Look up. It's what I do.
When you're sitting at the Fire Pit in the heart of downtown Prince George on a Saturday afternoon and the Big Little Lions are performing as part of the Coldsnap Music Festival Ice Jam free concert series where headliners of the main shows take some time to be accessible to everyone and they start singing a song about how people can slip away - look up.
It seemed to help get me out of my own head long enough so the tears didn't fall.
Betty M. Feb. 8, I start to read the names and dates on sheets of paper stuck near the top most part of the far wall. It says birthdays. OK, that seems safe. Abraham H. Dec. 20, Vern K. April 3, April S. April 22 - oh, she's probably named after the month she was born. See? It's working.
Tilli - what a great name - June 12, Derf S. Aug. 28, Penny March 17, Elroy F. Feb. 25. Oh man. I then realize that some of these names have black ribbons inked beside them and these people have passed on.
So it worked for a while but now my head is down and I have to get back to the music.
Big Little Lions is a duo that includes Helen Austin and Paul Otten. Austin is from Vancouver Island, she explained in a British accent, which frankly added to the confusion when you hear where Otten is from - Cincinatti, Ohio. I know, he didn't seem to like it much, either. He wants to move to Canada. I don't think any of the 100 or so people sitting in the audience blamed him.
So how did these two meet? Well, she moved to Vancouver Island about 16 years ago and she met Otten in 2011 and then they didn't talk for the next three years and then they started working together.
He was still in Cincinatti, she was still on Vancouver Island.
It's called the Internet, people.
And no, they're not a couple and yes, they sing beautifully together.
They have some of that kindness wrapped up in an edgy package thing going on - Austin described it as a brother-sister thing where you just can't be nice to your sibling and it makes for some good schtick on stage. The audience laughed a lot, tapped their toes a lot, even sang a lot. We sang a chorus that said "I just want to be kind. Can't we all be kind." When we went over it without the music I thought we were going to Kumbaya it but it was more a call to action kinda thing and it kinda rocked.
We heard about a Big Mistake and He Who Shall Not Be Named, we tried to decide if a song was a stalker song or a lover song and it turned out kind of stalker-y and kind of lover-ly. But we all seemed to agree that was cool. We heard Stories and as the request for a "jolly" song was called for because Big Little Lions realized we probably didn't know all their songs and so told us to call out songs that reflected certain emotions - but not indifference. They don't have one of those because they are definitely not indifferent. They are original and driven and enthusiastic and talented and it was a pleasure to be part of the enamored audience during their hour-long show at the Fire Pit in the heart of downtown Prince George on Saturday afternoon.
The Fire Pit is Positive Living North's outreach facility where those at risk can feel safe, learn and understand culture, have a bite to eat, grab a coffee or join a talking circle. Violet Bozoki is an elder at the centre and she welcomed everyone into the facility by making a big batch of her homemade bannock before the show.
"Everyone is always welcome here," Bozoki said. "You don't have to be afraid to come downtown. You're safe here."
For more information about Coldsnap and all it offers for your chance to try out my 'look up' theory visit coldsnapfestival.com.
