Highway 19 Concert Series

ramble at the big yellow hall

featuring paul pigat, sue decker, aj lontayao & maya mccutcheon w/ j. plank and the one-spot ramblers

friday, february 27, 2026 | 7:30pm

Merville Community Hall (1245 Fenwick Rd)

  • The third installment of the Ramble presented by Highway 19 Concerts and hosted by J. Plank (Jeff Plankenhorn).

    Inspired by the late, great Levon Helm’s legendary Midnight Ramble in Woodstock, NY, each Ramble shines a spotlight on three songwriters from emerging and established local talents to show stopping guest headliners, all backed by the One Spot Ramblers, a stellar Vancouver Island house band led by Plank. The Ramble is all about building musical community, and creating unique and unforgettable nights of song and music in our region.

    Featuring:
    Paul Pigat – guitar, vocals & songs
    Sue Decker – guitars, vocals & songs
    AJ Lontayao – guitar & vocals
    Maya McCutcheon – vocals
    J. Plank – musical director, host, guitars and vocals
    G. Lee Worden – guitars, keys and vocals
    Rick May – bass
    Dallas Carrie – drums, vocals

    In addition to leading his rockabilly powerhouse trio Cousin Harley, Vancouver’s Paul Pigat has quietly spent a career creating sweet sounds for some of the best artists in the country. Over the years his distinctive guitar playing has graced albums and stages of none other than Jeff Beck, Jackob Dylan, Michael Kaeshammer, Albert Lee, James Burton, Brian Setzer, The Reverend Horton Heat, Neko Case, Jim Byrnes, The Sojourners, Carolyn Mark… and on and on! Blessed with a jazz man’s sheen, a rockabilly heart and a hobo’s soul, there aren’t many genres of music that don’t pull at Pigat’s wayfaring imagination like a magnet. In many ways, it’s a mystery why Paul Pigat isn’t a household name yet. Maybe he’d be a lot easier to pin down if he wasn’t so darn good at so many different things.

    Victoria singer-songwriter Sue Decker’s rich and warm voice, distinctive slide guitar playing, and authentic songwriting make for a powerful combination. Ever since learning to play her first guitar chords in a bluegrass jam at the age of thirty-five, Sue has been discovering her truth in song. In 2024 she released her second album “Keeping Time” with producer Steve Dawson which drew comparisons to Ry Cooder and Lucinda Williams.

    Still in their teens, multi-instrumentalist AJ Lontayao and vocalist Maya McCutcheon have establishing themselves as tremendous talents to watch in the Campbell River music scene. On guitar and vocals, Lontayao leads the rock band Exit 30, winners of battle of the band accolades all over the Island. Both are regulars at Highway 19’s high school open mic nights and Georgia Strait Jazz Society jams, they also perform as a duo and with their jazz quartet Mood Swings where McCutcheon’s Winehouse-esque pipes are on full display.

    J. Plank (Jeff Plankenhorn) is a highly respected musician known for his skill as a slide guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, both as a solo artist and as a sought-after session musician. After years in the Austin music scene, Plank now calls Campbell River home while he continues to tour across North America and Europe. Lee Worden, Rick May, and Dallas Carrie round out the house band of Island aces.

    The Ramble is a family friendly, licensed event. Kids are free with a paying adult, teens pay what you can at the door.

    The Ramble is supported by the Province of BC through the BC Arts Council and BC Live Performance Network.

Two Pianos no rodeo: bob wiseman & mike boguski

thursday, march 5, 2026 | 7:00pm

Painter’s Lodge (1625 McDonald Rd)

  • This isn’t a concert. It’s a piano séance in two acts.

    Bob Wiseman and Mike Boguski, two of Canada’s most unpredictable keyboard minds are taking turns dismantling and reimagining what a solo piano set can be. One piano. Two artists. Zero cowboy hats.

    BOB WISEMAN Founding member of Blue Rodeo. Punk pianist. Lo-fi provocateur. Think Monk meets Burroughs at a Toronto dive bar. Expect sound collage, biting satire, sonic left turns. Nothing’s off limits.

    MIKE BOGUSKI Current Blue Rodeo pianist. Ambient soul explorer. A master of restraint and reverie. Piano as landscape. Melody as memory. Quiet storms and cinematic swells. Musical cliff jumping.

