Here´s the new letter from our Canadian friend Geoff Berner. His new album "Klezmer Mongrels" is out in Europe, it has just been released in Canada and will be released in Scandinavia though CCAP by the end of march. Geoff Berner will be performing at Cementen here in Stavanger 2. April to kick off his Scandinavian tour.

Dear Everybody,

The Eastern bit of the Canadian tour is over.  I am ready to play Vancouver and the West, and then go to Scandinavia in April.  I don't know if I'm ready for Belfast yet, but I have some time to get ready, and I am hopeful.

On Monday, I flew over 5000 km from St. John's Newfoundland  to the other coast of Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia.  Roughly the distance between Amsterdam and Kazakstan.  I told you Canada was big.

I did manage to keep my feet dry and avoid Tim Horton's (except once), and I was prevented from going insane by my dear friends and collaborators, Wayne Adams and Diona Davies.  I must say that I am very lucky indeed to have such warm and talented friends.  Also, we are really tight now, and if you're coming to the Vancouver show at the Biltmore, you will witness an absolutely smoking band, let me tell you.

We were also lucky with the turnout.  The quantity and quality of people who came out was astounding on this tour.  Especially in Toronto, which is particularly amazing.  Toronto is famous for its cold, stand-offish audiences.  Ours did a spontaneous conga line.  We thought we had stepped across a threshold into a New Dimension.  Shows in Montreal, Halifax, St. John's Nfld., and Peterborough also achieved chaotic madness velocity.  And there were no bad shows, either.

One of our favourite shows was one that was cancelled.

Like Cossacks, we fought our way through a classic Canadian blizzard, from Sackville to St. John, New Brunswick. We were determined to show the East Coasters that even though we come from the warm, wet west coast, where it never freezes but never ever completely dries out, in spite of that, we were hardy and tough enough to make the show happen.  The Show Must Go On, is the showbiz circus freak's motto, as you know.

Unfortunately, the folks at the Blue Olive felt that the size of the snowfall meant that The Show Must Be Postphoned Indefinitely.  This was understandable, but momentarily disappointing.  Still, it did make us feel hardy and tough that we'd out-weathered the New Brunswickers.

I knew just what to do.  I dialled up Leanne Laracey, and asked if we could come over and play at the Pirate's House on Clarendon Street instead.  And of course, being a Pirate's daughter, she agreed.

"Get the fuck in here, Berner, you fucker!" he shouted, when we ploughed into his driveway.   Jim Laracey--sailor, carpenter, music producer, maniac, a giant shaved-head teddy bear monster of a man.  "If I'd known you were coming over tonight, I wouldn't be half in the bag already, but I didn't, so I am!  Get the fuck in here!"  We obeyed, and admired the poster on his kitchen wall that announced, beside a picture of him shouting, "To the Staff: Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves!"

Many people magically appeared, and danced the night away beside us in the living room.  No mics, no stage, just music and fun and rum in a cozy house under a large layer of snow.  

I don't really think we'll ever agree to play anywhere else in St. John but the Pirate's House from now on.

After the Vancouver show on Friday, I'll be hitting the prairies.  I'll miss my trio on this one.  But I will have the consolation of travelling with a person of True Genius. Bob Wiseman.

Ask anybody about him, and they'll tell you, "Bob Wiseman is a bloody genius!"  He's one of these people who really anger me for their annoying ability to play every single intrument on earth and make it sound musical and great.  He's also very funny, damn him.  He's been in several of the great Canadian bands of all time: HIdden Cameras, Blue Rodeo, and, my personal favourite, Sluttarded.  You miss him at your peril, people.

Assuming that I survive Edmonton Saturday Night, I then go home, play some Island shows, and then it's off to Scandinavia.

Dates are still plugging in for the Scandinavia tour, but I'll list what's confirmed so far.  If anyone knows of a Pirate House in Scandinavia or Ireland, I am open to suggestions.

Here are the dates

Friday, February 27th: Vancouver - Biltmore Cabaret, with Whip of the UFO opening, and Joey Only's Outlaw Band Closing. 
FULL TRIO SHOW!  We go on about 10 ish.

PRAIRIES. DOUBLE BILL WITH BOB WISEMAN
 
March 12 - Saskatoon - Lydia's
 
March 13 - Regina - The Exchange.
 
March 14 - Winnipeg, MB - Ellice Theatre, Doors 7:15 Show 8:00
Tickets $12 advance at Music Trader, Ticketmaster, and the West End.
THERE'S NO BOOZE SOLD AT THIS SHOW AND IT'S EARLY.  SO REMEMBER HOW WRONG WRONG WRONG IT WOULD BE TO SMUGGLE IN A FLASK FOR THE SHOW AND THEN MEET ME and MATT ALLEN LATER AT TIMES CHANGE!  OK?


March 16 - Bruno, SK - All Citizens
 
March 18 - Twin Butte, AB - The General Store
 
March 19 - Lethbridge AB - The Slice
 
March 20 - Calgary - The Ironwood
 
March 21 - Edmonton - The Artery. You better believe there will be booze at this show.
 
ISLANDS TOUR
 
March 26 - Saltspring Island - Mahon Hall, with Ora Cogan
 
March 27 - Victoria, BC - Logan's, with Lily Fawn and her lullaby band.
 
SCANDINAVIAN/NORTHERN IRELAND TOUR
More shows to come!

April 2 - Stavanger, Norway - Cementen

April 3 - Voss, Norway - Vossajazz Festival

April 5 - Bergen, Norway - Logen

April 6 - Kristiansand, Norway - Charlie's

April 8 - Trondheim - Blaest

April 9 - Live on National Norwegian Radio (NRK) The Harald Are Lund Show

April 9 - Oslo - Sound of Mu, with Lasso.  Limited tickets available at Sound of Mu

April 16 - Helsinki, Finland - TBA, with Mäkkelä's Trash Lounge (solo)

April 17 - Seinäjoki, Finland - Rokkikellari, with Mäkkelä's Trash Lounge (solo)

April 18 - Stockholm, Sweden - KGB

April 19 - Gothenberg, Sweden - TBA.

April 22 - Malmo, Sweden - Bodoni

April 24 - Aalborg, Denmark - 1000fryd, with Dusty Awe

April 25 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Selina Bar

April 26 - AFTERNOON SHOW: : Odense, Denmark - Studenterhus

April 30 - Belfast, Northern Ireland - Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival

May 1 - Belfast, Northern Ireland - Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival

Tags: Geoff Berner