A musical duo from Newfoundland is coming from the East Coast all the way to the West Coast to share their 'Songs of the Sea' with Vancouver Island audiences.
Fergus O'Byrne and Jim Payne are playing shows in Courtenay, Oak Bay and Nanaimo from June 12-14 in support of the Old City Arts Hub.
"We're really looking forward to getting back again…" O'Byrne said. "We're familiar with the area and it's always a delight to get back with old friends."
O'Byrne came to Canada from Ireland in 1967, and throughout the 1970s he was part of Ryan's Fancy, a music group that had its own TV series on CBC. Payne was born and raised in Newfoundland and grew up learning the province's traditional music from family members.
"We just have a good dynamic," O'Byrne said. "We both have strong voices and we harmonize well together and for a duo, we have a big sound."
The two are multi-instrumentalists, storytellers, and Payne is known to stepdance, too. They'll play a mix of traditional songs and Payne's compositions – he writes about hard times and good times, coastal industry, everything except himself, said O'Byrne.
"He's written some classics that people think are traditional songs, but they're actually his."
O'Byrne said Newfoundland music is a product of its history and aspects of its culture that came from England and Ireland.
"That has all blended together to be what is a unique type of folk music that you don't really hear anywhere else and we've been proponents of it," he said.
He and his bandmate consider themselves "bearers" of Newfoundland music, and it's a responsibility they don't take lightly.
"The older generation of singers and players were very willing to share their music and pass the music along and I learned at a very early age to respect that and respect the idea of keeping the tradition alive, first of all, but as important as keeping it alive is passing it along to the next generation…" he said. "I always tell kids when I'm working with them, look, this music is not yours to keep, you can borrow it, but pass it along, please."
O'Byrne and Payne are happy to be touring in support of a cause like the Old City Arts Hub, a non-profit society working toward improvements to Nanaimo's St. Andrew's United Church as an arts and entertainment venue. O'Byrne said across Canada, churches aren't seeing the attendance they once did and the spaces should be used for other purposes – like gathering together for toe-tapping jigs, inspiring stories and rousing sea shanties.
"There's always a strong interest in the music from Newfoundland, but the songs we sing really relate to the sea and the people who live in coastal areas…" he said. "The last couple of times we were out there people just loved the sounds we were doing, and the stories."
WHAT'S ON … Fergus O'Byrne and Jim Payne play 'Songs of the Sea' on June 12 at 7 p.m. at Courtenay's Old Church Theatre, June 13 at 7 p.m. at Oak Bay United Church, and June 14 at 7 p.m. at Nanaimo's St. Andrew's United Church. Tickets cost $35-40 through http://eventbrite.ca or at the door. The Nanaimo show will also feature special guests Fiddelium.
