The lakecity’s popular dance band Cariboo Gold will be in concert at the Gibraltar Room Jan. 21. Colin Easthope and the Gladgnome Band will be opening the concert for Cariboo Gold at 7:30 p.m.
Cariboo Gold is a classic 15-piece big band that plays swing music of the 40s, 50s and up to the present, along with Latin, waltz, jazz, rock and country music.
Colin Easthope and the Gladgnome Band play a diverse fusion of blues, jazz and rock. This young band includes Cameron Catalano, Brandon Hoffman, and Colin and Kevin Easthope, who all grew up in Williams Lake.
The Cariboo Gold Dance Band came together 28 years ago as an offspring of the Williams Lake Community Band.
Musicians who had enjoyed playing together in the community band and had come together in small groups to accompany local musical theatre productions decided they also wanted to get together to play jazz and big-band swing music.
The band formally came together in 1980 and over the years has won competitions and played engagements throughout B.C. and the northwestern U.S., earning acclaim as “the most danceable band.”
Many of the original players are still in the group today including Ingolf Sandberg, George Cornett, Murray Hoffman, George White, Mike Barbour, Ross McCoubrey, John Cristoffersen, Bill Crook, John Sykes and Rocco Catalano, who is the current conductor.
Over the years the band has had a few other conductors including Geoff Dolman, who was the first official conductor, Tim Bolling, Bryce Woolcombe and Mike Butterfield, who also held the baton for several different terms.
The Cariboo Gold Dance Band has performed in Prince George, Kamloops, Kelowna, Williams Lake, Quesnel, 100 Mile House, and Barkerville.
Early on the group even took a trip to North Lake Tahoe, Nevada, to perform in a casino ballroom.
Another highlight for the group was playing at Expo 1986 during Cariboo Week.
For many years in a row Cariboo Gold provided the dance music at the posh Winter-lights Ball in Prince George. They also performed at University of Northern B.C. fundraisers next to David Suzuki.
A very enjoyable experience for the group was playing at the Big Band Bash in Kamloops. Up to seven Big Bands from Alberta and BC would play from late in the afternoon into the early morning, back to back, and then together.
Later on this road trip became legendary as band members from Williams Lake, Kamloops and Trail got well acquainted with each other.
On Friday, Jan. 21 Cariboo Gold will appear in concert in the Gibraltar Room. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. with a performance by the Gladgnome Band.
The concert is sponsored by the Community Arts Council of Williams Lake. Tickets are available at the Cariboo Memorial Complex and the Open Book.