Posted by December 6th, 2019 was my first night out for live music since m’lady and I moved to our new home in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland.
We had arrived on Hallowe’en night after a long, arduous caravan from Ottawa, m’lady and our nervous cat helming our chock-full Ford Escape while I crawled along tensely steering a ten-foot U-Haul cube van that was (barely) pulling a ten-foot trailer, both of them well overpacked (very well overpacked, if I may say so).
But we had made it, we had gotten everything unpacked, m’lady had been busy painting while I got busy figuring out how to fix things, and here we were more than a month in, and save for a noticeable lack of furniture our house was beginning to look like a home.
But we hadn’t really gotten out much, if you don’t count Ladies Night at the Home Hardware. (Did I mention that Harbour Grace is a pretty small town? So small in fact that we don’t even have our own Home Hardware…we had to drive to the next town over for Ladies Night.)
On my daily walk to the post office to check the mail I had noticed a white sign attached to a pole. “St. Paul’s Music Cafe. This Friday, 7:30”. M’lady and I were both getting over a cold (okay, I was getting over it, she was still fairly deep in the throes) but we (okay, I) decided that we should suck it up and go. Aside from the salient fact that we had very few other social/entertainment options, I was quite curious to hear what the local music scene had to offer. Hopefully I’d find some people to jam with.
When 7:25 rolled around we set out. St. Paul’s is just a two or three minute walk from our house. It’s an old church (built in 1835 – the same year that our house was built) replete with an ancient graveyard that is rumoured to hold many an old pirate so I was disappointed to discover that the event was not in the church itself but rather in the adjoining rec hall. I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and come to a service some time so I can see inside the church proper.
We paid our $5 each, which gained us admission, a couple of raffle tickets, and a pair of drink tickets (for either tea or coffee, but mostly for tea). The place was quite full. There were maybe 130 people lining eight large tables, with a pretty big stage on one end of the square room. We sat down just as things got started with a Christmas carol singalong with olde-school piano accompaniment. There were lyric pages on the tables and everything, with all the fa’s and la’s written out, every one.
It was no surprise that most in the audience were singing along. Newfoundlanders aren’t shy when it comes to music. As we were about to see.
The first act was a younger man named Christopher who played two unaccompanied carols on the ocarina. That was certainly unique; in fact I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anyone get up on stage armed with just an ocarina anywhere, ever. Next up was an older couple who did two songs each, first with the husband accompanying the wife, then two more with the wife accompanying the husband. The pair played good, honest country-style music…they were a little free and easy with the time and occasionally rough around the edges, but they were solid enough to essentially act as the house band for the rest of the evening, playing along with darn near everyone who mounted the stage over the course of the evening.
Of which there were many. The rule seemed to be two songs each, and almost every song at this show was Christmas-themed. I mean, almost 100%, and aside from the opening singalong I don’t think I recognized a single song. There was one lady who sang songs that she wrote herself, but I’m pretty sure most of the rest were playing covers.
One thing I’ve long known about Newfoundland: they have their own highly insulated music here; songs that are positively universal anywhere around the island but remain brand-new to anyone not from here. Like me.
There was a guy on button accordion who sat in with a bunch of people. He seemed very shy and reserved until it was his turn to lead. When he was ready he busted out of the gate absolutely booming with a song about Carbonear (the next town over; where the Home Hardware is) that was probably my favourite tune of the night, and the instrumental he followed up with was my second favourite.
After perhaps an hour or so there was a break, we got a tea and an instant coffee and chatted with the friendly folks around the table. The second half proved to be even more fun than the first, especially when the doors behind us burst open mid-song and a dozen mummers invaded the room. One swept m’lady up for a quick dance as they made their way through the room, getting everyone out of their seats and amping up the party considerably.
This was my first experience with mummers and I hope it won’t be my last! Mummers seem to know how to have a good time. (If you’re unfamiliar with what mummering is, please look it up, it’s awesome.)
We didn’t win any of the eighteen (mostly home-made) door prizes, nor did we take down the 50/50 pot of $105, but by the time 10:30 rolled around we had certainly gotten our $5 dollars worth. I’m not sure if I found anyone to jam with or not (though I wouldn’t mind sitting down with that ocarina player, and hopefully that accordion player too…) but we met some people and got some hugs as goodbyes, and it was definitely a successful night out.
Turns out St. Paul’s Music Cafe happens on the first Friday of every month except January. Which is good news, except in January of course.
(I was working in Ottawa during February’s music night and then stupid covid hit so it was quite some time before I was able to attend another open stage at St. Paul’s. But when I did I brought my guitar with me and got up and played a few.)
Todd Man Out 