DEXTER — Wayside Grange & Theatre is excited to host Greg Boardman, Maine’s premier fiddler and founder of the famous Maine Fiddle Camp, among other numerous accolades. Joining Greg on stage Saturday, June 10 will be his talented singer-songwriter son Aidan Boardman.
In Greg’s words, “I traded my electric guitar for a fiddle upon hearing Dave Swarbrick play with Fairport Convention at the King’s Rook, in Ipswich, Massachusetts, back in 1970.
Roving out later from my home in central Maine, I soon discovered a cadre of peer fiddling expeditionaries (including many MFC staffers) and a couple of older generations boasting of some very fine country and traditional musicians. Among these, Cherry Frechette, Otto Soper, Fred Pike, Leo Murphy, Simon St. Pierre, Ben Guillemette, and Lucien Matthieu, to mention a few, made a great impact upon my life and music.
Dudley Laufman of Canterbury, New Hampshire, whose itinerant musician’s license still brings him frequently to Maine, has also been a seminal musical influence, not to mention the very welcome new wave of younger musicians who are infusing our scene with great energy, creativity and feeling.
Meantime, I continue to teach bowed strings to elementary school children, produce music events, assist in music for worship, and perform around the state from my family base in Lewiston.
And looking forward to the neighborhood of my days with Fred Pike, Sam Tidwell and the Northern Valley Boys!”
Adding words from Aiden, “There is a polarity in my music with lyrics, sometimes humorously cryptic and often focused inward, read like stream-of-consciousness musings from the busy mind of someone perpetually looking out the window of a Greyhound bus. The music, however, isn’t so insular. Within my arrangements, echoes of community run deep. Raised in Maine by a family of musicians & artists, there is a communal spirit that flows through anguid’s music.
Unassuming guitars lead the way to lush layers of violin, brass, percussion, organ and harmony vocals provided by a selection of talented collaborators. There is a ‘living-room’ quality to the music that is unmistakable – as if you can hear the songs meandering in from the next room. But the windows are open: the world is creeping in.”
To learn more about Maine Fiddle Camp, visit their website at www.MaineFiddleCamp.org.
From now through October, the 2023 Season at Wayside Theatre will be entertaining the Penquis area with a wide variety of music with many of the musical groups stemming from the area and others traveling a great distance. Schedule at a glance: July 15 – Variety Show, Aug. 26 – Bear Tracks, Sept. 23 – Bennett and Perkins with Taylor Whiteside and Oct. 14 – Castlebay. Wayside received a generous donation from McKusick Petroleum again this year to help in this endeavor. The doors open at Wayside Grange in North Dexter at 6:30 p.m. and the concerts begin at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $15 and are available at the door. Light refreshments and drinks will be available in our downstairs dining area.
If you know of a band, theater group, debate club or social group that are looking for a venue to practice or perform to an audience of ninety or less, or just use the hall for music jams or sound checks please contact Grange Master Dave Pearson at 207-924-5035 and we can try to work something out for them.
Also, if you would like to join Wayside Grange & Theatre and/or volunteer call Dave at 207-924-5035 or Tim Breen at 207-355-5507 and please check out our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/waysidestage.
The Grange Volunteers have improved access by recently putting in a ground level entrance and a chair lift and refurbished the grand old eight burner Grange stove.
Keep watching our Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/waysidestage) for family fun events!
