Even though I’ve lived in the North End for quite a while now, I’d never heard of Gordie’s Coffeehouse before I arrived to shoot the first of two new episodes for the Artist Next Door series.  Granted, you wouldn’t suspect from the outside of the big Gordon-King Memorial Church that there was a coffeehouse nestled inside offering concerts every Thursday night.  Once inside, you find yourself in a cozy little room full of chairs, tables, knick-knacks, and just enough room for a stage up front.  If you’re into live music in an intimate setting with an attractive price of admission (free), you might want to check it out sometime.

Local duo Prairie Jewel opened the evening with a folky set featuring some great harmonies.  They were followed by artists Ray Dirks (who had some fascinating paintings inspired by his travels abroad) & Tom Andrich (who has painted not a few of the murals we see around Winnipeg).  Sister Dorothy capped off the evening with a lively and upbeat performance.  One thing that stood out for me on this shoot was the choice of footwear on stage – it must be a pretty different experience singing in front of a crowd barefoot vs. stomping around in vibrant red boots.