KITCHENER — The Grand River Blues Society is holding a fundraiser for The Boathouse in Victoria Park.

“The Boathouse has become one of those places that has quietly developed into an iconic music venue,” said Claude Cloutier, of the blues society.

Featuring performances from some of the area’s best known musicians, the event aims to raise funds to help Kevin Doyle, who operated The Boathouse before the city closed it to make extensive improvements to the park. Doyle and city staff are in the midst of negotiating a new lease to reopen in the spring.

The Boathouse is closed while the pond in Victoria Park is dredged, deepened and stone blocks installed around the shoreline.

“Kevin did not ask us to organize this fundraiser, but I realize that it needs to happen so that Kevin can cover bills and have seed money to reopen,” Cloutier said.

City councillors recently approved $610,000 in renovations to the inside and outside of The Boathouse, but supporters of the live-music venue oppose plans to build a lakeside pathway between the patio and the pond. They say it will result in lower revenues because fewer patrons can sit on the patio and the higher operating expenses required to pay for staff to ensure alcohol is not passed from the patio to people on the pathway.

It could be three months before The Boathouse reopens. Doyle has to negotiate a new lease with the City of Kitchener and all of the work in and around the building must be completed. Meanwhile, Doyle has ongoing expenses related to the business, such as a business phone and internet connection. Thousands of dollars will be needed to restock the bar as well.

“I think it is very nice of them,” Doyle said of the fundraiser. “Thanks a lot, that’s all I’ve got to say.”

The fundraiser will follow the annual general meeting of the Grand River Blues Society. There will be a long list of live performances, including — Colin White, Lynn Jackson, Lucas Stagg, Paul MacLeod, Matt Storch, King Roller, Matt Weidinger Band, Douglas Watson R&B Revue, Miss Angel and The Homewreckers, Jon Knight and Soulstack, Cheryl Lescom and The Tuscon Choir Boys.

Several local musicians benefited from fundraisers at The Boathouse during the past seven years, and now many are donating their time to help Doyle meet expenses while it remains closed and he prepares for the reopening.

“This is a unique establishment where blues fans could fill the venue on one night with a completely different audience filling it the next listening to their punk band, singer songwriters, folk musicians,” Cloutier said.

“The venue has established quite a reputation with many legendary performers having taken to the stage there such as the late great Honey Boy Edwards, our local blues legend Mel Brown, Maria Muldaur, Duke Robillard, Carol Pope, Bobby Wiseman, Magic Slim, Elliott Brood, Watermelon Slim,” Cloutier said.

tpender@therecord.com

Float The Boathouse fundraiser:

*Sunday, Feb. 26.

* Edelweiss Banquet Hall, 600 Doon Village Rd., Kitchener.

* Doors open at noon.

* Live music from a long list of local musicians runs from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

* Tickets $20.

* Tickets available at Orange Monkey in Waterloo, Encore Records in Kitchener, MacAulay’s Music in Cambridge.

• By Robert Reid, Record staff
• Tue Feb 07 2012
• 0 Recommend

After spending two years with Paul Simon and a year with The Beatles, Kevin Ramessar is hanging out with Neil Young.

The local guitar ace, composer and vocalist returns to the Registry Theatre for his annual tribute concert, which has become so popular it extends over two nights — Thursday, Feb. 9 and Friday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.Ramessar had to move the dates forward because he is heading to Broadway in time for the opening-night preview of Jesus Christ Superstar.

The acclaimed Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice rock opera officially opens March 22 at the Neil Simon Theatre.

After closing its extended run in Stratford, the production, which is directed by Stratford artistic director Des McAnuff, moved to the La Jolla playhouse, in San Diego.

Ramessar is the only musician in the original Stratford orchestra, excluding musical director Rick Fox, to join much of the original cast in New York City.

“It worked out well,” he said. “It made sense for me to go.”

Stratford is staging four musicals this summer, including 42nd Street, The Pirates of Penzance, Wanderlustand You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, which meant work closer to home for his musical colleagues.

“Everyone made their own decision,” he explains. “There’s not much of a call for contemporary guitarists at the festival.”

Ramessar has performed in The Big Apple a few times before, the last of which as an accompanist for Canadian jazz vocalist Kellylee Evans.

“This is my first time on Broadway. It’s pretty exciting.”

Ramessar considered putting together a second concert devoted to The Beatles, but abandoned the idea when the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Numus decided to do tributes.

“I decided to go somewhere else. Neil Young is such a wonderful Canadian talent and he’s written so many great songs.”

Although billed as Harvest, the concert is not restricted to songs from Young’s classic, 1972, acoustic album.

“We range over his whole career, concentrating on songs that lend themselves to interpretation and different arrangements,” he notes.

“We look at different Neils — the acoustic, solo Neil and the raucous, band Neil.”

Ramessar will be joined by pianist/vocalist Mike Janzen, bassist Mark McIntyre and drummer Giampaolo Scattozza.

Kevin Ramessar

Neil Young tribute concert

Thursday, Feb. 9 and Friday, Feb. 10

8 p.m.Registry Theatre, Kitchener

Tickets ($25) are available at the Centre in the Square box office at 519-578-1570 or online at www.centre-square.com

rreid@therecord.com

By Rose Simone, Record staff – Wed Feb 08 2012