West Coast Guitar Night Press

Hot Picks, Indeed
by Anne Tempelman-Kluit, Urban Trendz
Friday, September 15, 2006

There is an instrument called the guitar. Perhaps you've seen one. They come in many shapes and sizes. They have the power to create music that pours into the human ear like sweet nectar.

True, they can also be used for evil. We're thinking of a certain player who jams endlessly to Jimi Hendrix every weekend on Granville with all of the artistry and tunefulness of a drunken seagull. But guitars can be used for good.

If it's the latter you seek--the melodies produced by a delicate strumming of strings that seem to make the sun shine brighter and the night less lonely--then East Vancouver is your destination next week. Yes, the bus trip will be more than worth your time. Next Saturday night, some of the best guitar players in town will be showcasing their musical wizardry at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre for the 8th Annual West Coast Guitar Night.

The show's organizer, Les Finnigan, plays with a fingerpicking style that defies all laws of physics. Fingers should not move that quickly or beautifully. Add to the card classical musician Hanh Nguyen, the genre-bending Kent Hillman, singer/songwriter Steve Dawson, soloist Warren Nipp and the mind-blowing flamenco of John Gilliat and you've pretty much decided to book your ticket already, haven't you?

The show is only $20 ($15 for students). Your ears will thank you.

Vancouver East Cultural Centre, 1895 Venables Street (at Victoria Drive), 604-251-1363, www.vecc.bc.ca

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

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