Several hundred people converged on the Town Docks last night (July 20) for a performance by the Northern Lights Steel Orchestra. It was part of the Concerts on the Dock series, of which the orchestra is a perennial crowd favourite.
More than 30 musicians – all of them volunteers – playing more than forty steelpans lined the docks with spectators as up close and personal as you can get for a performance. The orchestra encourages it. And the unique location allows viewers to see how steelpans are played from all angles.
The orchestra played some Caribbean classics and some more contemporary tunes, including ABBA’s Dancing Queen and Queen’s Under Pressure, and even played happy birthday for a woman in the crowd.
The Northern Lights Steel Orchestra is a non-profit organization established by Mervyn T. Jordan in 1998 for the purpose of promoting the steelpan artform. They welcome visitors to their Sprucedale campus and even offer free instruction in how to play the steelpan. For more information, visit nlso.ca.
Concerts on the Dock, presented by the Algonquin Theatre, continues every Wednesday night in July and August from 7-8pm. Bring a toonie for the band, a chair and a friend. The full schedule is available here.
If you missed last night’s performance, check out the short clips (via Doppler’s Instagram account @huntsville_doppler) below.
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