Tue, Feb 24th, 8-10pm, Concert - Dan Frechette & Laurel Thomsen – Honeymoon Tour – Folk/Rock/Classical
Dan’s knowledge of all music great and vintage, and his abilities as an impressionist and instrumentalist have impressed and endeared him to many a musician and audience.  One of folk music’s most famous magazines, Singout Magazine said “one of the most talented songwriters we’ve heard in a long time.”  CBC radio’s Ismaila Alfa has declared “there’s no Dan Frechette song I don’t like” and CBC Radio has called Dan “one of Manitoba’s most loved entertainers.”
www.danandlaurel.ca  www.ramblingdan.com   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELJlNPC2zDk 
Meeting via a chance YouTube sighting in 2012, and fueled by rare musical chemistry, Dan Frechette and Laurel Thomsen have overcome adversity to circumnavigate North America, logging over 130 concerts throughout the US and Canada and releasing a debut CD.  Audiences enjoy their heartwarming harmonies, emotive violin, and spirited guitar, while literate, poetic lyrics, and soundtrack ready instrumentals capture stories of triumph and irony, wit and humor.  www.danandlaurel.ca
Advance Tickets $12 at Char’s Landing, Gayle’s Fashions & Rollin Arts (cash/cheque) out-of-towners email [email protected]
TX@door $15 Char’s 19+ Lounge opens M-F 4pm, S-S 1pm FMI (250) 730-1636 Char’s Landing, 4815 Argyle @5th. Port Alberni
 
Long Bio:
One Manitoba winter evening, music and modern technology transpired to bring
together two artists with captivating musical synergy, despite their living 2,000 miles
apart. Dan Frechette, Canadian entertainer, guitarist, impressionist, and prolific
songwriter, chanced upon a YouTube video of California's Laurel Thomsen, violinist,
composer, and educator, and was instantly impressed by Laurel’s ability to “conjure
emotions and spirit with the violin”.
Imagining how she could add these qualities to Dan’s own songs, with an astonishing
1500 of them and counting (including the The Duhks’ hit singles "Mists of Down Below"
and "You Don't See It"), he contacted her. Laurel was equally impressed with Dan’s
diversity as a songwriter, his heartfelt voice, and his one-man-band style of guitar
playing - fusing lead, rhythm, and bass lines on just one left handed acoustic guitar.
They began recording music together, sending tracks back and forth online, and through
the wonders of modern technology began forging together a powerful new friendship
and an old-soul acoustic sound.
A year after becoming “Skype” friends, Dan and Laurel finally met in person. Less than
24 hours later the Alt-folk duo, with influences ranging from Folk, Classical, Old Tyme,
and Celtic, to Gospel, Vintage Country, Rock N' Roll, Blues, and Bluegrass, turned a
loud bar into a “listening room”, wowing patrons with a polished performance despite the
fact that they had never actually played, let alone performed, together before.
Dan and Laurel quickly became inseparable, spending months at a time touring
together, and eventually putting their respective homes in storage to make a home
together on the road. They have since circumnavigated North America, logging over 130
shows and launching a debut CD, fueled by delighted audiences throughout the United
States and Canada won over by the duo’s diversity and natural musical chemistry.
Audiences enjoy their heartwarming harmonies, emotive violin, and spirited guitar, while
literate, poetic lyrics, and soundtrack ready instrumentals capture stories of triumph and
irony, wit and humor.
Many of these audience members have returned again and again, gradually learning
the lyrics, singing along, and taking the duo aside to share how much they’ve seen them
grow as performers and as people through their association. In true fairy tale form, the
duo has certainly had their fair share of struggles and triumphs. They’ve successfully
wrestled a luggage dolly with a broken wheel in -52 degree Saskatchewan winter,
jumped for joy to discover a vegan restaurant in rural Indiana, given quite the start to a
toilet bowl swimming rat and solace upon the deaths of two beloved grandparents, and
cranked Indian raga music through the streets of Knoxville.
One fateful day, watching fall in West Virginia turn to winter in Ohio, Laurel commented
that the tour stories they’d be telling Dan’s family a week later at Christmas would be
pretty tame, as far as bands go. Vegetarians, who don’t drink, smoke, do any drugs,
can’t kill a fly or an ant, and would much rather hike a remote mountain trail or visit a pet
store than get into “trouble”, Dan and Laurel would soon be tested to the breaking point.
While the technology of the 21st century made this duo possible, not long into their
collaboration, Dan and Laurel began to long for times in history when borders and
governments might have better supported the progress of an international musical
team, by this time also a romantic team. The end of 2013 found Dan and Laurel
suddenly fighting to simply remain together and play music.
Thousands of dollars in work visas and permits, months of waiting to see if unions
would approve months of booking efforts, 20 hour round trips to the borders for new
visa stamps, hours of paperwork... While these stresses were growing increasingly
exhausting, Dan and Laurel were learning to deeply appreciate every concert they were
able to play together, recognizing that as strong as their commitment to each other, their
music, and their audiences, at any moment all this could be snatched away.
And it ultimately was when, after two months of negotiations for a work permit, the
Canadian border denied Laurel’s entry, banning her from entering the country for a year,
forcing the duo apart, and leading to dozens of cancelled shows, buckets of tears, and
months picking up the pieces. Dan, heartbroken, scrambled to record a new CD and
head out on the road solo to save the imminent tour the duo had spent months booking
and promoting together. Dan and Laurel wanted to scream from the mountaintops and
border “shake down shacks”, “Music has no borders”. Sadly, only the trees and their
disappointed fans would listen.
Finally back together again and building a new life together in the US, Dan and Laurel
are working on a new CD and show for release in late 2014 or early 2015, laying the
groundwork for what they plan to be a lifetime of sharing music together.
Quotes:
"Any grounded, sound-minded person would have a perma-grin throughout a Dan and
Laurel show." ~Bernie, Manitoba house concert host
“One of the best songwriters I’ve heard in a long time.” ~ Sing Out Magazine
"Dan and Laurel’s concert in our home drew a standing ovation and demand for
encores. Everyone left with big smiles!" ~Margo and Tyler Baker, CA house concert
hosts
“A good songwriter...a terrific violinist...and together their voices blend beautifully and
harmonically...I can’t wait to hear more...” ~ Les Siemieniuk, Penguins Eggs Magazine
"Truly one of Winnipeg's treasures." ~Cara Luft, Wailing Jenny's
“Downloaded your new album and the music is breathtaking. The vocals, the harmony,
and the artistry of guitar and violin are the absolute best...I usually listen to the music
while I am at the health club and the very peppy violin song on the album causes me to
almost double my normal pace on the elliptical machine so you and Dan are
unknowingly contributing to both my mental and physical health....
Keep the excellent music flowing.” ~Bob Mauney, fan in Georgia