Despite the challenges of a difficult wildfire season, the Wells Gray Lively Arts Society (WGLAS) entertained the District of Clearwater and surrounding communities throughout summer 2023.
The society has been actively encouraging and supporting local talent since 2016. For their last summer stage of 2023 they hosted the Payphones, an alternative folk/rock group from Edmonton, at the DCLCC band shell on Aug. 31. Their music showcased intricately layered vocal harmonies, dynamic instrumental accompaniment, and emotional lyrics about queerness, relationships, isolation, disability, and personal growth.
On hand to help out was Clearwater’s own Patrick Roach on sound mixing. Roach is widely recognized in the valley for his skilled talent on the sound board.
With the society’s own fundraising, and the backing of organizations like the North Thompson Communities Foundation and the District of Clearwater, along with partnerships with Valley Pride and Cruisin’ Clearwater, the summer music stage attracted large crowds throughout the season, with audience members packing their own chairs or blankets to the District of Clearwater Community Centre field all summer long.
The Cruisin’ Clearwater cars were on display nearby, and the music of a wide variety of talented bands — from the local area, around B.C., and out of province — delighted those gathered with a wide variety of music styles, including blues, jazz, rock, pop, folk and country.
“Summer Stage keeps getting better and better,” says WGLAS president Shirley Frost. “Wells Gray Lively Arts Society is all about live music, and hosting our Thursday evening Summer Stage at the DLCC Field gives us all such joy.”
One of many highlights of the season was at the end of July, with a record crowd of over 300 people in attendance on another hot summer’s night. The featured band, The Serious Dogs, gave the large audience a fantastic evening of toe-tapping songs, from Don McLean’s “American Pie” to Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire”.
“That’s just one example of so many wonderful evenings,” says Frost of the end-of-July concert. She recalls many Thursday nights walking about, hearing people singing along without reservation and watching families dancing, playing and singing together .
When asked how they were able to accomplish these evenings — which included a professionally set up sound system and band shel — Frost replied, “This was all made possible by our very small team of volunteers and the financial support from the District of Clearwater, the North Thompson Communities Foundation, Wells Gray Community Forest and our own TNRD Area ‘A’ Director, Usoff Tsao.”
Tsao praised the society’s efforts this summer.
“Many thanks to Wells Gray Lively Arts Society for hosting this wonderful season of weekly live music celebrating the spirit of community in the North Thompson. We’ve enjoyed musicians from as far away as Edmonton, as well as audiences and guest musicians from Little Fort, Barriere and Kamloops.
“I encourage residents to attend and support these events to find out just how closely knit our community is, and talk to the organizers about volunteering. Please help spread the word to any musician friends who may be interested in performing next year.”
