Edmonton-based husband and wife duo Peter Stone and Denise MacKay, known as 100 Mile House, will share their talents with Kindersley music fans on Friday.
Kenneth Brown
of The Clarion
The award-winning folk duo 100 Mile House performs in Kindersley this weekend and the husband and wife act will be joined by a third musician for the performance.
In the fourth of eight concerts in the Kindersley and District Arts Council’s annual performance series, 100 Mile House takes the stage on Feb. 2 at the Norman Ritchie Community Centre. The concert is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
Husband and wife duo Peter Stone and Denise MacKay are 100 Mile House. They released their fourth album, Hiraeth, in 2017 and the album has received several accolades. The duo’s performances are known to feature quality musicianship, finely-crafted songs and heartwarming stories.
Tickets for arts council concerts are available at Lela’s Music Centre, LaBelle Boutique and Integra Tire. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketpro.ca and at the door if the show has not sold out.
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People still have the option to purchase a four-pack of tickets with five concerts left in the series. People could pick any four of the five remaining concerts for a four-pack. People are reminded that unused season tickets cannot be used for future shows in the series. The annual Stars for Saskatchewan performance series is held in association with the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC).
According to an arts council member, this Friday’s concert will feature the usual format of two sets with an intermission. A band parents group serves snacks at intermission in return for a donation and the bar will be open.
A biography on the 100 Mile House website says the duo’s journey started with a mistaken meeting 13 years ago at a concert in Toronto. The couple has been recording and performing its brand of transatlantic folk at shows and festivals across North America.
Stone is originally from London, England, and he said MacKay, his wife and partner on stage, is from a small community near Edmonton. They are performing with a third member on Friday, a piano and mandolin player, he said. The performers are looking forward to going on tour in Saskatchewan.
“It’s a fun way to see a province,” Stone said, adding that he and his wife will be touring with their four-month-old son and local arts councils have been very helpful in making arrangements for care during their shows.
He noted that 100 Mile House has performed at a booking showcase in Alberta, but all concerts booked at the Alberta showcase take place on weekends. The block booking through OSAC has the musicians out on the road playing 10 concerts in two weeks, he said.
Stone, who plays the guitar and sings, said it’s going to be great to play several shows in such a short time. The high frequency of concerts also helps the musicians tighten up as a unit, Stone recognized.
The husband and wife lived in England for several years before returning to Canada. When asked how they ended up with the name 100 Mile House, he said they had a map of Canada on their wall and they were searching for a band name at that time. The couple had a plan and the plan led to a name.
“We had the map up because we were going to drive across Canada when we moved back, and it just popped out one day,” Stone said, noting it’s funny because people often assume they are from 100 Mile House, B.C. “It kind of really fit in with the sound of the music.”
He said he and his wife tend to write music about the things going on in their lives. The songs on Hiraeth were influenced by experiences including the death of loved ones and trying to start a family, he noted.
According to Stone, he and his wife enjoy chatting with the audience in between songs, and they do tell stories.
He said the group’s third member is a great addition to the live show, and the duo’s entire back catalogue of music will be on display.
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