Joel Plaskett performs as part of Moncton Cares at Casino New Brunswick on Saturday night
On June 4, Metro Moncton was shocked by the murder of RCMP constables Fabrice Gevaudan, Dave Ross and Doug Larche, each of whom gave their lives while helping to keep the citizens of Moncton safe.
This Saturday night, at Moncton’s Casino New Brunswick, some of the province’s most talented songwriters, singers and instrumentalists will come together to share songs and stories in a musical tribute to the fallen RCMP officers and their families. All proceeds from the show will be donated to the Moncton Fallen RCMP Members Fund.
Those performing at the event include Hubert Francis, internationally acclaimed fiddler Dominique Dupuis, folk-pop artist Andy Brown, Saint John’s Mike Biggar, Jared Lutes, eclectic world music duo Lovestorm, Mel & Tina, Jake Stewart, pop songwriter Shaun LeBlanc, Ivan Daigle and Kendra Gale. Nova Scotian indie-pop artist Joel Plaskett will also be performing.
Show organizer Jared Lutes says that the idea behind the show stemmed from a simple desire to bring the community together while also expressing gratitude to the members of RCMP and their families. He initially floated the idea of a benefit show on social media and before he knew it, was organizing that very event.
“As was the case with many other Monctonians, my family lived in the area that was known as the ‘lockdown zone,’ ” Lutes says. “The weekend immediately following the events of June 4, I posted that someone should consider organizing a benefit show for the fallen (RCMP) members and their families.”
Lutes says that his friend Terry Hume was thinking the very same thing and reached out to him about making such a show a reality. Together, they made it happen, and despite only having a few weeks to pull everything together, the various and necessary pieces of the puzzle fell into place rather quickly.
“We first reached out to Casino New Brunswick to see whether the pub or the events centre would be available for such an event. They immediately confirmed that the Events Centre was free and that they would provide the room and event staff as their contribution to the cause.”
In the week following, other local businesses stepped up to do their part. As the logistical side of the event came together, between 50 and 60 different music acts contacted Jared and expressed interest in being involved. And while Jared admits that he would have loved nothing more than to be able to accommodate everyone, the 12 acts featured in Saturday’s show represent the province’s cultural diversity.
“That was one of the most important aspects about putting together this show,” he says. “We wanted to have musical voices representing each of the province’s communities and I think we have done that with this lineup. “
Given the close-knit nature of the Atlantic provinces, when the opportunity to take part in Saturday’s show was presented to Nova Scotia’s Joel Plaskett, he didn’t hesitate.
“It was such a shattering event to everyone,” Plaskett says. “And while we’ve seen things like this the play out in different parts of the world, here it was happening in a town that, for all intents and purposes, was just down the road from me. It put Moncton on my mind in a big way.”
Plaskett says that he is hopeful that the concert can be seen as a celebration of community spirit.
“I am so incredibly honoured to be asked to take part in the concert. I am looking forward to being able to share some positive love songs with the people of Moncton.”
What: Moncton Cares: A Musical Tribute To The RCMP and Their Families
When: Saturday, June 28, 7 p.m.
Where: Casino New Brunswick, 21 Casino Dr., Moncton
Tickets begin at $20 however can also be obtained for $30, $40 and $50