October start for Killarney’s performing arts concert series

Music lovers who attend the Killarney Turtle Mountain Arts Council’s (KTMAC) 2026/2027 Performing Arts Concert Series will enjoy a tasty blend of homegrown music spiced up with some global flavours and a few laughs on the side.

Giselle Beaupre, KTMAC’s administrator, says the line-up reflects their objective of presenting a variety of genres for audiences.

“We really accomplished that with our festival this past summer and we were planning the festival at the same time as the Performing Arts Series,” she said.

The season opener on Oct.17 is the Sean Taylor Band out of Winnipeg. Beaupre says the band, winner of the 2024 Manitoba Country Music Association (MCMA) Group of the Year and Album of the Year for their debut album, was spotted at last year’s Manitoba Showcase.

“The band is really tight with each other and there’s a lot of camaraderie and fun going on while they play and while they perform,” she said.

They’ll be followed on Nov.14 by Brandon’s own Hip 2 Be Square, a Huey Lewis tribute band who will be familiar to Westman locals.

“There are seven of them! Like … we need a big stage – it’s a big performance,” she said.

“Tribute bands seem to be a hot commodity right now, so we’re happy to add them to our list. And the fact that they’re so nearby, is a big thing.”

Stepping in to beat the January blues on Jan. 30 is comic Matt Falk out of eastern Manitoba – another find from the Manitoba Showcase.

“He is very funny and he has played in and around Manitoba quite often so I feel like people might recognize the name,” she said.

Falk’s stand-up will get a warm-up from show opener and talent competition powerhouse, singer-songwriter Lachelle Reanne.

“She’s a great singer – a strong, beautiful Indigenous woman from Winnipeg,” Beaupre said.

Kicking off the spring melt on Mar. 10 are Ottawa’s Murray Kinsley and Wicked Grin delivering roots blues/rock.

“We were quickly addicted to what we heard at Manitoba Showcase, and hearing them, I thought, you know what? We’ve got to bring a little bit of this to Killarney.”

Queen fans will be more than royally amused on Apr. 3 when Terry Barber, the Grammy-nominated, acclaimed countertenor takes the stage with his re-imagining of Queen front man Freddie Mercury.

“This show’s been in the works for a couple years since we saw him at the 2024 Manitoba Showcase in Winkler,” Beaupre said.

Barber has soloed everywhere from the Metropolitan Opera to Carnegie Hall, and has made recordings with Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and the London Philharmonic.

Spring finally warms up on May 7 when the Sultans of String slide into concert.

“Sultans of String ensemble are from Ontario. I know people are just going to fall in love because their stage presence is phenomenal,” she said.

The band plays a wide range of world music and consists of Chris McKhool, guitarist Kevin Laliberté, bassist Drew Birston, Cuban percussionist Rosendo Chendy Leon and nyckelharpa player Saskia Tomkins.

“It’s amazing. It (the nyckelharpa) is very, very old and Saskia Tonkins is just so neat. She just throws off her shoes and she’s just walking the stage and playing this thing and it’s just beautiful. You just become mesmerized by them and by what they do,” she said.

The season ends on May 18 with a bang with bodhrán player Séan McCann, singer, songwriter, storyteller, and Order of Canada recipient, famously known as founding member of one of Canada’s favourite bands Great Big Sea. KTMAC will be one of the stops on his SOS Tour (Sink or Swim – Singing Through the Noise).

“Sean approached us, so we were happy to be able to say yes. He’s so entertaining, so funny, and yet such a real guy,” she said.

“He’s been through a lot and he shares a lot, so there will be some great music, some comedy, and some real life stories.”

Beaupre explains that KTMAC is sweetening the ticket pot with a new season pass campaign. When patrons buy a season pass for $175, they also receive a punch card. They use the punch card for the first five shows.

“When you come to show number six, you buy that ticket for $35, and if your punch card is all punched, you will then, after purchasing show number six, be given show number seven for free,” she said.

“We hope patrons will always buy a season pass and if they can’t make a show, maybe give that night’s pass to someone else.”

In the past, KTMAC shows were priced at $40 – that price will remain for “at the door” sales but advance sales are now price-reduced.

“Our audience has grown and we want to give back to the community and build our audience even more so we’re knocking them down to $35 each in advance with the hope that brings in more people and still allows us to pay the bills and provide some great music.”

All shows start at 7 p.m. at the Shamrock Centre. Season tickets are currently at 3common.com or the Heritage Home for the Arts. As of Oct.1, individual concert tickets will also be available at 3common.com, Heritage Home for the Arts, and Lewis and Jones in downtown Killarney.

For more details on shows and ticket purchases go to killarneyarts.ca and click on Events or on their social media.

» wendyjbking@gmail.com