The members of Library Voices are looking forward to playing a couple of concerts in Estevan on June 4, and helping out one of their biggest fans in the process.
The Regina-based band boasts five members from Estevan – Carl Johnson, Michael Dawson, Brennan Ross, Mike Thievin and Paul Gutheil. They will perform at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum at 2 p.m. in a show for all ages. And then they will play at The Days Inn-Beef Bar in Estevan at 8 p.m.
All proceeds from the ticket sales will be directed towards Nolan and Jenine Haukeness, who lost their home in the wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Nolan Haukeness is a former Estevan resident who Dawson called “an old friend” and a “huge supporter” of the band.
“He’s a long-standing music fan,” said Dawson. “I think we agree on a lot of our musical tastes.”
Haukeness went to high school at Estevan Comprehensive School with the five local members of Library Voices. And his brother, Gavin, played with Thievin in a band at one time.
“More than anything, I … was raised that when you can do something to help, you should step up and do something to help,” said Dawson. “I know there’s a lot of people who have been affected by this tragedy, but Nolan’s the closest personal connection we’ve encountered.”
Dawson expects the all-ages show will likely have some children in attendance, and he predicted it will be fun and upbeat, like the band’s other concerts. They wanted to make sure they had one show that everyone could attend.
The concert at The Beef will be for adults, and it will keep the focus on the Haukeness family.
Former Estevan resident Joel Henderson, who performs under the name Poor Nameless Boy, has been added to the Estevan shows.
Dawson noted that Library Voices is long overdue to perform in Estevan, and he can’t think of a better way to do it than to help out a friend and a well-known former Estevan resident who has supported a lot of independent musicians.
Library Voices has performed at a handful of benefit concerts in the past. They participated in a show to raise funds and collected clothing for Carmichael Outreach in Regina that provides assistance for people struggling with addictions, poverty, health issues and other challenges.
“We’ve received the same love and care in the past when we lost all of our equipment in a flood,” said Dawson. “People stepped up and allowed us to stay on the road.”
Ticket sales are going well, as they sold more than 30 per cent of the available online tickets during the first day. They don’t have a goal for how much money they would like to raise, but Dawson looks forward to seeing a lot of support for the concert.
Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketedge.ca.
