Niverville Drop-In Centre Event

The Niverville Drop-In Centre hosted a "Frozen Coffee House" on July 31 to celebrate and enjoy some of Niverville's local talent, which drew in a musically intrigued crowd who may not call the Drop In their usual "hang out". An approximate 150 people rotated through to catch a glimpse of the four musical acts that kept the doors open from 8 'til midnight. Acts included performances by bands "Guerrilla Warfare" with Mark Friesen and Josiah Speers, and "Moriah" with James and Will Neufeld, Justin Kroeker, and Nick Rempel, as well as a folk duet by Mandy and Jonathon Kroeker, and a cover song by Jason Braun.


This event was unique from past coffee houses, due to its artistic innovation to include two short Niverville inspired films between musical acts. The Drop In produced film highlighted events that it offers throughout the year, and the mock documentary on the "People of Niverville" fronted by Josiah Speers, Keenan Byggdin and Matt Falk were thoroughly enjoyed.


All who participated were well received by viewers who managed to applaud and cheer, despite the fact that the air was extremely thick and hot due to the mass volume of body heat and lack of air conditioning. This event was dubbed "Frozen" because Drop In volunteers were making cheap milkshakes and floats to cool off the crowd from the heat of summer. The Drop-In Centre casually hosts a variety of themed coffee houses throughout the year, which, in the past, has included a St. Patrick's Day coffee house, a "Pirate Day" themed evening, as well as Halloween and seasonal concerts. Stay tuned for the next event.




















Submitted by Nicole Schroeder.

It's about time!

Last Thursday evening I had the pleasure of taking in a local concert. It was absolutely wonderful to walk downtown and hear some live music. I was doubly pleased because a relatively under-used building in town was showcasing local talent.

The band, Rocka-by-Blue, is a collection of friends and family who play classic rock, blues and a hint of gospel. The venue was just big enough to house the mixed bag of fans who were rewarded for their attendance by a spirited, lively performance and a wonderful opening act, Colleen Gerbrand. Colleen is certainly no stranger to music having performed quite well at the 2006 Southeastern Manitoba Music Festival.

Personally, one of the band highlights was during a Janis Joplin song when one of the singers (Mel) suddenly put the microphone in front of the lead guitarist (Steve). The picture of him belting out the tune is still stuck in my head. The overall atmosphere was quite relaxed and inviting. During the break there was plenty of chatting amongst friends, fans and family: it had a marvelous feel.

I am looking forward to more opportunities when more of our home-grown talent can share their gifts with those around them in this kind of setting. It’s about time well spent.

If you would like to see Rocka-by-Blue, they will be performing at The Hamlet this weekend. Need directions?