Rick Fines, Angel Forrest, Steve Marriner & Paul Pigat

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The Hornby Island Blues Workshop takes place every spring on Hornby Island. Each year they invite a dozen or so of the finest Canadian blues and roots musicians around to share their knowledge and inspiration with some lucky students. We thought - why not catch some of these great players, singers and all-round entertainers, and get them to do a show for us on the way? One of Vancouver's own teams up with three of the best from the rest of Canada. It's a simple but foolproof formula! This is the fourth year that we have presented this delightful showcase. 

Rick Fines
Rick crafts a unique blend of warm-hearted blues, juke joint folk, and dockside soul that both embraces and defies the genres that influence him. As a veteran of the North American blues and folk circuits, he engages audiences with captivating songs, diverse guitar styling and his signature vocal growl. First gaining attention as part of the legendary Jackson Delta, he’s since released four solo albums, another with his own Rick Fines Trio, and a critically acclaimed disc with fellow troubadour Suzie Vinnick.  Along the way he has racked up both awards and accolades.  His 15-year stint with Jackson Delta received both Juno and Handy award nominations.  His partnership with Suzie garnered a Maple Blues Songwriter of the Year Award.  On his own, he’s pulled in two more Maple Blues Awards (for Solo Act of the Year), as well as an astonishing eight other nominations.  While his songwriting chops won him a 2003 International Songwriting Competition, he’s equally proficient on guitar – having played for legendary blues piano player Pinetop Perkins, songstress Colleen Peterson, folk icon Penny Lang, and many others. “The classic blues guitar picking and authentic-sounding vocals of Rick Fines were the sweetener ... an early opportunity to hear more would be welcome.” – The Herald, (Glasgow).

Angel Forrest
In 1988, Angel Forrest began a musical career which would span over three decades – and counting. Her first album, Secondhand Blues, featured several classics. The energic vocalist’s work immediately gained attention from critics and new fans. Her tribute show to the legendary Janis Joplin brought Angel into the public eye. The live performance was immortalized on her Angel Sings Janis Live album.​ Her first original composition album, Here For You, then sold over 30,000 copies and was followed by the other LPs, including her Wonderland Christmas album, the award-winning album Come Alive, as well as Mother Tongue Blues, which won her the Lys Blues Album of the Year in Québec and was nominated for the Recording of the Year at the 2014 Maple Blues Awards. Her last live opus, Electric Love, topped the charts around the world.​ The Montreal artist was named Female Vocalist of the Year seven straight times by the Toronto Blues Society between 2013 and 2019. Never limited to blues, the 2018 Memphis International Blues Challenge Finalist sings in the whole country, blues and rock spectrum. Her most recent album 'Hell Bent With Grace', was released in 2019.

Steve Marriner
Steve Marriner, is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and record producer based in Toronto. He first garnered attention in the Ottawa blues scene in his early teens as a prodigy blues harp (harmonica) player. He also plays baritone guitar, electric guitar, piano, Hammond organ, upright bass and electric bass. Since 2008, he has been the frontman, singer, one of two guitarists and harmonica player for the Canadian blues group MonkeyJunk. Steve has won the Maple Blues Harmonica Player of the Year Award six times, and picked up Male Vocalist of the Year once. MonkeyJunk has won a collective 21 Maple Blues Awards, two Canadian Independent Music Awards, a Blues Music Award (USA) in 2010 for best new artist debut (Tiger In Your Tank), and have been nominated three times for a Juno Award, winning the award twice for Blues Album of the Year in 2012 for To Behold and in 2018 for Time To Roll. MonkeyJunk has won a collective 21 Maple Blues Awards, two Canadian Independent Music Awards, a Blues Music Award (USA) in 2010 for best new artist debut (Tiger In Your Tank), and have been nominated three times for a Juno Award, winning the award twice for Blues Album of the Year in 2012 for To Behold and in 2018 for Time To Roll.

Paul Pigat
What kind of music do you want Paul to play? Blues? Jazz? Gospel? Bluegrass? Punk? Classical? Metal? Rockabilly? Western Swing? Something unique, say Mel Torme meets AC/DC? He could do it, and he could it well, he's that kind of guy. Paul Pigat can play just about every style and technique imaginable, with a modern twist that is both fluid and precise, and is without fail exhilarating in its intensity. Diversity in a musician is always a bonus, but of course at a blues concert Paul will narrow the scope for sure, to focus on his brand of country meets bebop blues and traditional delta finger style. With his rockabilly heart and his hobo soul this self admitted guitaraholic is like a pitbull on a bone when it comes to practicing his craft. “Hot enough to raise sweat on a chunk of granite!” - Monday Magazine. "His lead guitar is stunning and the generous breaks bristle with invention and at times are lightning fast.” - Now Dig This (UK). Paul's latest release is 'Boxcar Campfire - The Game'.   

We have no official connection with the Hornby Island Blues Workshop. For more information about it, please see their web site here. They are celebrating their 21st anniversary this year, and have just been given the Maple Blues 'Blues Booster of the Year' award.

Environmental Initiative: Like many organizations, the Rogue is concerned about the environment. We are doing our best to separate and recycle wherever we can. We use compostable cups at all shows, and charge 25 cents for all cups (beer, wine and coffee). We encourage people to reuse their cups if they return to the bar for another beverage. We also invite you to bring your own cup or glass. Beer drinkers can choose to consume right out of the can. These may seem like small things, but they are an important contribution to cleaning up our planet.

The Rogue Folk Club is pleased to provide great Sponsorship Opportunities for all our shows. For a nominal cost, individuals or businesses can sponsor any of our shows and reap a number of benefits - free tickets, reserved table, recognition on literature, our web site and at the concerts. For more information simply contact our Sponsorship Director Morris Biddle at mobiddley@me.com