“When the band invited them to come up and dance, that was like giving the kids the green light,” said Prince Rupert CPF chapter representative Calvin Thompson, marveling at the energy exhibited by the young audience members throughout the concert.

“They were right into it...Their dancing was like twice the entertainment for the rest of us,” said one of the adults in the crowd.

Categorized as traditional Quebec folk music, the concert included infectious toe-tapping beats, a variety of musical instruments, plenty of mouth music, some step-dancing and, of course, plenty of French.

Sponsored by Canadian Parents for French as part of their “Bilingualism Rocks” tour, the concert was geared, in part, towards promoting French language and immersion education.

LPQ founding member and main vocalist Stephane Poirier said that getting involved with the CPF tour was a natural choice for the group.

“It’s a great exchange and it’s not just about the language,” said Poirier.

“There’s a culture that goes along with it and that’s actually one of the main reasons I was drawn to traditional music in the first place, just the thought of sharing that culture with others.”

Poirier says that its disheartening to hear many young people in his home province say that they don’t like traditional music, when he believes, they don’t even really know what they are talking about because they’d never truly been exposed to it.

“It’s about connecting with our heritage,” he said.

But the concert also had other benefits. Attendees at the free event were asked to bring non-perishable food items for the local food bank and the band donated a portion of revenues from CD sales to the Salvation Army, to the tune of $80.

Original Article