Fiddles in Concert at the Riverview Arts Centre

If you tend to get the winter blues and you would like to hear some toe-tapping music then reserve Saturday, January 31, 2009 (snow date - February 1) for an evening with Ivan andVivian Hicks and the Sussex Avenue Fiddlers at the Riverview Arts Centre (Riverview High School), 400 Whitepine Road, Riverview, NB.  Showtime is 7:30 PM.

This program will feature plenty of fiddling from the group as well as individual presentations from members of the Sussex Avenue Fiddlers, which will include step-dancing, vocals, harmonica playing and much more.

The Sussex Avenue Fiddlers was formed in 1978 under the direction of Ivan Hicks and is just completing 30 years as a community-based group that has entertained throughout Eastern Canada and in many of the American States.  In the Fall of 1998, the group did an American tour where they did a performance at the Wild Horse Saloon, Nashville, TN, opened a show for Barbara Fairchild at her theatre in Branson, MI and did a concert with Doc Williams in PA.  In 2008, the group did a 17-day 30^th Anniversary tour south of the border where the fiddlers and other guests performed in Virginia, Nashville, in Memphis at Graceland, and at various locations in Louisiana.

Since it is a community-based group of some 50 fiddlers, the members mainly come from the tri-community (Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe).  However, there are members from Nauwigewauk, St. Paul, Sussex and Sackville.  The fiddlers enjoy entertaining seniors, taking part in benefit programs and providing music for church related activities as well as breakfasts for associations and foundations, such as MS, Alzheimer’s and Crohn’s & Colitis.

In 2009, besides performing on the 20^th Anniversary Super Fiddle Show (their 20^th appearance), on May 9^th at RAC, the Sussex Avenue Fiddlers will be traveling to Quebec on the long weekend in May to perform in concert and have some jam sessions with musicians from the Valleyfield area.

Sussex Avenue Fiddlers did a 30^th Anniversary concert at RAC on October 20, 2007 featuring the various talents from within the group.  This show was so well received that a double CD set of that evening’s performance is being produced and hopefully will have its debut launch at the January 31^st concert.  This will be the group’s second album.

Tickets for this concert are now on sale and would make a great way to beat those winter blues.  The prices are $13 advance and $15 at the door.  Tickets are available through members of the Sussex Avenue Fiddlers, Sobeys and Jean Coutu in Riverview, Ford’s Apothecary, St. George St., Moncton and Ivan Hicks (386-2996).  All seats are reserved and you would be advised to get them early.  Proceeds go towards Sussex Avenue Fiddlers special projects.