Mondays may be something to look forward to with the return of Music on the Wharf in Maple Ridge.
Acoustic, folk, blues and rock will be the sounds heard at Port Haney Wharf on select Monday evenings throughout the summer.
Situated near the Fraser River, Music on the Wharf is a family-friendly concert series that showcases local bands for free or by donation, and is hosted by the Maple Ridge Historical Society.
The event has been around since 1997 and happens twice in July and twice in August.
Last Monday, the Olson Bros Band kicked off the series with their country-rock concert. The band members travelled from Olympia, Wash. to play the show for their first Canadian audience.
Isaac and Luke Olson are the two brothers who sing and write for The Olson Bros.
Isaac said the band’s progression in the music industry has been huge.
“I love the process of how we started, playing in small bars five years ago when no one came, and now people come out just to see us.”
Luke said he and Isaac were close growing up and began their music journey together.
“Me and my brother started playing guitar together right after high school in the summer, just having fun and jamming out. We did everything together growing up — playing sports, singing in choir.”
After high school, the two went to different colleges, but continued playing guitar and writing songs together in the summer.
“We learned country songs because we liked the stories that they told and the meanings behind the songs,” added Luke.
The brothers broke into the country music scene with their band members in 2013, when they won the Lake Fair Battle of the Bands.
On Monday, July 30th, Knudson and Connaughton will play an acoustic folk show starting at 7:30 p.m.
The band consists of two members, Caden Knudson and Aaron Connaughton. The due plays fingerstyle guitar accompanied by double bass, and their songs include themes about life and loneliness in the Fraser Valley.
Flint and Feather will take the stage to perform folk-root rhythms on Monday, August 13th at 7:30 p.m. Husband and wife duo, Joal and Lauren Kamps sing songs that are inspired by Canadian history and the rocky mountains.
The Argyle Embargo will close the series with their performance of indie folk-rock on Monday, August 27th at 7:00 p.m. The five-person band performs a style dubbed ‘Queer Coast,’ which they describe as a blend of East Coast folk with West Coast ideals.
Music on the Wharf has no seating, so bring a lawn chair and arrive early. Parking is limited and refreshments are available.
In the event of rain, the concert will be cancelled.
For more information, call 604-463-5311.