First Friday at the Cheeky Monkey: BobCatz Use Colour To Give Classic Songs A Shot In The Arm by Brian Hay “Life is like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get”. That famous line from a well-known film (the name of which escapes me) is one that truly applies to the acts that the Cheeky Monkey brings to Sarnia’s First Friday Celebrations. They’ve featured performers playing from an array of genres with the only common denominator being that they’re good. With the BobCatz several of the musicians involved were familiar. Vocalist and keyboard player Robert Martin performed with the Casuals not long ago. Wulf Von Waldow brings his excellence on the saxophone to a number of local bands. Clarinettist and sax man Michael Murphy is prominent and anyone from the area who doesn’t know Mike Blackmore probably lives in a cave. Harmony singer Sue Furlotte and Sue Auty, who ...
MoreSaturday, June 29, 1-3:30 pm, Lawrence House Centre for the Arts. “Paint Party with Moses Lunham.” $50 per person. Each participant creates an original painting. Contact Moses to register: [email protected]
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First Friday at the Cheeky Monkey, May 2019: The Casuals Become Everyones’ Riders On The Storm by Brian Hay Many of their roles weren’t set in stone. Bob Martin handled the majority of the vocals but the lead singing was also taken up by David Wright and Bill Hines. Hines also delivered some excellent playing on the harmonica and took the lead guitar part a few times. The variety in their three voice types created interesting harmonies and made them a solid fit for classic rock that included material from the Beatles’ early period, chart toppers from the late 1950’s and even Country influenced songs like ‘Harvest Moon’ by Neil Young. The intuitive partnership between bass player Will McCuaig and drummer Al Wallace insured their rhythm section provided a strong foundation for whatever genre they touched upon. That’s just the technical aspect of what they offered though. First and foremost, they were fun ...
MoreAs reported by Blackburn News... BY MELANIE IRWINAPRIL 4, 2019 7:15AM @MIrwinCHOKNews Three Sarnia musicians have been nominated for Country Music Association of Ontario awards. Singer-songwriter Eric Ethridge, who signed an international recording and publishing deal last November, has been nominated for Male Artist of the Year. Travis Wood received two nominations for Songwriters of the Year. He has been recognized for his contribution to the songs “Loud” performed by Tim Hicks and “Feels Like That” by The Reklaws. Award-winning singer-songwriter Donovan Woods is also nominated for his work on “Feels Like That” by The Reklaws. The awards will be handed out June 16 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
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Over the months of August and September 2014 good friend, talented musician, and now documentarian, Dwayne Cloes has been filming and editing a documentary about Cheeky Monkey - and us, Roland & I who are in essence - Cheeky Monkey. It was a very odd feeling to know someone felt we were worthy of a documentary. Have to admit it was a lot of fun. So glad we agreed to it, especially once we saw the finished project. We realize that many customers do value what we do, but family and friends with business sense think we are nuts. Yup we are, we admit it. We think Dwayne has captured on film, why we do what we do. We could not be happier or prouder of the end result. Hope you enjoy it too. Thank you Dwayne MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021 UPDATE... Have been contacted from the UK by Graham Jones creator ...
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Noise Pollution at the Cheeky Monkey for March First Friday: Young Band Gives Crowd a Great Time by Brian Hay Musically this band is on solid footing. Ammon Chaikram provides the grounding needed from the bass but adds some jump as well. He’s also a decent drummer, a point that probably strengthens his skills as a timekeeper. Maxx Cabajar does more than just play a guitar. He strives to make the instrument do things that are out of the ordinary and often succeeds beautifully. Chloe Kendel is a superb young drummer, literally one of the best this writer’s seen in some time. Her technical skills are excellent and she’s an imaginative player but that’s only part of what she offers. Her work has a graceful fluidity that can’t be taught. Transitions from beat to fills and back again are so smooth and so natural it’s almost as if she’s a conduit for ...
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Sarnia First Friday: Notes by Me and Mr. Smith Settle in an Exquisite Zone at the Cheeky Monkey by Brian Hay From the start this gig conveyed the sense that all was right with the world. Or at least it was in the Cheeky Monkey. Transparently clear notes from the guitar of Nick Swan and silky tones from the voice of Lise Michaud were as much a caress as they were a delivery of sounds that transported listeners to a place where harmonious tranquility was dominant. It was a lovely space, the perfect answer to the bustle of the holidays, a trying day at work or just a day of the blahs that typifies the winter season. (For this writer it was the last one but that’s not important). From any perspective it’s clear this duo is on to something. Nick Swan is a deeply sensitive guitarist who combines impeccable rhythmic timing with ...
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Wigford Rememberies, published in the spring of 2016, won the 2017 ReLit Award for Best Novel. Kyp Harness is back with a sophomore effort—The Abandoned. Among the strip malls, industrial parks and overpasses of Southwestern Ontario, the protagonist of The Abandoned is a young misfit with an overactive imagination and a heavy-drinking father, surrounded by bullies at school and wondering if he’ll ever be normal. He experiences first love with another high school student, Sherrie, and at the same time he meets his first friend, Russ. In pursuing Sherrie, Tim is drawn into a cult-like religious retreat, and his friendship with Russ takes a strange turn as the three teenagers confront their vanishing childhood New CD from Sarnia native, Kyp Harness - Review from Great Dark Wonder blog... With this, his 14th full-length album, Kyp Harness shares a collection of nine timely observations of our fraying society, rendered with all the wit, wisdom and ...
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Big Highway at the Cheeky Monkey: Hip In Their Back Pockets Sarnia First Friday, December 7, 2021 by Brian Hay The first thing that was noticeable about the playing of Big Highway was the charge it contained. That was clear right from the opposite end of the store to the point where it jumped out at the listener. It was electrifying and invigorating, also a sign that it was going to be a good night. The second point was in how much they sounded like the Tragically Hip. What they were doing wasn’t an imitation — they were clearly their own band but the essence they channeled was, literally, pure Hip. It would almost have been eerie had the proceedings been somber but the band members were having too much fun for that to happen. The energy in their playing started in their basement. Or to put it another way, with their rhythm section. ...
MoreMany of you know who Donavan Woods is from his years growing up in Sarnia and that he has recorded several CD's over the years including the most recent called "Both Ways". What you may not know is how many other musicians have recorded his songs. Below is a list of what albums you can find songs by Donovan. We are sure, over the years, this list will continue to grow. Thanks to Doug Woods for the list. Donovan's CD's available at Cheeky Monkey. Catch Donovan live at the Imperial Theatre Saturday, March 2, 2019. CLICK HERE for info. Other info about Donovan... The song "Brand New Gun" was featured in the movie Numb starring Matthew Perry. His song "Wait and See" was featured on Degrassi: The Next Generation, and his song "My Cousin Has a Grey Cup Ring" was used in commercials for the Grey Cup. "Grey Cup Ring" was inspired by Woods' father, ...
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