Kate Reid

Hello Friends and folk music lovers: How are you all? I hope you are all well. Welcome to those of you who just joined my email community! It's nice to have you onboard! And, a huge thank-you to those of you who send me enthusiastic emails....I love hearing from you....it always makes my day! :-) Autumn is around the corner and I always feel a mixture of feelings about it: sadness that summer is coming to a close, excitement about cooking with orange vegetables (I know, weird!) like pumpkin, carrots, yams etc, anticipation about my upcoming adventures on the road (also, there is trepidation there, too, I must admit!), some age-old fear about surviving the oncoming winter and relief that with the change of season comes a time to slow down a bit and spend more time inside writing and finishing the songs for my next album. I just finished putting together a huge crockpot of stew complete with a large can of Guinness and a few slugs of red wine for extra kick...seems appropriate for this dismal day in rainy Vancouver! And now, after procrastinating in the kitchen, I am finally sitting down at my computer to write you this newsletter. I leave tomorrow for my tour out east so once I am done this letter, it's time to pack! Here's a bit about my summer and also my upcoming shows. Highlights of summer 2010- There were so many highlights of this past summer, it will be hard to tell them all. But two come to mind right off the top: Islands Folk Festival and Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Wow! I had an incredible time at both festivals! Islands is a sweet little festival in Duncan, BC (Vancouver Island) that is very family friendly and held on a beautiful working farm called Providence Farm. I did a number of sets throughout in the weekend, all of which I got standing ovations for....that was so cool! As well, I had the pleasure of hooking up with Vancouver's well-known and well-loved writer and performer, Ivan Coyote. We did a rather impromptu show together that had 'em weeping and laughing in the aisles! Again, a standing “o” for Ivan and I....it was a a magical weekend. Ivan and I had so much fun together that we are working together on a tour for next year that will combine her story-telling with my songwriting. Stay tuned for more info about that in the upcoming months. Edmonton Folk Music Festival was equally amazing, for different reasons. The sheer size of this festival is impressive and the community of committed and friendly volunteers made me feel like I was working with a close-knit family. Again, I did several sets over the weekend including a live CBC spot with Peter Brown and a live spot with CKUA's Tom Coxworth. This was great fun. I had so much fun doing workshops with Dala, Tanya Tagaq and Celina Kalluk, Shamik, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Jeff Stuart, Diana Jones, Patrick Watson, Lucas Chaisson, and The Waifs. The energy and collaboration that I shared with these folks on stage was inspiring and exciting. It was incredible to play my music to thousands of people who had never heard it before and also to many who know me well. Being a part of the folk festival circuit is a dream come true. Every time I walk onto a festival site with my gear, I think back to the times long before I began my life as a musician when I would attend festivals as a volunteer or as a festival patron and dream about playing on those stages. I also had the pleasure of playing a number of PRIDE festivals, including Regina, Grey Bruce (Ontario), Toronto, Campbell River and most recently, Saltspring Island. Each of these events were awesome and for sure, the best part for me is seeing people celebrating our amazing diversity and being proud of exactly who they are. I love that! (And, an aside...the outfits people wear are to die for, I must say. I learn a lot about fashion and accessorizing at PRIDE events!) New Albums- Amidst touring and festivals and working on the music biz, I continue to work on songs for my upcoming album. I am just about done...I need to write 2 or 3 more songs and then I will start recording. To entice you, some of the new song titles are: I'm Just Doing it For the Chicks, Close to the Water, When I Was a Little Boy, Gonna Be a Revolution, Captain Cupcake and the Cambie Hotel, Auto and Andy, Crying Holy and of course, the “live” favourite, My Baby's in the Beer Tent Again. Once I am back from tour this fall, I plan to be going into the studio to start recording. I will be starting fundraising efforts again in the fall for this album so if you are interested in helping me out by buying me some studio time, stay tuned...there are several options for donating! Once I finish writing the songs for this album, I will get back to work at my album of songs for kids who have queer families. This