A Prior Engagement - theHumm December 2016

By Rob Riendeau

It all started with an email. “Hi! I am a singer/songwriter and guitarist from Pakenham. I am doing a solo acoustic show at M3 Eatery in Arnprior on Nov. 18 as one of the shows I’m booking in preparation for the release of my first original CD, and was wondering if anyone at theHumm would be interested in coming out and reviewing the show?” Along with the email, there was an intriguing promo video, so how could I resist? And that was how I found myself in Arnprior on a lovely, crisp November evening.

The original plan was to visit the newly opened 2 Grands Piano Bar, but they were completely booked (a return visit and write up is already part of the plan for 2017). Fortunately, there is another new restaurant in town and although it was packed, they managed to make room for our party of two at the bar.

The Lumbertown Ale House is a gastropub right in the heart of downtown Arnprior with a mission to serve high quality food and drinks in a comfortable and sophisticated environment. They offer a seasonal menu and feature Ontario craft beers (and wines!) on tap. Everything we ordered looked, smelled and tasted wonderful, and the restaurant’s atmosphere was very hip. From the copper bar top to the cedar ceilings, exposed brick walls, pine floor and wall-mounted fireplace, everything conveyed a sense of urban comfort. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and I highly recommend that you check it out (but, just in case you aren’t as lucky as we were, you may want to make a reservation).

They do have occasional entertainment, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates @lumbertownalehouse and see our calendar.

Act II

From Lumbertown, we proceeded to the Kenwood Centre (originally the Kenwood Mills woolen mill), which has been completely renovated and is now home to several businesses, including the M3 Eatery facebook.com/m3eatery .

The M3 Eatery is a charming little restaurant that is normally open from 7:30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. On special occasions, owner Melissa Mosher opens the doors at 7:30pm for ticketed music events, and creates a special dinner menu. The night we were there the menu included a layered dip, quesadillas, shrimp vegetable nests, bacon-wrapped scallops and custom-built charcuterie boards (pick what you like!). To accompany these fine offerings there was an excellent selection of local beers, in addition to wine, cocktails, martinis, and specialty coffees.

Of course, the main reason for our visit was to see and hear Brad Scott, the fellow who sent us that very polite email back at the beginning of this article. Although he is only 24, Brad already has quite a musical résumé. He has played on stage at the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame shows, and been a side musician and collaborator with several local bands. His own song releases get regular airplay on Valley Heritage Radio.

Among his influences, he includes Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and local Telecaster-legend Steve Pittico along with the distinctly less country-inflected guitar work of Newton Faulkner. Brad’s guitar playing alone is enough to make it worthwhile for you to check out his next show. He has a hybrid country-picking/percussive folk playing style that is intricate and always musical. As a singer, Brad has awesome vocal control and range, and a beautiful warm tone with tasteful use of a great vibrato. But that is not all! Brad is a true triple threat: vocalist, instrumentalist and songwriter. His original tunes are very well crafted and compelling.All in all, his music was a perfect blend for the intimate space at M3. And his rendition of a Wagonwheel/Don’t Stop Believing medley was a crowd favourite that had the M3 staff out of the kitchen dancing with the patrons. Improbably but delightfully, his second set turned into a dance party.

Brad’s next local gig will be at the Waterfront Gastropub in Carleton Place on January 13, and I think you should catch this rising star while you can still see him in an intimate venue. This lad is going places! Keep tabs on him though his website bradscott.ca or on Facebook.

“Dutchie” Tribute Concert

Dutch Mason was one of Canada’s premier blues musicians. He started performing in the mid-50s mainly in the Halifax area. During the ‘70s he became a very popular act across the country, touring tirelessly as part of the Dutch Mason Trio and earning the nickname “Prime Minister of the Blues.” Dutch was one of the original inductees to the Canadian Jazz and Blues Hall of Fame, and in 2005 he became a Member of the Order of Canada.

On December 28, at the Valley Food and Drink Co. in Calabogie, some of Ottawa’s greatest blues musicians will be performing a tribute show in honour of Dutch Mason on the tenth anniversary of his death. Blues artists Steve Lund, Steve Marriner, Steve Lauder and Drew Nelson have all performed with Dutch over the years. They will all be performing together with Sean Burke and Wayne Dagenais on stage starting at 8pm. Tickets for this event are $45 for dinner and show or $25 for the show only. For more information check out the restaurant’s events page at thevalleyfoodanddrinkco.ca . They can be purchased at Eventbrite.ca or by calling 762–2676 x311. Tickets are limited so don’t wait too long.

Happy Local Holidays! - theHumm December 2016

By Kris and Rob Riendeau

Here at theHumm we’re big on local economies. The retail and service businesses in the small towns that we cover play a huge role in the cultural life of those towns. Each store, restaurant, or sma......

A Prior Engagement - theHumm December 2016