Homegrown talent shines through performers at Newman Coffeehouse

A mood for partying and piracy was in the air at a recent Newman Coffeehouse.

It was brought on by a special appearance by Stéphane Gerard – “the Ukulele Guy” – who has become famous around campus for his daily singing sessions near the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre.

Now a doctoral student, Gerard is a former member of the Newman Centre, and was recently featured In The Sheaf, the USask student newspaper.

He brought his musical talents back to St. Thomas More College on Friday, Feb. 6, regaling the coffeehouse crowd with three songs, including The Last Saskatchewan Pirate -- the Captain Tractor ditty that is a traditional sing-along at Saskatchewan Roughriders games.

Gerard’s infectious singing had the crowd plotting to ‘steal the wheat and barley and all the other grains!’

The evening featured nine other talented performers, hot drinks, delicious baking and, as always, a rousing good time.

There was an appropriate Canuck theme to the evening. As Canadian athletes were competing in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy, many of the homegrown performers included Canadian songwriters in their sets.

Mary Kirkpatrick sang When All the Stars Align, by Lindi Ortega, Richard Medernach offered Harvest Moon, by  Neil Young, and Safe and Sound, by Hawksley Workman, and Michael MacLean capped the evening off by shredding Big Sugar’s Ride Like Hell on electric guitar.

Gold medals all the way around!

The next Newman Coffeehouse is slated for Friday, March 13 in the STM cafeteria.