Red Moon Road to Bring the Sounds of Christmas to the Manitou Opera House

Submitted by Al Thorleifson

On Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 7:00 pm, Manitoba favourites Red Moon Road will return to the stage of the Manitou Opera House for their celebration of the Christmas Season, entitled “A Simple Kind of Christmas”.

After glowing concert reviews last year, the Manitou Opera House Foundation noted that it was an easy decision to invite the group to returnwith their evening of musical virtuosity and tradition. The band’s settings of traditional favourites are complemented by Christmas-themed original compositions by these Polaris Prize longlisted songwriters. The band once again promises a memorable evening filled with music, memories of childhood and reflections on the season. As band members attest, “the holiday show has all the beloved earmarks of a classic Red Moon Road concert - three-part harmonies from some of Manitoba's finest musicians, lovingly arranged musical offerings woven masterfully together with stories, and sprinkled with family-friendly repartée.”

With over 20 instruments -- favourites such as the banjo, mandolin, and lap steel, plus the festive additions of orchestral bells and jingle bells -- the band aims to capture the rich, full sounds of the season. The show will feature three-part harmonies from the well-loved trio, with a unique mix of carols sung in French, German, and English.

The group’s bio describes them as follows: “Born in a storm on a wild Canadian lake, Red Moon Road has come into their own on trails between coasts and journeys overseas. From living rooms to folk fest stages, the trio has performed more than 1000 shows since 2012. Evolving from acoustic folk roots, their sound currently integrates Sheena’s powerful vocals with lush pop harmonies and nuanced arrangements that combine percussion, banjo, slide guitar, and synths.”

The core members of Red Moon Road include Sheena Rattai on vocals, percussion and keys, Daniel Jordan on vocals, guitar and mandolin, and Daniel Péloquin-Hopfner on vocals, mandolin, banjo, lap steel, keyboards and synths. They will be joined on stage by three other accomplished Manitoba musicians: Daniel Roy on drums, Keiran Placatka on piano and keyboards, and Logan Picton on guitar and mandolin. Together the ensemble has established a reputation for impeccable musicianship.

At the concert, Red Moon Road will also have available recordings of their chart-topping Sorrows and Glories, their Christmas album A Simple Kind of Christmas, and their single, Say It Again, which Jordan describes as “an anthem poised to call out the soulless rhetoric of gas-lighters in positions of power”.

The Manitou Opera House Foundation noted the support of local sponsors Boundary Trail Railway Company, Ellis Pharmacy, IG Wealth Management, Manitou Auto Body,
and Sam’s Foods.

Concert tickets are $25, and the hosting Manitou Opera House Foundation is quick to suggest that “tickets to the concert would make a wonderfulChristmas gift for friends, relatives, or for yourself!” Tickets are available by calling or texting (204) 242-4414 or by emailing events@manitouoperahouse.com.