Elly Paris & The Band that Got Away played a concert at the Community Gathering Place in Humboldt on Mar. 30.
There were roughly 50 people who came out to enjoy the show, which was a big relief for Brian Grest who hosted the event said ticket sales doubled in the final 24 hours before the concert.
Despite the relatively small crowd Paris says she does not mind playing in front of smaller crowds.
鈥淚 would rather play for 20 people who really want to be there and listen than for 200 people who don鈥檛 really care.鈥�
The preparation that goes into the different size shows also does not change for Paris, she says.
鈥淚 prepare and rehearse the same way if I was playing for 5 people as if I was playing for 500.鈥�
Grest brought Elly Paris to Humboldt because he received some great feedback after she sang some songs during his mother鈥檚 funeral last August.
鈥�(We) had a number of people say after the funeral how beautiful the music was at the funeral and I thought to myself well if people thought the music was beautiful at the funeral maybe we should put on a show with the same type of music except more than three songs.鈥�
Paris has a special connection to Humboldt since most of her family is from Humboldt including Grest, who is her uncle. She says she always really enjoys visiting Humboldt and when Grest asked her to come play the show she was more than happy to agree.
Paris toured for a number of years until the last couple of years when she had children and decided to slow down. Part of her tour schedule included playing shows on cruise ships. She recalled during her show that at one time she played roughly 234 days in a row.
Recently with her children the shows have been fewer and further between but Paris says she has no difficulties getting used to being back on stage.
鈥淗aving performed as many nights as I have that experience never goes away so there is that bit of like riding a bicycle that even if it鈥檚 been a long time between performances it comes back to you.鈥�
The show featured two 40 minute sets with Paris and her husband Eric, who was the other part of the two piece Band that Got Away that night, playing a number of covers written or performed by singers that Paris admires or songs that features lyrics that Paris really enjoys.
She said they tried to split up the two sets so that in the first set they picked music where Eric could play piano and in the second set he could play guitar, so he does not have to switch between the two.
In addition, they also tried to have a common theme for each set throughout the night.
鈥淚 wanted to chose some of my favourite singers of all time鈥e took out some songs that we thought were negative. We said let鈥檚 keep it about love and happiness and peace. Sort of like what the Beatles were always saying.鈥�
Paris said she really enjoyed herself throughout the night, saying the crowd was great.
Grest agreed with Paris saying it was a good night and hopes that the future events he hopes to host will be just as good.
鈥淚 enjoy bringing events like this to Humboldt and I really hope people keep showing up and keep giving me the motivation to keep putting shows like this on in Humboldt.鈥�
