Gawler Family Band Submitted photo
The Gawler Family Band will play at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 28, at the Vienna Union Hall.
The Gawler Family brings an assortment of songs and tunes rooted in the traditional music of Maine and the Northeast. John and Ellen, together with their daughters Molly, Edith, Elsie, and “brother” Bennett Konesni, and Ethan Tischler, back up their intertwining family harmonies with fiddles, banjo, cello, guitar, and sometimes, a few surprises.
Inspired by years of playing for dances in the old Grange halls, the Gawlers may be best known for their rollicking renditions of dance tunes in “the Downeast style” with its origins in the Scots-Irish and French Canadian traditions. Their repertoire also includes a wide variety of old and new sounds, with highly spirited delivery of selections that may include a gutsy shanty or worksong, a heart wrenching ballad, a poignant a cappella number featuring the sisters, or an amusing ode to everyday life. With a particular focus on sentiments that reflect life in rural Maine, their unique arrangements are especially engaging and often go along with anecdotes of historical or humorous content.
For many years, the Gawler Family have shared their music at countless festivals, farms, concerts and schools, joyfully enlivening a sense of grassroots connection and community. With their sparkling musicianship and infectious spirit, the Gawlers have found a warm place in the hearts of audiences of all ages.
The Vienna Union Hall looks forward to a season of great entertainment with upcoming shows that include The Katahdin Valley Boys, Greg Boardman with Elsie Gawler and Steve Muise, The Oshima Brothers, Kyle Knuppel and Matt Davis, The Porch Party Mama’s, Pihcintu Multinational Girl’s Chorus, and plays by the Vienna Historical Society, Vienna Woods Players and dancing by the Bearnstow Dancers.
Vienna Union Hall is located at 5 Vienna Mountain Road, Vienna. For more information, visit viennaunionhall.org.
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