Free music, comedy shows in Sudbury pay tribute to frontline workers
A weekend of free music and comedy in Greater Sudbury pays tribute to frontline workers.
Organized by Sudbury Performance Group (SPG), the events are being held at a number of venues around the city until Sunday evening.
Jamie Dupuis playing his harp guitar at a Sudbury Performance Group show in Sudbury in March 2023. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News Northern Ontario)New Liskeard’s Jamie Dupuis, one of the performers, plays the harp guitar. At one point, there were only two makers of the instrument in the world.
Dupuis says he was studying music in California 10 years ago and ended up at a collector’s house.
“He collected many, many instruments and he handed me a harp guitar,” said Dupuis.
“I was studying guitar and I loved guitar and I wanted to try something different.”
Dupuis told CTV News he was able to learn how to play based on his previous experience with the guitar.
In 2016, he said his career took off when he covered a Pink Floyd song. The video got millions of views, and was even shared by Nick Mason, a member of the band.
Dupuis said it was at that point he realized he’d found his niche.
“I think after a period of time I start to think to myself ‘I need something personal to me,’” he said.
“I didn’t want to sound like my influences. I wanted to sound like myself and I think that instrument allowed me to do that.”
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Dupuis performed with Emma McDaniels on Saturday at the Hilton Garden Inn. McDaniels is a singer-songwriter from Sudbury. They’ve been performing for three-and-a-half years through a mutual love of music.
McDaniels said music became a form of therapy for her at age 11.
“I was going through intense medical things at the time. I was a SickKids kid,” she said.
McDaniels told CTV News that she loves music’s ability to express herself.
“I think it’s a moment to express the vulnerability of the things you can’t say,” she said.
“You know, just being able to feel the song.”
SPG said these free performances are a way to support artists and venues while paying tribute to frontline workers.
Events wrap up on Sunday, with events at Fionn MacCool's on Regent Street, the Hilton Garden Inn on Barrydowne Road, Trevi Bar & Grill on Lasalle Boulevard and the Ukrainian Hall on Frood Road. A full schedule can be found here.
For more information on this and other events, visit SPG’s Facebook Page.
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