Hawksley Workman is touring the country promoting his new album, collecting socks for local shelters along the way.
He has been on the road since October and the Winterbird Tour, in support of the album Old Cheetah, is coming to Avening Hall for a sold-out show on Nov. 21.
This, his 15th record, is both poppy and theatrical.
Workman is true to form delivering on his own brand of humour with song titles like Small Town Dracula and Teenage Cats.
Workman said he has fond memories of playing Avening Hall in 2012.
“It felt like a real community hub, I remember that show feeling very, very warm and there was a lot of people there,” he said. “This is starting to happen in small towns throughout Canada, that somebody energetic decides they are going to bring music to a small place and then the community gets hip to it and it becomes part of the fabric of the place. It’s really exciting to see this happen. Avening Halls are starting to pop up all over Canada.”
While spreading the joy of music, Workman’s team has added a charitable component to the tour with the warm toes, warm hearts sock drive.
Before arriving in the communities along the tour route, Workman’s team seeks out shelters and charities that could benefit from a donation of new socks. Avening’s bounty will go to My Friend’s House, a shelter for abused women and children located in Collingwood.
“It’s pretty interesting, being a musician, I get asked to be a part of charitable activities all the time and you do sometimes have to say no to some. We wanted to pair up with something for this tour,” he said. “This was getting towards the end of the election and we had all been suffering through so much hate and vitriol and it was just such a terrible time.”
He said someone on his team suggested socks, because they are a necessary item but one that is overlooked by donors.
“It’s a gentle way, a human way of trying to help… it just seemed to be an antidote at the time to all the nastiness that we were having to suffer through in those last few weeks, which I think kind of informed the feeling which was, man this just feels like such a tangible kind authentic way of connecting humans to humans.”
During the tour, hundreds of pairs of socks and monetary donations to purchase socks have been collected.
“I must admit that even I was a little bit overwhelmed, or taken, by the fact that people did take it to heart and did want to be a part of it in a real way,” said Workman. “It’s sad that we even need these places but interesting, in every city that we engaged with, there was a very willing, very passionate, very committed group of folks who are running these places. It’s sad on one hand and a nice buoyant feeling on the other because there are these people whose lives are focused on helping. To put on a rock and roll show and leave socks behind – we know we’re not saving the world but like I said it did feel like a gentle tangible way to create that connection.”
Kevin Breit is opening for Hawksley Workman. Doors open at 7 p.m. The show starts at 8 p.m. Food will be available to purchase and the bar will be open. Cash only.
Donations of new, warm socks for women and children can be dropped off at the merch table. If you can’t make it to the concert, drop them off at The Echo office and we will deliver them.
Sign up for the mailing list at aveninghall.com to hear about upcoming shows.