Merritt may have their Mountain Music Festival but this weekend one of the most successful and well known contemporary Canadian bands will pay a visit to the Harbour City for a fundraiser for the Nanaimo Area Land Trust.
Blue Rodeo, are returning to Nanaimo on Sunday for an outdoor show at Beban Park. Vocalist and guitarist Greg Keelor said the band likes getting behind positive, environmental causes.
"We love doing that sort of thing," he said, over the phone from Alberta. "It's nice to align yourself with people who care about the planet and the tradition of just being alive on this dear Earth."
Playing outdoors is a fun experience the band enjoys, Keelor added.
"After you've been playing in bars and concert halls most of your life it's always nice to be outside," he said. "There's something about being outside that can be a little more magical, I quite like it. The band is playing really good these days, we're having a lot of fun. We hope to have a good time and a good sing-along."
Blue Rodeo has had a busy week before their Nanaimo date, playing shows in Ottawa, Calgary, Grande Prairie.
In sa国际传媒, they will play a few shows before returning home to Ontario. While it sounds busy, the band actually isn't playing a lot of shows this summer, Keelor said.
"Everyone's doing a solo record," he said, adding despite all the projects the band is staying together.
"Unless someone does really well," he joked.
Guitar and vocalist Jim Cuddy's solo record is done and will be available in September, Keelor's comes out in mid October, bassist Bazil Donovan's album is almost complete and drummer Glenn Milchem's was released last week. Multi-instrumentalist Bob Egan also has an album coming out.
Blue Rodeo has released 10 studio albums, one live album, a greatest hits collection and a DVD which have sold more than three million copies worldwide. Nanaimo's inaugural Music for the Mountain goes Sunday at Beban Sports Field, starting at 4 p.m. and includes opening bands, The Powder Blues Band, David Gogo with Ken Hamm, Rubber Soul and more. General admission tickets are $34, reserved seating $69 and $99. Children 10 and under, free -- donation appreciated. Tickets available at the Port Theatre box office until 4 p.m. today or online at www.porttheatre.com or on line at www.bluerodeo.com and at a variety of locations in Nanaimo.