Media Centre

B.C. Music Legends to perform at BC Scene on May 1, 2009

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Tickets on sale January 29

OTTAWA -- Some of British Columbia’s most beloved musicians will come together on stage for a unique evening of great music and memory making as part of BC Scene, the largest gathering of British Columbia artists ever presented outside of the province. B.C. Music Legends will be hosted by Valdy, who, with his two Juno Awards for Folk Singer of the Year and Folk Entertainer of the Year, seven additional Juno nominations, four gold albums and countless dedicated fans across the country, can truly be called a Canadian folk music icon. Joining him on stage will be lyrical singer-songwriter Barney Bentall of Legendary Hearts fame; the remarkable 87-year-old veteran blues singer Leon Bibb; folk legend Ferron; much loved singer-songwriter Roy Forbes; Will Millar, lead singer of the popular Irish Rovers; and Shari Ulrich of the celebrated 1970s band, Pied Pumkin.

B.C. Music Legends will take place at Centrepointe Theatre at 8 p.m. on May 1, 2009.
Tickets for the show go on sale on January 29 through the Centrepointe Theatre website at www.centrepointetheatre.com, by telephone at (613) 580-2700, or in person at the Centrepointe Theatre Box Office at Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive in Ottawa.

This is a rare chance to catch some amazing music heroes together on the same stage for one night only. Rejuvenate your musical soul with an evening of great songs, great performers, and a couple of trips down memory lane with some of the West Coast’s greatest musical performers – you’ll be happy and humming all the way home.

The full roster of BC Scene programming will be announced at the Festival launch on Tuesday, Februrary 24 at 11:00 a.m. in the Fourth Stage at the National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin Street. To confirm your attendance or to request an invitation, please call (613) 947-7000, ext 343.

BC Scene

The National Arts Centre’s BC Scene will take place from April 21 to May 3, 2009. Part of a series of biennial national festivals exploring Canada’s cultural panorama, BC Scene will celebrate a dynamic culture that is a fusion of traditional and contemporary, East and West, and established and emerging artists.

BC Scene will feature 600 artists from disciplines as varied as music, theatre, dance, visual and media arts, literature and culinary arts in more than 90 events over 13 days, at venues around the National Capital Region. Among those in attendance for this unique showcase of B.C. artists will be more than 60 Canadian and international presenters – producers, buyers, or talent scouts – discovering B.C. talent and bringing it to their own audiences.

For more information about BC Scene, visit www.bcscene.ca.

Partners

A multitude of public and private organizations have come together to make BC Scene a reality. BC Scene would like to thank the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, Western Economic Diversification Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts for their generous support of this event.

The National Arts Centre and National Arts Centre Foundation also extend warm thank you to the B.C. Strategy Council, a group of committed individuals whose leadership, support and guidance are key to the success of BC Scene. The B.C. Strategy Council is led by Honorary Chairs Milton and Fei Wong, and Chair Donald B. Rix.

The NAC Foundation also gratefully acknowledges the support of Presenting Partner Plasco Energy Group, Special Partners The Radcliffe Foundation, The Audain Foundation, Martha Lou Henley, Milton and Fei Wong and Dr. Donald B. Rix. Acknowledgment is also extended to Major Partner Enbridge Inc. and Supporting Partners Canwest, HSBC Bank Canada, the Holiday Inn and Screen Siren Pictures. For their commitment and support of B.C. arts and artists, we give special thanks to the NAC Friends – B.C.. BC Scene Media Partners include CBC/Radio-Canada, The National Post, Vancouver Magazine and Western Living, The Ottawa Citizen, LeDroit, and The Vancouver Sun.

BC Scene would also like to thank the First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council for their valuable assistance.

To register to receive programming updates about BC Scene, please subscribe to the
BC Scene email list at www.bcscene.ca.

- 30 -

For more information:
Laura Denker
LOF Communications
(613) 747-5949
Cell : (613) 299-8844
laura@lofcomm.com

Carl Martin
Communications
National Arts Centre
(613) 947-7000, ext. 560
Cell : (613) 291-8880
cmartin@nac-cna.ca

Media Contacts

Laura Denker
LOF Communications
(613) 299-8844
(613) 747-5949
laura@lofcomm.com

Carl Martin
Communications, NAC
(613) 947-7000, ext. 560
Cell : (613) 291-8880
cmartin@nac-cna.ca