Saturday night: Queue the music – Local Music Scene by Marina Restinetti – Cornwall Ontario – March 29, 2010

(Landmark rocking the stage at The Corner Pub. Randy Chesbro (L) Mike Summers, Allan McGimpsey (R))

Saturday night: Queue the music

Uptown

Classic rock and roll and flawless guitar solos filled the air at The Corner Pub, 17305 Cornwall Centre Road, on Saturday night as local veteran band Landmark took the stage. Landmark has been rocking the music scene here in Cornwall on and off for the last twenty years. Band members include Allan McGimpsey (lead vocals and guitar), Randy Chesbro (bass guitar), Mike Summers (drums) and Dale Williams, absent from this particular gig (keyboard).

McGimpsey, who also owns and operates Bicycle World at 150 Pitt Street, showed great enthusiasm on and off stage. When asked why he still does it, he simply replied,

“I love it. It gives me a chance to get together with my friends and entertain a crowd.”

The other band members shared the same views. Chesbro comically added, “It sure isn’t for the money.”

The band also encouraged crowd participation. Janet Chisolm of Cornwall who claimed that Landmark was her favourite band to see in town, later joined them on stage where she gave a brave vocal performance to John Cougar Mellencamp’s ‘Hurt so good’.

Going back twenty years when the band first got together, they would frequently perform at high school dances. 5 years later they were given a grand opportunity to open for Blue Rodeo here in Cornwall in which they accepted the offer.

“It was a great opportunity for us, especially because that is when Blue Rodeo were at the peak of their career,” said McGimpsey.

The band split after ten years and McGimpsey went on performing as a one man show known as Alley Cat. He continued for 8 years before the full band reunited.

Landmark will be performing at Phatty Kats, 18 Third Street East, in full band mode the last weekend of April. Be sure to check them out.

Downtown

Lola’s Pub and Grub, 616 Pitt Street, also rocked the casbah with a solo performance by local musician Joel Sauve. Sauve has become a frequent at Lola’s and tends to draw in a great crowd.

(Joel Sauve singing an acoustic version of Billy Jean by Michael Jackson at Lola’s.)

Taking over for a few songs was Camil Lapointe from the local band Gypsy, who also frequents Lola’s.

(Camil Lapointe came out to support fellow musician Joel Sauve at Lola’s and even played a few tunes for the crowd.)

Gypsy will be performing this upcoming Friday April 2, at Lola’s and rumour has it that their gig will include a cello performance by local artist and band member Christine Hickey. Surely a first and a definite must see.

Photos and story courtesy of Marina Restinetti.

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7 Comments

  1. Great job Marina, I’ll look forward to reading more of your columns. I may even get off my butt at night and go out to see some of the entertainment that you cover.

  2. I think that more coverage should have been made on bands like System’s Edge. On the same night, they were playing at Nights of Columbus for a CAUSE. To hear even more about fame-wh*re Al McGimpsey makes me sick to my stomache. I’m an avid biker, but he is the reason I don’t go into Bicycle World.

    I’m truly dissappointed in this article. There were much better opportunities for entertainment stories that were equally advertised. How can you say that a band has been together for 20 years when they’ve been split up for 8 so that a certain divo could explore his solo career? Sorry Marina. I’m not buying it.

  3. Author

    Now now Rachel. We cover what get’s submitted to do us as time allows. We welcome your opinion, but there are lots of amazingly talented people out there and we’re going to do our best to cover as many as possible. Feel free to submit gigs that you’re going to that you want covered.

    Jamie

  4. Although we are open to opinions here at Cornwall Free News, I don’t believe in insulting people.

    I do however respect your point about covering bands who are playing for a cause. Unfortunetely, I was not aware of System’s Edge gig seeing that I was handed down the title of “Music Girl” that same night. If you wish to contact me directly with upcoming gigs I encourage you to do so.

    BTW I’m not sure what you’re not buying into because I wasn’t trying to sell you anything.

  5. Thank you for coming by and doing a little story on us Mari. Even though there was other things going on in town which could have been covered , we apreciate your article and the time you spent interviewing the band .
    Allan

  6. Funny, Rachel, I thought this was about music, not bicycle world. Was Marina trying to sell you a bike?

  7. On another note, Rachel, you piqued my interest, so I brought 2 bikes to bicycle world. Had them both tuned up. Got them back the next morning. They charged me significantly less than competitors offered, considering I have some pretty high end bikes, and I have absolutely 0 problems with either of them. And it was of the utmost professional atmosphere and treatment while I was there. So thanks, you blasted a business and I went to check it out, now they get my business. Good job on advertising for them, otherwise I would have never known. 😉

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