This was my first time every being involved in the CCMA Country Crawl week, which was located right in Saskatoon. It changes every year, but this year it was close to home. Throughout the day, I can see myself becoming less nervous but at the start of the day my hands were shaking a little bit and I haven’t been nervous like that in a few years!
THE DRIVE IN
The drive into Saskatoon is about five hours from home, so my dad and I packed up and hit the road the day before. We stopped at this cute pottery place, Freba Pottery, near Wynyard to check it out.
I love seeing these – maps of folks who have visited. On a different wall there was a large map of Sask.
The next morning, I was ready to roll quite early – there are two different showcases on the agenda for today – both thanks to Sask Music for giving me the opportunity!
ACOUSTIC SET IN THE TCU LOBBY
I met a few great musicians here; folks were so friendly and encouraging. I got to learn a lot in a very short time span just by chatting to folks about traveling with instruments and proper care for them. I haven’t played a fully acoustic set since my first ever gig (about 7 years ago) so I was a little worried about my voice being loud enough, but I think it went quite alright. This was also the first time my new cardigan with a deer made it on stage.
A photographer, Melissa Berg, from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix was walking by and she shot some photos of me, that made the cover of the paper. I think this is the first time I’ve been on the cover of a newspaper – and such a big one is awesome.
Afterwards we had some time to kill, so we ventured around the city looking for live music and some local shops.
The afternoon coffee was at Cafe Del-Rey. I had a lavender honey cappuccino, and dad ordered a brown sugar bourbon coffee.
We walked around the river side and found these cool row boats; the photos don’t do them justice but the fins are reflective. People were out paddling up and down the river on paddleboards and kayaks.
Then for lunch we had to go to a unique place, and we picked this restaurant called the Cave. It’s flintstone themed, and super unique. Super kitschy. We didn’t have anything to fancy here, but it was a fun experience.
I needed to grab some music supplies to we headed to a music store; I picked out this book of easy and intermediate solos of Spanish music – which I can’t wait to get home and play these of a classical guitar instead of my steel strings.
SINGER-SONGWRITER SHOWCASE AT BOKEHS IN THE PLAZA
I was so excited to play here, it’s a very comfortable bar with prairie items all along the walls in the walkway in, and a cozy decorated place. I got a drink (I want to say something in the name was “slow”), it was purple with hibiscus and lychee topped with egg whites. The bar was so busy that getting videos and photo’s that we’re centered and clear was hard. The sound folks that Sask Music had were so sweet and kind. Overall, this whole day was so welcoming and warm – I was so happy to be a part of it.