    Each artist takes the same piano and launches in opposite directions - solo, stripped down, wide open. One piano. Two deeply personal journeys. No safety net. No genre crutches. No rodeo.

    Come for the clash of styles. Stay for the communion. This is piano as protest, as prayer or as whatever they feel that night.

    "Two Pianos, No Rodeo" is for those who like their art live, unexpected and slightly dangerous. Think of it less like a show and more like two sonic postcards from different planets sent through the same grand piano.

elham manouchehri & amir amiri: ma ensemble

tuesday, march 17, 2026 | 7:00pm

Rivercity Stage (1080 Hemlock St)

  • "MA" evokes the Zen concept of "ma," the space between things, or the Farsi word "ma," meaning "us." This dual interpretation perfectly encapsulates the essence of the collaboration between Persian instrumental masters Elham Manouchehri and Amir Amiri, while also drawing from the initials of their surnames. The name "MA" serves as a reflection of their partnership, with the beginning letters of Manouchehri and Amiri symbolizing the creative fusion of their artistry.

    Amir Amiri is a santur (Persian hammered dulcimer) player, composer, and cultural inventor who inhabits a unique musical universe where ancient inspiration, dazzling virtuosity, and bold creativity meet. He composed the soundtrack for Matthew Rankin's film Universal Language, which was short-listed to represent Canada at the Oscars 2025 and won the Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award at Cannes Festival 2024. His latest album Ajdad / Ancestors : Echoes of Persia has been at the top of world music charts since last September. Amiri performs and tours regularly with a vast spectrum of ensembles, enchanting with his signature down-to-earth style and connection with audiences.

    Master of several traditional Persian instruments such as Tar, Setar, Shourangiz, and Robab, Elham Manouchehri has collaborated with a variety of musicians from multiple backgrounds and performed across Canada including featuring with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. A resident of Montreal since 2014, she has since immersed herself in the city's cultural fabric and cultivated her musical talents receiving accolades and awards including from the Conseil des arts de Montréal and the Canada Council for the Arts.

    Together, Elham and Amir embody the spirit of "MA" through their collaboration, creating a space where Persian tradition and contemporary expression converge, celebrating the power of unity and the beauty found in the spaces between. The project’s name is a perfect metaphor for their artistic bond, emphasizing the harmony between sound, silence, and the connection between their musical voices.

    The Highway 19 Concert Series is supported by the Province of BC through BC Arts Council and BC Live, and the Government of Canada’s Department of Canadian Heritage. 

    General admission tickets are $30 with a limited number available for $20 to be accessible for those with limited income. Youth tickets are only $5.

christine tassan et les imposteures

saturday, April 18, 2026 | 7:00pm

Willow Point Lions Hall (2165 S Island Hwy)

  • For more than 20 years, guitarist Christine Tassan has led this gypsy jazz and swing combo at the forefront of the Quebec wave of enthusiasm for this timeless and iconic music made famous by Django Reinhardt. Pioneers in a domain usually reserved for men, Christine Tassan et les Imposteures continue to reinvigorate the repertoire with new ideas and influences, and virtuosic flair.

    Tassan is an outstanding guitarist, classically trained, but dedicated since 1998 to the legacy of the music of Django Reinhardt, learning from masters like Angelo Debarre, Emmanuel Kassimo and Yorgui Loeffler. In addition to leading her own group, Tassan has contributed to numerous projects notably as a guest with The Lost Fingers, Paul Kunigis, Le Trio Martin Bellemare, and Canto Tango.

    Anything but imposters, the band is comprised of Martine Gaumond on violin, Francis Tétu on rhythm guitar, and Mathieu Gagné on bass, all accomplished and in-demand Montreal jazz musicians, who all also contribute with vocals and arrangements.

    They’ve released seven albums and performed in more than 600 festivals and venues in Quebec, Canada, Europe, United States and China, picking up accolades and awards along the way including a 2022 Juno nomination for Jazz Album of the Year.

    The Highway 19 Concert Series is supported by the Province of BC through BC Arts Council and BC Live, and the Government of Canada’s Department of Canadian Heritage.

    General admission tickets are $30 with a limited number available for $20 to be accessible for those with limited income. Youth tickets are only $5.