Chicks With Licks
Arts/Life
Posted By Hamish Maclean
Posted 1 month ago
By Hamish MacLean
Canmore Leader
Tragedy and trauma effects everyone, Lori Reid knows that. And both an upcoming night of music in Canmore and her forthcoming solo effort from the member of The Fates speaks to that.
Chicks With Licks is a special night of music with Reid, Heather Blush and Trina Nestibo that the three are putting on to recognize the work of the Bow Valley Victim Services Association (BVVSA). The night will be an open mic affair, hosted by the three women who will play as songwriters in the round.
And it's being welcomed by the BVVSA.
"If we can get more people coming to ask us for help, I think that would be absolutely wonderful," Peter Quinn, director of the BVVSA, said. He is pleased to have Reid do what she can to raise awareness of what BVVSA is and what the people who are part of it are trying to accomplish.
"We're willing and happy to help in any way we can," he said. And he's grateful that someone like Reid is helping to spread the message that BVVSA can be help to people out there, even people's friends.
Quinn said he's aware that when people are in need of help the vast majority turn to their friends and families.
"My hunch would be that most of the time those people feel overwhelmed by the situations they are being asked to help with," he said. "It's wonderful what they do.
"But also let those friends and family members know that they can turn to our program and say, 'I need some help with a friend who's going through an abusive relationship. What are the things that I can say to them that might be helpful?'"
Chicks With Licks, he said, might reach a demographic who are less aware of what BVVSA can do, adding that a personal endorsement rather than advertisement, he feels, can go a long way.
Reid has been an advocate in the past, but as a member of The Fates, she has found it difficult to find time in her schedule.
Her solo CD has taken five years to get to the point where it's nearing completion due to the time commitment and focus that Reid has had on The Fates for the past eight years. But now the three members of The Fates have decided to refresh after a little road-weariness and spend time with their families — and have some time for their own lives.
Reid has no desire to go on the road right now and one thing she is enjoying is her time to write.
Reid's solo CD, when released will be called The Temperance Hotel. She has done much of the pre-production at the Canmore Hotel with Neil Clarke and she said she'd like to have it finished by the fall.
"My idea for the CD is very simple, very straightforward," she said.
For Reid, The Temperance Hotel is that place where one tries to find the stability that has eluded them.
"It's a place where there's constant change: people are coming and going, there's a lot of chaos, there's a lot of extremes and you're trying to find that spot where there's a balance without going over the edge either way — and taking things in moderation," she said. "Staying on your path and staying focused through all the kinds of crap that you can find yourself in."
When Reid first got the idea, she didn't know that there already were places called Temperance Hotels at the turn of the century, they were places, she said, oriented more towards women where there wasn't any alcohol and it wasn't as rough or rowdy as other places to stay.
It's a place to figure out where you're at, she said.
"It's about having that confidence in yourself that you're not going to fall off the wagon, or the path — you can visibly see it," she said. "You know that there's stuff happening, you know that you're intentionally on this path and you know that you can stay there.
"It's really hard, I think for everyone to find that balance."
Reid's not claiming to have any answers, but said, "I think the answer is different for everybody, but I think a lot of the generalizations are the same."
Reid is though now, she said, much more balanced than she ever has been in the past.
"I've seen my life change for the better, but it was a lot of work," she said. "It was simple work, but it wasn't easy.
"And like I say, I'm still working on it — big time — I don't think any of us gets to that point where it's all good."
If you don't know who you are it's really difficult she said, and support, that comes without judgment, is of the utmost importance.
"If you find yourself in a spot where there's nowhere to go but up, that hand can mean so, so much," she said.
"I don't think you need to find yourself in a complete crisis situation before you ask for help, but that tends to be the pattern."
The open mic night hosted by Chicks With Licks is at Zona's Friday, July 23 starting at 9 p.m. Admission is free.
hamish@canmoreleader.com
