Saturdays at 7 event will stream live May 30
By Bruce Corcoran
With Saturdays at 7 still on COVID-19 lockdown like most every public gathering, organizers have a special plan in place for next Saturday.
On May 30, instead of having you, the public, come to St. Andrew’s United Church for a Saturdays at 7 performance, the show will instead come to you.
The event, Hope from Home, will bring performances from people from around North America to online viewers.
Devon Hanson, musical director for St. Andrew’s, said the idea came about after he watched an online concert about a month ago.
“They streamed it live online and had performers from around the world. They moulded it together,” he said.
Hanson saw the potential to do something similar for Saturdays at 7. He reached out to fellow performers and was amazed by the response.
“I did a broad open call to everyone on my social media list. I got a huge response, even from people I haven’t worked with in years,” he said. “Artists want to do stuff right now. Life doesn’t let them. This gives them something to work on and get their minds off everything.”
He said upwards of 50 performers, from places such as B.C., Toronto, New York, Michigan, Windsor and London, Ont., will be involved.
Local musicians include Christine Baribeau, Xander Bechard, Stacie Dengel, Andrew Derynck and Nohl Egan.
Hanson said he’s still piecing the separate performances together, but looks forward to the result.
“We’re editing and putting all the videos together. It’s a new skill for me, but it’s a chance to do something different and still be artistic,” he said. “I’m excited to see how it works out.”
Viewers can tune in through St. Andrew’s website, or its Facebook page. The show will air via Facebook Live, and Hanson said you do not need to have a Facebook account to access it.
There is no charge to access, but Hanson said they are accepting freewill donations online. The donations will be split between St. Andrew’s United Church Music Program and the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation COVID-I9 Health Care Relief Fund.
