To book this or any other retreat email thomas@theguitarsocial.com
Celine Dion, Neil Young, Bare Naked Ladies, Avril Lavigne, Joni Mitchell, early nougthties two hit wonders LEN, some upstart called Neil Young, proper bands like Blink 182, Celine Dion, LEN… all heroes, all Canadian.
So guess where we’re going? Canada!! Or, as Joni Mitchell sang it, ohhhhhh Caaaaanadaaaaaaaaa
Dates: 1st of June to 8th of June
Accommodation: A borderline mansion. Rooms are split between shared, single with some low cost sofa bed options too.
Price: £1195 for a double bed of your own in your own room and £995 for a double bed in a twin room. £850 for a spot on a sofa in one of the shared spaces such as the living room or kitchen.
Price does not include: Flights, food eaten outside of the accommodation or any gig tickets.
Price does include: Your ride to and from the airport providing you are on the suggested flight, all breakfasts, workshops, accommodation and a place in the coolest gang in town
Recommended flight: Outbound AC853, departing Heathrow at 8.30am. Inbound AC854, leaving Toronto at 18.25 I’m on both these flights.
Itinerary
Day 1. We arrive, settle in to our gorgeous home and for those that are awake enough, head out to listen to some live music. Others may wish to get some rest.
Day 2. Workshop: The music of Avril Lavigne followed by a trip to the very hip Kensington Market. Later, we’re heading to the Piston Bar for food and music.
Day 3. Workshop: how Neil Young changed music forever, and three of his best songs. In the evening, live music from Khruangbin where I imagine he will sing his big hit about Texas. We’ll be watching him at the iconic History venue. In Canada. Ohhhhhhh, Caaaaaanadaaaaaa…..
Day 4. Workshop: Joni Mitchell and how she tuned her Guitar, an extended workshop. Later, Thomas hazards a go at doing a walking musical history tour of a town he’s never been to followed by live music downtown.
Day 5. Workshop: Everything I do, I do it for you; a workshop to figure out if Bryan Adams is shit or not followed by an over view of Leonard Cohens best work. Later, live music at the historic Massy hall, known throughout the world for its acoustics. Stick your head out of the window now, you’ll probably be able to hear it reverberating.
Day 6: Workshop: Anglo/French/Canadian Folk Music. And Celine Dion. Later, its a house party, with food, music, jams and because The Guitar Social recently bought a mini projector which I haven’t used yet and I want to write off as a tax expense, we’re watching Carts of Darkness, a documentary film about some homeless bottle pickers from Toronto that developed the sport of supermarket trolley racing. After, we’ll play music into the night. And maybe race some supermarket trolleys of our own. Day 7. Workshop: A retrospective of all the songs we have played in the week then we hit the bars and find as much live music as we can ingest because tomorrow we’re flying home, and there’s no point in not being hungover in an airport.
