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I was messaging Jim Bryson on Facebook earlier today and asked him how long he’s been playing his holiday shows at the Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield.
“The count is a mystery. Some say 16 Some say 14 I don’t actually remember when we started. It is sort of a microcosm of my whole approach to music,” he wrote. “The holiday idea took its own life to be honest. It oddly found it way to this time of year. And I love playing up there in the winter. I stay up for the weekend and there is a whole seasonal band brunch on the Sunday.”
This year’s shows take place on Saturday, December 17 (8pm) and Sunday, December 18 (4pm). You can find more info on Facebook.
The shows have become a tradition for a lot of people. Jim says the Sunday shows have become an “all ages” show with lots of families coming out.
Will this show sell out as fast as his three sold-out shows at Quitters earlier this year?
“I actually get nervous wondering if people will actually come. You just never know. The Quitters shows were the first time I had sold out shows super fast.”
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I think this has been a pretty good year for Bryson. Those three sold out shows were part of the launch of his album Somewhere We Will Find Our Place, which has had strong reviews and regular play on CBC and campus radio. It’s still in high rotation on my iPod playlist. Then there’s the nomination for the Canadian Folk Music Award … a busy festival touring season, including a mainstage performance at the Ottawa Jazz Festival … critically-acclaimed collaborations (he produced Amanda Rheaume’s Juno-nominated album Holding Patterns)… we could go on.
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(P.S. if you are looking for some Christmas music, check out Bryson’s 2012 Christmas EP, Instant Holiday Album.)