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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-06-25, Page 21ar nit • Entertainment • Features O Religion • Family * More SECTION Music Festival and Friends Good Brothers highlight another ambitious lineup of talent at annual Optimist Club music festival The 1986 rendition of the Goderich Op- timist Club's Music Festival and Friends promises to be one best festivals hosted by the club. Optimist Riverside Park, just off Maitland Road near Champion's min plant, will burst into sound as the three-day event begins Thursday. Performer Richard Knechtel kicks off the festival Thursday with his Capin Cruisers and an assortment of rock, folk and blues. Knechtel, who has been performing here for years, has also been at Pickin' in the Pines at Formosa, the Owen Sound Folk Festival and recently entertained at the CKNX Barn Dance at Port Albert.' Some local talent, The Nads, will be on stage Thursday evening with some rock -re . roll selections and Rick McGhie, an ac- complished singer -guitar player who needs no band to back up his folk -pop repetoire, Will follow. Ending the first night's- entertainment is T.W. and the All -Night Sensations. This popular London area band will entertain with some of the best blues 'sounds. Kenny Miller, cousin of B. B. King, once remarked at the festival that Tim Woodcock was one of the best blues guitarists he'd seen. Wood- cock's musical, aptitiite doesn't end on the stage but extends into his off-stage work of • making guitars. This band will cap, off an energetic evening of rock. Friday evening's lineup features bluegrass, newgrass with Sharp's Creek, a band that started in Goderich and now plays out of London. Sharp's Creek offers a selec- tion of traditional bluegrass music. Pulse Creek, a band that appeared at last year's festival will follow on Friday even- ing.. This award-winning band features super harmony and an interesting lineup of songs ranging from traditional bluegrass to contemporary tunes in bluegrass style. One of the highlights of the festival will be the appearance of the Gocid Brothers Friday ' evening. The Good Brothers began recor- ding albums in the mid 1970s and their uni- que blend of bluegrass and new country earned the group a 'good luck message from 'Gordon Lightfoot on their second album. The took off from there and in 1983 record- ed the album Live N' Kickin, which was backed by a television special of the same name on First Choice-Superchannel. This popular Toronto band alsolists a Juno Award among its accomplishments. The festival features an entire day of music Saturday as Knechtel gets things go- ing at noon and will be followed by McGhie's second performance of the weekend. Wild and Blue, a band capable of handling anytype of music will be on stage Saturday. Saturday will also feature a visit from( 13.W. Pawley, an 'entertainer who was at- tached with Ronnie Hawkins for several POSTSCRIPT By Susan Hunriertmark rger :44W' %PIN Let the child in you come out to play I have no profound pronouncements to make this week. No intricate analysis, no mind-boggling message, no carefully considered commentary and no terribly witty revelation. This is the first week of summer after Saturday's full moon and I'm feeling carefree and envious of the school children who'll soon be as free as the but- terflies who float across the fields on a sultry afternoon. And, I'm wishing I were one Of them. In fact, in an effort to reduce the destructive stress in my life, I've begun studying kids in hopes of recapturing some of their spontaneous, energetic joy of living. And, I've become more aware of the ways that society, in an effort to make us into responsible, mature adults, dims the spark of spontaneity and locks us into self-consciousness. I had an opportunity recently to return to the freedom of childhood for a few hours while a young friend and I ex- changed our limited expertise about gymnastics. Before I knew it, I'd return- ed to my Grade 5 days when I spent hours hurling my body through the air on my front lawn in an attempt to master my front handspring. My eight-year-old friend and I stood on our heads, rolled in the grass and generally pretended we were Olympic calibre gymnasts performing for gold medals. And, despite some grass stains and a few sore muscles ( on my part, not hers), it was great fun. Since that day, I've had sudden Im- pulses when I'm in a particularly good mood to turn cartwheels while walking around The Square or on the boardwalk at the beach. But, I've supressed them so far. I'M well aware that normal people, especially adults, don't turn cartwholls to get around -they walk. So; I try to conform. But, every once in awhile, when I'm feeling bold, I let the kid in me come out to play. One Hallowe'en a few years ago, a friend and I carved pumpkins to greet the trick -or -treaters at my parents' house. One thing led to another and, soon my friend and I were squealing loudly and flinging stringy bits of pumpkin guts across the room at each other. After a few stern looks from my years during which time he regularly ap- peared on Hawkin's weekly television show, Honky Tonk. Now on his own, Pawley has recorded several albums and a Toronto Star review of his latest album called him "the most distinctive voice in 'country music today." Pawley is no stranger to Goderich having played here many times during his musical career. The proceeds from the festival are used for Community service work bythe Optimist Club and the seventh edition of Music Festival and Friends, promises to be an entertaining one. Canadian teachers w ark hard It's a small world for St. Mary's exchange principal BY MIKE FERGUSON For Marion Hockton of Kingsheath, England, being in Canada is a super. experience -and she's eagerly anticipating a chance to watch the Cosby Show. Since March 12, Mrs. Hockton has been principal at St. Mary's School in Goderich as part of a program called the Canadian Leave Educational Exchange (CLEE). At the same time, current St. Mary's principal Jim McDade is in England to sample the educational system of that nation. Mrs. Hockton has some interesting obser- vations about the similarities and dif- ferences between Canada and the Mother Country. "Teachers work tremendously hard here," suggests Hockton, Who believes they also have more paperwork to do, which means