IN THE ROCK HALL by Dave Bidini w/ Porkbelly Futures
November 22, 2010
www.movingstories.tv — Dave Bidini performs IN THE ROCK HALL with the Porkbelly Futures, a song he composed based on Paul Quarrington’s poem of the same name. This performance was just part of a high-energy event presented by Kingston Writers Festival called “PQ’s People Mix It Up”, a fitting tribute to Quarrington that included theatrical stagings of his plays and novels, readings from a roster of fellow authors, with musical headliners Porkbelly Futures.
Produced by BookShorts Literacy Program for MovingStories.TV with the collaboration of Kingston Writers Festival; Merilyn Simonds, Artistic Director. For more news and music inspired by the written word, visit MovingStories.TV
VIWF adds post-screening discussion for Quarrington night
October 17, 2010
Host: Judith Keenan with Guests Dave Bidini and Rob Sanders
Fri, Oct 22, 8:00pm
Emily Carr University Theatre
$19.00 (Buy Tickets Online)
Paul Quarrington, novelist, musician, screenwriter and non-fiction writer, passed away in January 2010. Even after being diagnosed with lung cancer, Quarrington embarked on concert tours with his band Porkbelly Futures, produced his own solo CD and the Porkbelly’s third release, completed his non-fiction memoir, Cigar Box Banjo: Notes on Music and Life, and was the subject of a feature-length documentary. Tonight you’ll have the chance to view the documentary, in which he comes to terms with his life and death through the power of music, and hear more about this remarkable man from both his publisher and one of his many friends.
Rob Sanders Video Telegram to Paul Quarrington from MovingStories.TV on Vimeo.
This event is presented in partnership with Emily Carr University of Art and Design and is sponsored by Douglas & McIntyre Publishing Group.
ALSO: PORKBELLY FUTURES in concert!
10:30pm, Friday, October 23, 2010
Performance Works
Granville Island
Tickets: $12 at the door starting at 10:15pm
Porkbelly Futures is a tough band to pin down. “Toronto’s Most Excited Band” began as a boisterous Chicago-style blues band, but singer/songwriters Paul Quarrington and Martin Worthy soon veered off into uncharted waters. Who Knows what this critically acclaimed five-piece band’s music is now, but on stage there will be a pedal steel guitar (that’s country), a Telecaster guitar (for blues rock), a mandolin (to pluck heartstrings), acoustic guitars (for folk enthusiasts), and a bunch of vocal mikes. And somewhere, Paul is smiling….
Tribute To A Life Of Hope
October 14, 2010
Writers and musicians gather at WordFest event to celebrate Paul Quarrington; Wordfest | 2010
By Heath McCoy, Calgary Herald October 13, 2010
In November of last year Paul Quarrington made his final appearance in Calgary — and it was a rough one.
The celebrated writer, who won the Governor General’s Award for fiction in 1989 — among so many achievements in his life — was in town with his roots rock outfit Porkbelly Futures for a gig at the Ironwood, and, the truth is, he probably shouldn’t have been there.
He probably should have been home in Toronto, resting in bed.
Days before, Quarrington, 56, had just completed his first round of chemotherapy administered to treat the terminal lung cancer he had been diagnosed with. Uncomfortable flights and performances with his rock band were surely the opposite of what the doctor ordered.
But Quarrington had a lust for life, and for his art, that would not be denied — even when he knew that death was so frighteningly near.
That’s why this Saturday, when authors, artists, musicians and fans gather at the Margaret Greenham Theatre in the Banff Centre to celebrate Quarrington, the event will be focused on his life and his work — not his January death.
…
“The guy was pushing himself hard,” says Judith Keenan, producer of the documentary Paul Quarrington: Life In Music, which ran on Bravo TV. “He was racing. He wanted to get certain things done and, goddamn it, he was going to do it. . . . He was really bloody minded, putting all of his efforts into his creative legacy. It was a really robust period of time.”
Even though Quarrington enjoyed his greatest success as a novelist, it’s fitting that he focused his efforts largely on his music before he died, says Keenan.
….
Kingston Gala Opening Night celebration of PQ; Free Screenings of Life in Music
September 15, 2010
PQ’s People Mix It Up! at Kingston International Writers Festival 2010
Wednesday, September 22
Venue: Grand Theatre, Regina Rosen Auditorium
Time: 7:30 – 10:30 pm
Tickets: $20.00 >> get info here >> http://www.kingstonwritersfest.ca/tickets.php
Paul Quarrington was a storyteller in every medium he could get his hands on—novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, songs. Opening night brings together PQ’s People, the writers, musicians, actors, and filmmakers who knew Paul and have their own stories to tell about the writing life that produced 10 novels, including Canada Reads winner King Leary, the award-winning book and screenplay Whale Music, the TV series Due South, musicals for children, 3 full-length plays, 3 CDs with the Porkbelly Futures, as well as a posthumous solo CD and the memoir Cigar Box Banjo. Join Nino Ricci, Dave Bidini, Kim Moritsugu, Stuart Ross, Steven Heighton, Dan Hill, Cordelia Strube, Jim Garrard’s theatrical presentation of The Invention of Poetry featuring actors Craig Walker and Brett Christopher, Judith Keenan, and the Porkbelly Futures for an evening of stories in all their glorious forms.
Writers at Woody Point appreciate PQ
September 2, 2010
In response to my note asking how the film screening of “Paul Quarrington Life in Music” fared with the audience and authors at this, one of Paul’s favourite festival on the East Coast, curated by his friends Stephen Brunt and his sister, Alison Gzowski and hosted by the lovely and talented Shelagh Rogers, who posted on my Facebook Wall .. for those of you not linked in …
“It was great, Judith. Or at least, I hear it was. I was stranded on Fogo Island!
