Nexus on tour

“Sioux Lookout, Fort Francis, Thunder Bay; the names sound remote and to contemplate a November tour of these northern Ontario towns can be unsettling, at least for a Torontonian. 

Cold weather, snow, long drives, and questionable acoustics are part of the lore of northern Ontario tours, but the reality was delightfully different.

The snows were just beginning; the lake and forest scenery shortened the drives; the motels were resort quality; the restaurant food varied and good and the enthusiastic audiences reduced acoustical shortcomings to irrelevancies. 

And of course, as our memories of past tours should have reminded us, these venues provide the best audiences in the world. 

Our tour did have some minor glitches. It was dark and snowing hard as we approached Sioux Lookout and a missed turn sent us into town on the wrong road. After checking into our hotel we were told the Trans Canada Highway had been closed behind us.

One of our workshops was canceled because the high school gymnasium became unavailable to us when the basketball team won their game and advanced to the next round (evidently they were expected to lose.)  

This tour was very successful for the audiences and while truncated, the workshops were no less successful.  This was our first visit to Sioux Lookout, Fort Frances, and Thunder Bay. Nexus learned much about this part of Ontario, its wonderful audiences and presenters. We would gladly return.” 

Robin Engelman is a musician with Nexus. In addition to Touring funding,  Nexus receives support from the music office.

Photo: From left, Bob Becker and Robin Engelman, members of Nexus at a concert held in Sioux Lookout. (Photo: Matt Driscoll)