Song. Dance. Eye candy.
And toe-tapping Old-World music from around the globe. What more could you ask from your perfect party band?
Want to pump energy into your most routine events?
Catapult your community gatherings into instant public attention?
Smash the ice at every function and get your guests up and dancing? Swell the ranks at your parades and festivals? Make your name as the supreme host in town? Turn your wedding, birthday, or any other party into a true occasion to remember?
Enter Toot-a-Lute. We’re just your ordinary crazy costumed musicians, toting the weirdest collection of instruments you never saw together before. You get about seven bands for the price of one, because none of us does only one thing. The costumes alone should keep people staring for an hour or three.
Men in lace and frock coats, women in all-out Renaissance and Regency dresses, all singing, dancing, and playing like there’s no tomorrow. We come bearing a slinky black saxophone, a button accordion, a fiddle, two clarinets, a mini tuba, a mandolin, tin whistles, and a bewildering variety of drums and percussion instruments.
Two matched dance leaders will lead you through easy-to-learn dances from another time and another world. Singers of every flavour, including fugitives from some pretty famous choirs and operas, will turn your event from satisfactory to smashing.
You can’t categorize the music we play. Old-world music from every corner of the globe, folk dance tunes that gets toes tapping and people hopping, romantic waltzes, cheery polkas, Irish country songs, simple yet graceful medieval court dances you can learn to do in two minutes, hauntingly lovely original melodies and a few oddball piece for unique occasions – we have something for everyone!
Amplification? We don’t need no reekin’ amplification! We can play outside with no electric power, under tents in the rain, in little coffee houses, big festivals, marching in parades, and standing on our heads (but that’s extra).
You’ll never be forgotten when you have Toot-a-Lute. To book us, e-mail Oliver at info@tootalute.org, or call 604-253-1524.
Art Gallery Busking Gig
2008-08-05 13:00
2008-08-05 13:55
Etc/GMT+7
Vancouver Art Gallery
As part of the Downtown Street Beats Summer Buskers Series, we played on the corner of Robson and Hornby for an hour on a busy afternoon, despite some confusion about where all of our instruments and gear were ("I thought you had it?"... "No, Russell has it"... "Oops, hope we didn't leave it at the last gig...", etc). The CDs never did turn up, which is too bad, because we could have sold thousands! We were fortunate to have a visiting Israeli family stumble on us, who knew some of our eastern dances better than us!
Renegade Illuminares Lantern Festival
2008-07-26 19:00
2008-08-11 21:30
Etc/GMT+7
Due to massive funding shortfalls, Public Dreams couldn't produce this staple East Van event. (Might be something to do with the pathetic donation levels they receive at these fantastic events?)
Anyway, several hundred people in the community decided to damn the torpedoes (ie unconfirmed threats from officials that it would be shut down) and went anyway. And everyone had a great time, and nothing bad happened, and no officials intervened despite the fact that surely some papers that needed to be filled out hadn't... (Thank City of Vancouver Parks, and the police, for trusting us to not burn the park down or launch into an armed riot!)
Masquerade Ball
2008-07-05 20:00
Etc/GMT+7
Someone in the band said it was their favourite gig, ever. Probably because the Mad Accordionist wasn't there, gallivanting off in some obscure East European country again...
» calendar
Commercial Drive Festival
2008-06-15 10:30
2008-06-15 18:00
Etc/GMT+7
The Drive, of course!
We played our hearts out on the temporarily carless Commercial Drive once again, and much fun was had by all!
» calendar
Jericho Folk Club
2008-05-27 21:00
2008-08-11 23:00
Etc/GMT+7
Jericho Beach Sailing Centre
We returned to the tiny but wonderful secret performance space above the sailing centre at Jericho beach. We focused on more vocal and folky stuff, and all acoustic too! And we managed to squeeze in one dance, space or no space!
» calendar
BurnBC Spring Fling
2008-04-18 20:00
2008-04-18 23:59
Etc/GMT+7
It was fun! We played music! Can't remember much about it though... I think there were people in costumes...
» calendar
Canada Place busking gig
2008-08-15 13:00
2008-08-15 14:00
Etc/GMT+7
West side of Canada Place, out front...
As part of the Downtown Street Beats Summer Buskers Series, we'll be doing a set of our usual dance tunes and oddball songs. No naughty stuff allowed, though, so it would be a good gig to bring your granny to!
» calendar
St. Patrick's Day Parade, Pub Session, Street Dance
2008-03-16 11:00
Etc/GMT+7
Downtown Vancouver
See http://www.celticfestvancouver.com/parade.php for map
Once again, we took to the streets for the ever-growing annual St Paddy's parade. Of course since Vancouver is such a multi-ethnic city, the parade reflects that, so we only played "Tell Me Ma" 37 times. Our parade was led by Kris, Lisa, Barbara, and someone who's name I've forgotten, and Jaque the Gator. We were joined by stalwart Bryan Siver on snare to help us compete with the pipe bands.
Cabaret Politique
2008-03-07 09:30
2008-03-07 10:15
Etc/GMT+7
Cambrian Hall
215 East 17th
(1 block East of Main)
Vancouver
Yet another creative and enjoyable event by one of our favourite employers, the Workless Party. (www.worklessparty.org)
To quote their site: "...an event unlike any other event in the history of Vancouver politics. The Work Less Party, Civic Greens and COPE (organized) a cabaret for you."
We did a short stage set to get the evening warmed up and people dancing. Many great costumes, familiar faces, and talent, and a good time was had by all!