But people were very moved by it and were grateful to have the opportunity to
honour Paul. Steve Brunt and I also had a Paul moment on stage–we put out
the fishing rod he used last year…I read a bit from the book about Des Walsh
and then we played the Friendly song–which got stuck in the middle and stopped!
Then picked up again. Quite a moment! hope your summer was/is great. xoxo”
Here’s the Western Star review of the event too >>
Canadian author and musician remembered at Woody Point Writers festival
Published on August 24th by Katherine Hudson
Stephen Brunt and Shelagh Rogers at Writers at Woody Point Festival
Stephen Brunt and Shelagh Rogers seen on Saturday August 21, 2010
Paul Quarrington Life in Music Bravo! Broadcast 18 Sep @ 7pm
August 24, 2010
Bravo! DOCS presents Paul Quarrington: Life in Music on Saturday Sept. 18 @ 7 pm ET – in case all the films at TIFF and AFF are all sold out, eat your popcorn in the comfort of your own home!
Paul Quarrington Life in Music DVD now available
August 12, 2010
We are thrilled and elated to report that Paul’s film is now available on DVD! And we’ve loaded the disc with a range of special features that ought to delight those who know the man, and titillate those who are just getting to know his work.
Special Features
- MUSIC VIDEOS including CLAIRE by The Rheostatics; HEY, HOLLYWOOD by Paul Quarrington; ARE YOU READY performed by Sharon Riley and Faith Chorale
- SHORT FILMS including the award-winning PAVANE directed by Paul Quarrington; plus ANGEL TAKES ALL and SEVENTH SEAL REDUX
- INTERVIEWS by MARGARET ATWOOD, PAUL GROSS, JOHN KRIZANC, ALISTAIR MACLEOD, NINO RICCI plus a conversation with Booker Prize winning author RODDY DOYLE
- PHOTO GALLERIES from behind the scenes MAKING LIFE IN MUSIC, intimate PORTRAITS OF AN ARTIST and an exclusive collection illustrating Quarrington’s last book, CIGAR BOX BANJO
The DVD can be ordered through Producer Judith Keenan using PayPal by Email.
Paul Quarrington Life in Music DVD w/ Special Features
$20 CAD plus HST includes shipping within Canada
ABOUT THE FILM >> Paul Quarrington Life in Music
Director Bert Kish has done a masterful job revealing the inner life and work of this renaissance artist – writer, teacher, musician, filmmaker – delivering both humourous and poignant insights into what it takes to live a creative life.
… funny, defiant and moving… – James Reaney, QMI Agency
… A fascinating look at an eclectic artist whose impending death led him to embrace both his life and his art. – TV Week
… the artist’s last year of life was his greatest work. - The Globe and Mail
… a fitting send-off tribute to a Canadian great – National Post
… one of our country’s leading artists – Calgary Herald
The DVD will be available at each of the screening events taking place this coming fall – subscribe to the RSS feed for this site for updates!
Film Screenings for PQ Life in Music
July 2, 2010
We’re pleased to announce the first screenings in the Moving Stories Film tour of Paul Quarrington: Life in Music. Each Festival and venue is combining the film event with wonderful live additions, from musical performances to readings and theatrical presentations. For details on each, visit each festival’s website – we’ve provided the links below.
Leacock Summer Festival, Orillia – Sun. July 25
Haliburton Forest Festival - Sat. Aug. 21
Thin Air: Winnipeg Writers Festival – Sat. Sep 25
WordFest: Banff-Calgary Intl Writers Festival – Sat. Oct 16 & Sun. Oct 17
Vancouver International Writers Festival – Fri. Oct 22
Paul Quarrington The Songs (CD) and Cigar Box Banjo (book) will also be available at each venue. More screenings across the country to be announced soon!
Paul Quarrington Life in Music Now On Facebook
May 20, 2010
All PQ all the time! We’ve now got enough fans to have our very own Facebook Page URL >>
Paul Quarrington Life in Music
Promote Your Page Too
Stop by anytime – ask questions, read interviews and reviews, post feedback – tawk to us ya!
Yours in geekdom-groupie-ness 
Judith
Cigar Box Banjo – Quarrington’s Memoir from Greystone Books in stores
May 16, 2010
Paul Quarrington had a favourite story told to him when he was a kid: a boy fashions a banjo from a cigar box, sets off for a contest in the next town, and wins with a song that weaves in the sounds he hears along the way. As a grown-up writer and musician, Quarrington still loved the tale. And after he learned he had stage IV lung cancer, the story took on a whole new meaning for him.
Eclectic, hilarious, and endearingly frank, Cigar Box Banjo tracks a life lived in music and words. Quarrington ruminates on the bands of his childhood; his restless youth, playing bass with the cult band Joe Hall and the Continental Drift; and his incarnation, in middle age, as rhythm guitarist and singer with the band Porkbelly Futures. Ranging through rock’n’roll, the blues, folk, country, and soul, he explores how songs are made and why they affect us so profoundly.
Songwriting gave him a way to take in his own experience, Quarrington tells us—road trips, bad whisky, true love, love gone wrong—and music becomes his mainstay after the Dread Diagnosis. Some people with a terminal illness find mountains to climb; Quarrington decides to go out singing. On stage, at sea, and in studios from Newfoundland to Nashville, he celebrates his last year on the planet.
Enhanced CD includes three new Quarrington solo music tracks and first release of “Hey, Hollywood” music video as well as the official trailer for the documentary feature “Paul Quarrington: Life in Music.”
Read an excerpt and find out more on Greystone Books website
