A dram of creative Celtic music will be pouring over the Brackendale Art Gallery on Saturday (June 14) when The Wheat and the Barley take the stage. With fiddles, mandolins and flutes in hand, the group will be leaving two members at home and showing up as a quartet. The Wheat in the Barley specializes in jigs but doesn't limit itself to one genre.As lead vocalist Steve Gidora explained, the group considers itself to be a Canadian roots band since it incorporates sounds of the many cultures woven into Canadian heritage."The Canadian roots of course would include Celtic, East Coast, French Canadian and others," he said, adding Ukrainian into the mix.The combination of styles along with a healthy dose of improvisation ensures each show is packed with variety. "People are often surprised by what we have, what our approach is. We even surprise ourselves," he laughed. "One tune might sound like Great Big Sea another one might sound like a swing tune."The group has been together for 13 years and is currently working on its fourth album. While they write their own material, The Wheat and the Barley also performs some timeworn Celtic jigs. If the venue is right, Gidora said, audiences leap to their feet for a dance. He admitted that as a newcomer to the gallery, it is hard to predict if people will leave their seats to cut the rug. He may not know the gallery, but Gidora is no newcomer to Squamish. During the '80s, he played covers in local bars such at the Chieftain and the Cliffside Neighbourhood Pub. Even then, Gidora's Celtic flair would peek through his shows. "I would break out in a 20-minute set of mandolin tunes," he recalled. "They're kind of showstoppers."Those interested in delving into more Canadian roots can also catch them this July when they open for The Chieftains at Surrey's Fusion Festival.The Wheat and the Barley performs at 8 p.m. at the Brackendale At Gallery Saturday (June 14). Tickets are $15 and are available at the Gallery and Mostly Books.
