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Singer-songwriter
to play free holiday-themed concerts at Conference Centre
Jennifer Miller
jmiller@whistlerquestion.com
Young singer-songwriter Allison Crowe doesn’t fit the true definition
of a rebel, but she certainly does what she wants to do when it comes
to her music career.
She started her own record label to give her creative control over her
music and she did most of the production and engineering work on her new
album, This Little Bird. This year, she also decided to work on Christmas
— something she’s never done before.
Crowe is choosing to spend her holidays in Whistler and she’s performing
two special free shows at the Telus Conference Centre on Sunday and Monday
(Dec. 24 and 25).
“It should be pretty fun,” she said. “And I can go skiing
and stuff.”
Though she won’t be with her family, Crowe will spend Christmas with
her boyfriend who is coming out from Newfoundland to spend the holiday
with her. And she won’t be too far away from her family — she’s
originally from Nanaimo and still lives there part time.
While she is currently on tour with a back-up band to promote her new
album, Crowe will be performing intimate solo shows in Whistler. She’ll
play the piano and the guitar, which is a new addition to her musical
repertoire, and sing both originals and cover tunes from This Little Bird
and her 2004 holiday album, Tidings.
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“We’ll
have a little bit of everything,” she said. “I’ll do some
Beatles songs and some Rolling Stones, and probably some Joni Mitchell.
It should be a good mix.”
Traditional carols will be mixed with modern holiday tunes and a smattering
of Crowe’s original offerings thrown in for good measure.
It might be Christmas, but Crowe isn’t expecting any gifts in exchange
for her music from the crowd. But if you’re so inclined, she said
an audience that is friendly, open and good-natured is always appreciated.
“I love talking to the crowd. I hope that they come talkative because
that’s my favourite thing,” she said. “A lively crowd is
a good time.”
Since Crowe launched her label, Rubenesque Records, in 2003, she has received
regular glowing reviews from critics, fans and fellow artists alike. She
has shared the stage with Diana Krall and is featured as a guest artist
on Jewel’s Web site.
Crowe admits that paving her own musical road is hard work, but with such
a positive response she’s clearly onto something.
“This way I get to do what I want and play what I want,” she
said. “It’s more work… but to me it’s more rewarding.”
Celebrate the season with the expressive and entertaining Allison Crowe
at the Telus Conference Centre Sunday and Monday (Dec. 24 and 25). The
Christmas Eve show is at 8 p.m. with the Christmas day show beginning
at 4 p.m. Both shows are free and open to everyone as a holiday gift to
Whistler.
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