song, sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 in the story.B次元官网网址�
Venues for the upcoming shows are as follows:
Sept. 25 B次元官网网址� Artspring, Saltspring Island, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 26 B次元官网网址� Mary Winspear Centre, Sidney, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 27 B次元官网网址� Sylvan United Church, Mill Bay, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 B次元官网网址� Church of the Advent, Colwood, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29 B次元官网网址� Comox United Church, Comox, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 30 B次元官网网址� Chemainus United Church, Chemainus, 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $30 in advance online, or $37 plus service charge at the door. To purchase or find more information, visit kenlavigne.com or call 1-888-999-1110.
