Craig Cardiff returns to a city that has enjoyed embracing his brand of modern acoustic folk music. Prince George audiences have gathered at Nancy O's in the past for Cardiff's singer-songwriter fare and he comes back for a two-night stand on that downtown stage. Night one is already history, night two is tonight.
In some ways, the lines of these concerts were written not by Cardiff but by Prince George fans themselves, and ones just like them all across Canada. On his last tour, the Juno-nominated performer laid out a notebook he passes around at each show. He calls it The Book Of Truths and he urges people in the audience "to share something truthful in it - a story, a confession, a hope, a secret. The book gives fans a chance to write down something they may be too afraid to say out loud," he said.
It was a way to connect more personally and creatively with the audience, but many of the entries were highly emotional. He found displays of humour and of heartache. Since he couldn't reach out to each of the writers person-to-person, he used the notebooks as inspiration for his next batch of songs - the songs he brings now on this tour. He packaged them into a 21-track double album called Love Is Louder (Than All This Noise).
"I didn't realize it at first, but this collection of songs is just really to help people be OK and to let them know to just wait until tomorrow, stay here and push on through," Cardiff said. "Every song has that kernel of hope and joy, even if it's not apparent at first. I think the purpose of each song is to remind people to make sure they remember to remember that they're OK and that things are good. Don't give up."
Doors to the Craig Cardiff show tonight open at 8 p.m., he takes the stage at 8:30, and tickets are $20 while they last.
