Paul Quarrington and Porkbelly Futures to perform in Yarmouth

Both will serve as venues for Paul Quarrington and the band PorkBelly Futures on Thursday, April 24 at 1 and 8 p.m. respectively.

Quarrington is an award-winning novelist who occasionally moonlights as a TV scriptwriter, while also indulging his love of music as singer/songwriter for the band.

He says he’s looking forward to visiting Yarmouth for the first time. When asked what he expected, he replied, “I don’t know… someplace that’s quaint?”

Quarrington occasionally supplements the band’s performances with readings from his books, including the Stephen Leacock Medal winner King Leary, recently chosen the winner in CBC Radio’s Canada Reads programme. His last novel, Galveston, was nominated for the Giller literary award; Whale Music won the Governor General’s Award for Fiction.

The library performance especially will feature the combination of stories with music.

“I’m working on songs that are a hybrid of narrative and music,” he said.

Quarrington may also read extracts from his well-reviewed new novel, The Ravine. He’s directing a short film, scheduled for a June 2008 release, called Pavane based on the book.

The audience can also expect the occasional trick from Quarrington. Magic is a hobby he likes to practice whenever possible.

PorkBelly Futures music is described as a unique blend of roots-influenced country/blues music with “original material, strong musicianship and vocals, adventurous songwriting, great licks and a sense of humour.”

The group is named in honour of Porkbelly Future, an obscure Mississippi singer/songwriter who played various musical instruments of his own invention.