Last September, Sudbury musician JoPo celebrated the release of her solo album “JoPo: Another Trip Around the Sun” with a concert at Sudbury Theatre Centre.
The sold-out show featured a full evening of music, with performances by JoPo's band, JoPo and the RiZe, as well as Jamie Dupuis, John Newlands, Johnny Williams and Gary Beers.
Jo Po — whose full name is Joanne Polack, but prefers to go by her lifelong nickname — enjoyed the experience so much that she decided to organize another show on the STC stage.
The March 9 show features JoPo and the RiZe, along with Toronto folk rock duo East of Burghal and an intermission performance by the Sudbury Swing Dance.
Local radio show host Mellaney Dahl will be the MC.
“We figured after the album release party and performing on the theatre stage, that's what we want to do more of,” JoPo said.
“We want to perform on theatre stages. We are a professional band. We've been working our butts off for a long time, and we just want to get to that next level.
“If it takes myself to organize that, then I'm going to do it. The first time went over really well.”
Given it takes place during the lead-in to the first weekend of March Break, JoPo said it would be a great activity for families who aren't planning to head out of town.
She's opened it up to kids over the age of 11. All-ages shows are lacking in Greater Sudbury, and JoPo said she's trying to fill a niche.
“I've done a few different educational sessions at high schools,” she said. “A lot of those kids that are in music programs try to come out to our shows, and they can't, because it's 19-plus.”
As for JoPo and the RiZe, JoPo said the band has been compared to "Janis Joplin meets Johnny Cash with a side of Chris Cornell.
“We vary in style. We are rock, blues, folk, rockabilly, a little bit of country and a little bit of bluegrass all mixed into one. It depends on what we're playing.”
The show starts at 7:30 p.m. March 9. Tickets cost $35 each, and are available at The Refinery on Cedar Street, Guitar Clinic on Barrydowne, Paris Family Dental on Paris and online on Event Brite.
