Edmonton-based singer and songwriter Mike Plume is looking forward to returning to Moose Jaw on Oct. 22 for the first live show on the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre’s stage in months — and he’s confident it will be a great night because he always enjoys time in the Friendly City.
“I am very excited to play in Moose Jaw, there’s no two ways about it. It might be my favourite place to play,” said Plume. “Moose Jaw just clicked with me when I first play there a few years ago and I’m looking forward to catching up with some of my Moose Jaw friends.”
Plume lauded the merits of the city’s downtown and the historic Mae Wilson Theatre, but what he’s looking forward to most of all is getting to interact with the people of Moose Jaw.
“Moose Jaw still has a distinct uniqueness to it, [and] obviously the Mae Wilson is cool too because you walk in and almost feel like you’re stepping into the past,” said Plume. “I already know that I’m going to like everybody there, because to whatever extent they’re already friends of mine whether I’ve met them or not yet.”
While Plume played a handful of live shows over the summer, following various restrictions like plexiglass dividers and outdoor venues, the upcoming show will be much closer to normal, which is an exciting possibility.
For his appearance at the Mae Wilson, he’s promising an intimate evening of country music, stories and hopefully a few laughs characteristic of his usual tours, which he hopes will be a positive distraction from reality for one night.
“For me, when I’m up there singing, I’m forgetting about what’s going on on TV and hopefully, if I do my job well, then people who come to my show will feel the same way,” said Plume. “I’ll sing some songs, and I tend to tell a lot of stories as well [so] hopefully it can be an evening of escape.”
It's also highly likely that audiences will hear some tracks from Plume’s most recently released album Lonesome Stretch Of Highway, which debuted at the end of May in the midst of the initial wave of the pandemic.
This will mark the third year in a row that Plume has hit the stage at the Mae Wilson in October, and he said he feels like it could be the beginning of a long-lasting tradition.
“I’m excited to see everybody, and this will be the third annual show in October, my third annual Mae Wilson gig which could eventually lead to the 20th annual,” said Plume. “I’m looking forward to the tradition that could become, every October you can set your watch and know I’ll be rolling into town to play a show or two at the Mae Wilson.”
Plume’s newest album will be available to purchase on vinyl and CD at the show, along with the opportunity to preorder his upcoming children’s book coming out in November — about hockey, of course.
Lonesome Stretch Of Highway is also streaming wherever music is available to stream.
Tickets for Mike Plume’s show on Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. are $30 plus fees and can be purchased at the Cultural Centre Box Office either in person during operating hours or by calling 1 (306) 693-4700.
