The Heffley Creek Hall Open Mic night was held on October 24. There is an optional dinner before the performances and also a 50/50 draw. This open mic night draws a crowd from the immediate area and Kamloops, too. Musicians sign up to play and this evening each were allowed three songs. First up was Rod. He played some beautiful slide on a dobro style guitar. He played two covers and a pretty, original called Summer Song. Rod sometimes plays at The Legion open mic, too.
Following Rod was Randall. He played a twelve string guitar and provided a couple of pop classics: “Bobby McGee” and “Margaritaville.” He also played an original that he had just finished writing called “The Name on the Bench.” It is about the name of a deceased man who is remembered that way.
The first duet of the night was Debbie and Dell. This talented mother/son pair mixed some folk and rock sounds. They played “Gotta Travel On.” This song was covered by Pete Seger, Bill Monroe and Bob Dylan. Then they got the place rockin’ with their version of CCR’s Lodi.
The next act was Mike. He was introduced as a crooner and did, indeed, have a fine voice. He did a Roger Whittaker song and a pretty version of Carol King’s “You’ve Got a Friend.”
The emcee for the evening was Rick. I think he was a last minute replacement and did a good job. He kept the crowds attention with a series of “Dad” jokes and it was all good fun. He would play some tunes later in the evening.
The next three men shared a guitar. There was a father/son pair, Owen and Kaden that played separately and they were followed by Josh. They all played different genres and were very enjoyable. Kaden did a version of Bruce Springstein’s “I’m On Fire,” and Josh did a nice eclectic set which included Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold,” and “Saltwater Joys” by Newfoundland’s Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers. Owen’s set was a little more modern and I didn’t have his set list.
The last performers that I saw were Cheryl and Rick (the emcee). They played a pretty version of John Denver’s “Country Road” and the Ray Charles tune “Hit the Road Jack.” Quite a few audience members sang along to both songs. Cheryl left the stage and Rick did a solo set. I loved his version “Little Red Riding Hood.” It was made popular by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.
The music was good. Peter Mehrfert did a great job on the sound and the new chairs were comfortable. It was an inexpensive evening out, with good entertainment and I really enjoyed the “Exotic Hot Dog” bar, too. The next open mic at the Heffley Creek Hall will be on Saturday November 28. Admission is $5. Doors open at 5 PM if you want to partake in dinner. It varies from show to show and is around $10. The music starts at 6 PM and runs for a couple of hours.
