The Good Ship Algoville

Did you ever think you could sit and listen while two guys talked about a boat for 2 hours?

Neither did I. But it is definitely possible. Last June two of Canada's most fabulous musicians, Mike Ford and David Francey, sailed from Montreal to Thunder Bay on a laker, The Algoville. Well, they had a fabulous time and came back with countless stories to tell and a few new songs under their belts. Using Mike's Canada in Song connections, the two then visited grade 6 classrooms in 5 port cities to sing these songs for the kids and teach them a little bit about the important (and virtually unknown) jobs that Canada's seamen have...and then encourage the kids to write songs of their own. After that the guys set out on a little mini tour, performing their new and old seaway songs in each city for the public.

And that's what my friend Kyla and I did on Thursday night. The event was held in the Edward Day Gallery on Queen W. (a very cool place I might add...very nice owner!) and Mike and David did a presentation of pictures from their trip sprinkled with musical interludes. I didn't know boats were so cool! It was a fantastic presentation. Living in the big city you really take a lot of things for granted...like where we get the grain for our pasta, how far it has to come and all the work that goes into getting it here, wow! There are so many things to know about lakers too. I was just baffled by the end of it. Sometimes dorky Canadiana is just SO COOL! It was kind of like one of those educational video segements of Sesame Sreet...but for grown-ups. Of course it helped that the guys were extremely entertaining, despite the fact that Fordy said he thought they were boring cuz he was so tired...

I'd forgotten just how fantastic David Francey is too. His voice is so beautiful, and he's a great songwriter. I've only ever seen him live one other time and I've had so many chances to go see him at Hugh's Room but I've never gone. He's playing there again on July 24th but of course I'm going to see Counting Crows that night...grr! That was awkward having to tell Dvid and Fordy.--Yes two men who are the epitome of fabulous grassroots Canadian folk music. I can't come and see you at Hugh's Room because I'm paying tons of money to go and see a big American rock band! *hehe* Apparently Fordy likes their bass player though, so it's okay=p.