Friday, February 9 | Gallery on Queen | Fredericton
Mark LeBlanc
Before making tracks westward for a stint at the Banff Arts Centre, Pallmer played two New Brunswick performances in two New Brunswick cities, in two New Brunswick art galleries. After Thursday’s show at Jones Gallery in Uptown Saint John, the neo-classical duo of cellist Emily Kennedy and violist Mark Kleyn returned home to Fredericton for a show at Gallery on Queen. Despite the ice-covered streets and sidewalks that led to a long list of cancelled events that day, the room was packed to capacity.
Backed by the occasional looped melody or improvised percussion accompaniment, Kennedy and Kleyn carried the audience through a dynamic 45 minute set that combined classical, modern and contemporary compositions with all the relaxed charm of a house concert. Kleyn’s humorous introductions offered a bit of background on much of the music performed, helping provide context and create a sense of imagery to go along with each new piece.
Pallmer is a relatively new group and have only released a pair of recorded tracks, yet somehow they seem on the cusp of something really exciting. Whether it’s their combination of original songs and works from classical music’s vast canon or the fact that they are helping bridge the gap between classical and indie music in the province, whatever the case may be, they’ve got something going for them.
At one point during the performance someone in the audience shouted, “You’re having too much fun!” We all were.
When the set was over, everyone was smiling.
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