more hours. In contrast, there is more freedom in England to deviate from the cutricultim, whereas the Ontario government doesn't allow much leeway, she says. Hockton adds that is not a criticism, but "just a difference." In England, the prin- cipal of each school decides the curriculum, with the emphasis on the three R's: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Teacher unions are very powerful in both countries. "In the past year, there has been more dissension than we've ever had," reveals ilockton, indicating most of the strikes dealt with the issue of pay. Qn average, she says, Canadian teachers make twice as Much as their counterparts in England. Hockton points out there are more. similarities than differences in the two educationatsystems, Both the length of day and range of subjects taught to students are comparable.. The age at which students change schools varies widely with the situation in Canada, however. Those ages four 0 11 are in a "primary school"'4th secondary school the next step for 12 to 18 year Olds. Like Canada only about seven to 10 percent of the students who begin at age four will go on to university, she says, Marion Hockton of exchange program England is principal at St. Mary's School as part of an Photo by Mike Ferguson " .reA".9.•::44:4*.*:"41:4Y":60...Kr;'•;j7M.4 r:▪ '',04%.'"! 4.41,4'4 trtr% The students are -very well-mannered here," says Hockton, offering the example of a recent Toronto Blue "'Jays game she witnessed with' the children, "They were very concerned about all the garbage and litter left behind" by outgoing fans. The principal has heard so much about mother, I was reminded that adults do not partake in such antics. But the inci- dent is one my friend and I still share when we want to make each other smile - and remind ourselves we do know how to —traVellirc (ever( ifs enrivgehiL been wondering lately why adults seldom allow themselves such mindless yet satisfying entertaitunent. It seems to me that there would be no better way to combat stress than allow ourselves to ex- perience the exuberance of children more often. Have you ever watched a child travel down the street? Simply walking would be out of the question. She'll run, stop, ex- plore something on the sidewalk, lose in- terest, skip, sing, jump off the curb•and continue on her merry way. An adult who acted in this manner would be locked up. My question is why? What happens along the way from childhood to adulthood to stifle our abili- ty to enjoy life without question? And, to express that enjoyment without fearing what others will think? - I especially enjoy watching the un- conscious movements of a child when music plays. Without worrying about who may be watching or what steps she should use, she dances. And, she ex- presses the joy for living the music was intended to evoke. Most adults need a darkened room, a packed dance floor and a bloodstream full of alcohol before they can answer the same needs in themselves. The next mor- ning, they'll blame the alcohol for letting them enjoy themselves. And, sober in the bright light of day, they could never allow themselves the same enjoyment. Why not? , We're all attracted to comedians like Robin Williams and Howie Mandell who act as outrageously and foolishly as we'd like to if we had the courage to risk ridicule and let go of some of our adult control. We even pay, them big bucks to act like children so that through them, we can vicariously be children again. I occasionally Make ' my small rebellions against the convention that says adults can't have too much fun. I've been known to sit dross -legged at my desk and let whoops of laughter escape from me for no particular reason. And, I've caught the disbelieving and sometimes judgemental looks of co- workers who've noticed my transgres- sions from adulthobd. ' But, I figure if my rebellions ease the stress of grown-up living once in awhile, 1 can take the heat. And, I realize that I've got a lot of conventional learning to undo before I can let the child in me come out to pray more often. the nice yards here that she began to wonder. A -"yard" in England is another word for a slum area. She soon realized the difference. In addition, Hockton recalls talking to a class at St. Mary's about the sport of "rolinders". All the students were so in- trigued and attentive 'learning about this foreign sport, until both the narrator and her audience realized that baseball was just another name for it. As well, she says the roads and highways are very good here, but she isn't familiar with why there is gravel at the side of them. Population signs are another curious exam- ple of Canada. The sheer vastness of the country is something that will forever be etched in her memory. Travel over long distances is . necessary just to get from one town to the next, she says. The distances are shorter in England, but the roads ane winding, making it seem longer, she adds. Last month Hockton visited the Stratford Festival, and was uniquely able to compare it to England because she only lives eight miles from the "real"Stratford-on-Avon. "The river and its scenery are much pret- tier" in Stratford, Ontario, she says, sug- gesting the tourist industry is as of much im- portance here as it is in England. Recent terrorist incidents in Europe "have been played up by the media," in- dicates Hockton, meaning Many American tourists are "staying home." She has no qualms about safety in England, saying it's "as safe as Goderich." Hockton reveals that many businesses, especially in the Stratford area, have gone out of business due in large part to the lack of tourists this, year. Hockton says Goderich is showing her "a lot of kindness and. hospitality. °This is a tremendous, super experience."' One thing the English principal will be taking back with her is the knowledge that there isn't enough Canadian literature in the schools back home, . "1 will certainly be promoting it More because it's so good," Hockton says. the Cosby Show that she can't wait to watch it, she says. There are only four channels in Britain, and some Of the British TV "is very good -but we also get a lot of the American rubbish like Dallas and, Dynasty," she adds. Hockton says she's becoming So ma' people in Goderich tell her about ..0062101.111.1XIAffierrAdritor.E.LeariztaltriArtit.art?...er.....ArtrnetitrAetrol. • .4 ).0