A massive concert celebrating Manitoba’s 150th birthday has been moved from the province’s legislative grounds to two shows at Shaw Park, home of the Winnipeg Goldeyes.
Organizers say Unite 150 is a way to recognize the province’s deep history of musical talent in a family-friendly environment.
The lineup for which was released Wednesday. The two Aug. 28 concerts — one in the afternoon, one in the evening — feature the previously announced headliners Bachman Cummings, as well as such Manitoba notables as Chantal Kreviazuk, Fred Penner, Tom Cochrane, William Prince, Tom Jackson, and many more.
“Manitoba 150 is all about shining a light on everything that makes Manitoba a wonderful place to live and work … its natural beauty, its people, and its diverse arts and culture scene,” co-chair Monique LaCoste told Global News.
“What better than a huge concert to pay tribute to the fantastic artistic talent that has really made Manitoba the home of rock n’ roll and just an amazing place to make music and to be a listener and lover of music.
“Unite 150 is going to give us one of our first opportunities to gather together, and we’re so anxious for people to come to the home of the Goldeyes to be able to celebrate Manitoba and its great musical history.”
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The celebration of the province was originally intended to take place in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic put a wrench in those plans, and required all of the Manitoba 150 events to be bumped up a year.
The pandemic also affected the plans for the concert, originally intended to be a single show running from noon until 11 p.m.
“With COVID, we’ve had to change the plan so we have an afternoon lineup and an evening lineup … and we’ve got to say, there’s so much talent you don’t even think there’s an A show and a B show, they’re both spectacular,” LaCoste said.
“Originally, we thought we were going to gather tens of thousands of people in front of the Manitoba legislative building. We wanted the Golden Boy in the background. Now we’re going to be at the home of the Goldeyes instead. We want to make sure every one of those seats is full.”
Tickets for the big gigs, which are limited to fully vaccinated Manitobans, go on sale Aug. 10, and are $4.99 each, with all proceeds going to the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres.
For those who can’t attend in person, both shows will also be livestreamed.
The afternoon lineup, beginning at noon, features Indian City, Andrina Turenne, Fred Penner, Red Moon Road, Rainbow Stage’s MA-BUHAY!, Jocelyn Gould, William Prince, Tal Bachman, and closes with a performance by Chantal Kreviazuk with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
The evening lineup at 6:30 features Kelly Bado, Tom Jackson, Doc Walker with Sierra Noble, Begonia, Sebastian Gaskin, the Winnipeg Youth Chorus, Tom Cochrane, the Lytics, and headliners Bachman Cummings at 10:35 p.m.