project will be fun, indeed: the interviews were interesting and inspiring and I know that recording this one will no doubt be a riot! Fall Tour (Ontario and The Maritimes)- I am excited to be going out on tour for the next few weeks. It will be my first time touring in the Maritimes...I am looking forward to that! I haven't been there since I was on a camping trip there back in 1990! More details are on my website (www.katereid.net). For most events, you can get tix at the door or by contacting the respective emails below for tix to the house concerts. Here are my dates...I would love to see you at a show. Also, please pass them on to people who might be interested: Saturday, Sept. 18-8pm London Music Club (We are recording this show “live” for a live album!) 470 Colbourne Street, London, ON Wed. Sept. 22nd-8pm The Spill-Open Mic Night-hosted by Kate Reid 414 George St., N, Peterborough, ON (Arrive before 8pm to sign up for a slot!) Thursday, Sept. 23-8pm Kingston House Concert Kingston, ON For tix and info: phavery@hotmail.com Friday, Sept. 24-8pm Peterborough PRIDE Women's Dance The Lion's Centre Peterborough, ON For tix and info: michelle.r@cogeco.ca Sunday, Sept. 26-afternoon show: 2-4pm Peterborough House Concert Peterborough, ON For tix and info: michelle.r@cogeco.net Wednesday, Sept. 29: 7-9pm Bridge Street Cafe 8 Bridge Street, Mount Allison University Sackville, New Brunswick Thursday, Sept. 30-9:30pm Plan B 212 St. George Street Moncton, New Brunswick Friday, Oct. 1: 7:30-9:30pm Fables 259 Main Street Tatagamouche Nova Scotia Saturday, Oct. 2-9pm Boom Nighclub 474 Queen St Fredericton, New Brunswick Sunday, Oct. 3-7:30-9:30pm Pump Nightclub 507 Main Street Saint John, New Brunswick Friday, Oct. 8-8pm Union Street Cafe 183 Commercial Street Berwick, Nova Scotia Saturday, Oct. 9-8pm (with Bonnie Ste-Croix) 2202 Gottingen Street Halifax, Nova Scotia Wednesday, Oct. 13-8pm National Arts Centre of Canada-Fourth Stage 53 Elgin Street Ottawa, ON For tix: www.nac-cna.ca Thursday, Oct. 14-8:30pm La Caravane 4500 Chemin Capelton-Route 108 North Hatley, Esterie, Quebec 819-842-2364 USA dates: I am doing some dates in the US during November....yaaay! So far, the dates below are confirmed. I will have more details and info for these and other shows in the US in my next email. Or, you can always check my websites for updates! Saturday, November 6 Mandolin Cafe-3923 S 12th St. Tacoma Washington Sunday, November 7 The Jewelbox Theatre-with Travelin' Light 2322 2nd Ave, Seattle, Washington Friday, November 12 Caffe Trieste-Womengig 2500 San Pablo Ave Berkley, California Saturday, November 13 Cafe Flo 365 E6th Ave Chico, California So here's a little story here that I am going to interject into my newsletter because it just happened and it's sweet: I am sitting at my desk writing this email and the doorbell rings and it's the young woman who came to pick up a bunch of boxes of paperwork from my partner's company that were piled up in our garage. I tell her to drive around back through the alley to the second garage. I meet her back there and she gets out of her big truck and thanks me for helping direct her down the alley. She says, “Yeah, it looked like a tight squeeze in there and unlike the guys I work with, I like to take care of my truck.” I help her stack the 25 boxes of paperwork into the back of her cube van. She's young....probably in her mid-twenties with long blonde hair in a ponytail, she's wearing her shredder company uniform and she's very friendly. She comments on the “Willkommen” sign we have hanging by our front door, saying that it's cute and she likes the fisherman's motif of the welcome sign. I said, “Yeah, my partner is from Germany and we just spent three weeks visiting her relatives who live near the North Sea. We went a little crazy in the trinket shop.” She then said that her grandparents were German. We kept stacking and then she did up the invoice and told me to sign and date it in a few places. As I was signing, she said, “So, you mentioned your partner was a “her”....so, you're lesbian, eh?” I said, “Yeah”. Then, she leaned back on her foot and thought for a bit and said, “Whoa. That must be awesome for shopping for clothes, eh? I mean....it would kind of be like shopping with your girlfriend.” I laughed and said, “Yeah, it is kinda like shopping with my girlfriend." Then, she said, “Cool. Well, thanks. See you later”. What a riot! She was so earnest and matter-of-fact about it. I laughed outloud to myself as I walked back to the house. Well, that's it from my computer desk. I hope you are enjoying yourselves out there and living well! See you on the road sometime, I hope. Again, thanks for reading and for listening to my music. I appreciate all of your support and enthusiasm....all the time. Over and out, Katexo