Springtime

It’s a beautiful springtime in Ontario, with flowers pushing up through the warming earth, birds returning and tree canopies leafing out. This is also a time of rebirth and renewal for Porkbelly Futures as we recover from the loss of our beloved Paul Quarrington. We are delighted to announce that guitarist Teddy Leonard has joined as a full-time member and that our touring and recording activities will continue to grow. New songs are being written and older ones revisited. There is much we could say at this point about the interesting ways in which the band is evolving, but please know that we will be back in your town soon and stronger than ever, just as Paul would have wished. [April, 2010]

Porkbellys at The ROM

MSTV: Porkbelly Futures at the ROM from MovingStories.TV on Vimeo.

Checked out by Bob Gainey

Forechecking, scoring and backchecking, he was known as one of the best all round players in pro hockey. Bob Gainey is also a gracious and convivial host. We’d like to thank The Gainey Foundation for inviting us to play at this year’s benefit concert in Peterborough. We had a terrific time!

Hang time with The Hawk

What a thrill to have a visit from the legendary Rompin’ Ronnie Hawkins backstage at the 2nd annual Gainey Foundation benefit concert in Peterborough Ontario last weekend. The concert was a sold out success and featured, along with PBF, Greg Keelor (Blue Rodeo), The Sadies, Sarah Harmer, Murray Mclaughlin, John Mcdermott along with many others. The concert was a whopping 3hours 45 minutes long. The good folks in Bob Gainey’s home town certainly got their money’s worth!

“I’ve spent 90% of my money on booze and broads. The other 10% I’ve squandered.”

-Ronnie Hawkins

Darwin and Quarrington

[By Stuart] Today, February 12th, is Charles Darwin’s bicentennial birthday, so I can plug my favourite Quarrington book, the boy on the back of the turtle. It’s a tough volume to find, but Paul’s story about cruising the Galápagos Islands with father and daughter in search of Darwinian insights is funny, wonderfully informative and deeply touching. (It’s also the only Quarrington book with a bibliography; five pages closely typed!)

I have my own Darwin story. In 1991 I was in England studying the ‘natural’ or valveless baroque trumpet. England is a hotbed of ‘authentic’ instrumentalists, who play gut-string violins, wooden flutes and such, and near the end of my stay I heard Handel’s Messiah played by such an orchestra. This was in a nave of Westminster Abbey with the audience sitting on folding chairs. At intermission I noticed an inscription on the large stone slab under my chair. It was Darwin’s tomb. I had been engaged in a sort of ‘rear-view mirror’ approach to music-making on primitive historical instruments while five feet below me lay the author of The Origin of the Species.

Western Tour Revisited #3

When you’re out touring from one end of this country to the other, you can’t help but be stunned by the range and diversity of experiences. For a born and bred urbanite, I was struck by this sign on the front lobby door of a hotel in downtown Castlegar, BC.

PBF Get Caught Reading at The Calgary Library!

Porkbelly Futures will be winging thier way back to Calgary to kick off the month long “Get Caught Reading” festivities at The Calgary Central Library. Joining Paul Quarrington (winner of CBC Canada Reads with King Leary) and The Porkbellys will be author/humorist Will Ferguson, Feb. 6 on the Main Floor at 7pm until 9pm for a free “Words and Music” concert. Doors open at 6:30pm.

http://blog.calgarypubliclibrary.com/blogs/cplnews/archive/2009/01/19/Calgary-Get-Caught-Reading-Launch-Party.aspx

Porkbelly Futures and The Great Depression at Hugh’s Room!

This coming Sat. January 31 Porkbelly Futures will be at Hugh’s Room  (8:30pm) They’ll be pulling out some new tunes as well as teaming up with their long lost horn section The Great Depression. Tickets are selling fast so book yours now.  416 531-6604 or online www.hughsroom.com

Western Tour Revisited #2

One of the most delightful surprises of the western tour this fall was our first gig. It was at an out of the way spot, south of Calgary and just 12 miles north of the U.S. border at a place called The General Store near Twin Butte. Dubbed “one of the windiest spots in Canada” the surrounding foothills are dotted with wind turbines, while the majestic Rockies loom in the background. It’s a surreal and compelling sight to behold.

The venue was small but it was packed with warm hearted, generous folks who like to have fun, live large and take their western hospitality seriously. Thanks for making us feel so welcome. We’ll be back any time you’ll have us!

The view from our accommodation. What a way to wake up!

Western Tour Revisited #1

Just before Christmas of /08  PBF returned from a 3 week tour of our western provinces. It took us from our home here in Hogtown all the way out to Nanaimo B.C. and back with many stops along the way. Some of them scheduled and some of them not. Stuart and myself were charged with the responsibility of getting all our gear out to our first gig in Twin Butte, Alberta. (more on Twin Butte later) We hopped into our van (The Pig Rig) and headed west on Nov.9 It is interesting to note that many parts of Canada are, in fact two different places. One in summer/spring/fall and a completly different one in winter. This was never more evident than when we discovered just how few gas stations there are, that are open, between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa in wintertime. You guessed it, we ran out of gas 15 miles south of Wawa. We needed to flag down some help but traffic was scarce so Stuart decided to serenade the pines with his cornet while we waited. Eventually someone came by. It’s probably not everyday that drivers see someone practicing the cornet in the middle of Canada’a frozen north, so the curious driver slowed down, came along side and rolled down his window. Stuart leaned in and uttered what has to be one of the best quips of our tour……”Any requests?

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