LISSA ALEXANDER
reporter@pqbnews.com
Conor O’Brien has been playing music professionally for 25 years — sharing stages with Spirit of the West and other celebrated bands — and his newly formed local group will be performing in Parksville next Saturday night.
The North Country Ramblers are a trio which plays country, folk, blues, as well as rock n’ roll, and they’ll be putting on a show at Knox United Church on Saturday, June 29.
“We can rock it out or we can play really nice, old-time Appalachian music,” said O’Brien.
O’Brien lived in Ucluelet for 26 years where he put on a number of concerts and festivals, bringing big names like Wide Mouth Mason to the West Coast.
Also a passionate musician himself, O’Brien has written about 1,500 songs and was part of a Celtic band in the ‘90s. He’s also a sculptor, a poet, a writer — he’s written a children’s book — and he’s a multi-instrumentalist.
Part of the proceeds from the concert will go to local charities, as that’s OBrien’s modus operandi.
“My main goal as a musician is to be a philanthropist, and make a whole bunch of money and give to people who really need it,” he said.
His focus in the area will be on helping women, children and pets in need.
The North Country Ramblers will also be playing at the Rocking Horse Pub July 13.
Tickets for the show June 29 are $20, available from Mulberry Bush Book Stores and at the door. Knox United Church is located at 345 Pym Street in Parksville. The show starts at 8 p.m.