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Canadian premiere of ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ and evening of Canadian music raises funds for MusiCounts

December 12th, 2013

On Tuesday night, a sold-out crowd attended the Canadian premiere of Inside Llewyn Davis, the new film directed by Joel & Ethan Coen, followed by a night of Canadian music at the official after party. The after party featured performances by Jim Cuddy, Justin Rutledge, Lindi Ortega, Maylee Todd, The Beauties, as well as surprise appearances by Ron Sexsmith and Sylvia Tyson.

The event, presented by Mongrel Media and 4479, benefited MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity, and raised enough funds to outfit two elementary schools with musical instruments through MusiCounts’ Band-Aid Grant program.

“It was an honour for MusiCounts to be involved with the Canadian premiere of Inside Llewyn Davis.  Thanks to Mongrel Media, 4479, all the artists who performed and most importantly, everyone who attended the premiere and after party,” said Allan Reid, Director of MusiCounts. “The proceeds raised through this event will fully fund two elementary school music programs through our Band Aid Grants, having a long-term impact that ultimately puts instruments into the hands of thousands children who need them most.”

Fitting with the film’s theme, folk music was featured from the beginning to the end of the event. Prior to the screening at the TIFF Bell Light, a folk quintet played on stage to welcome movie goers.

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 The film follows a week in the life of a young folk singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. As described on the film’s website, Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac, is a folk artist at a crossroads. “Guitar in tow, huddled against the unforgiving New York winter, he is struggling to make it as a musician against seemingly insurmountable obstacles—some of them of his own making. Living at the mercy of both friends and strangers, scaring up what work he can find, Llewyn’s misadventures take him from the baskethouses of the Village to an empty Chicago club—on an odyssey to audition for a music mogul—and back again.”

Today, the film received 3 nominations for the Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for Oscar Isaac’s performance, and Best Original Song – Motion Picture for “Please Mr. Kennedy”, featuring music by Ed Rush, George Cromarty, T Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, and lyrics by Ed Rush, George Cromarty, T Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen.

Oscar Isaac (Llewyn Davis) in Joel and Ethan Coen’s INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS Photo: Alison Rosa ©2012 Long Strange Trip LLC

Following the film, attendees headed to the nearby Adelaide Hall, where they were treated to some terrific music from top Canadian artists, who played a mix of songs from the Sixties folk era and their own songs.

The Beauties kicked off the show with one of their own songs, and served as the backing band to each of the artists performing. With their versatility and raucous live show, The Beauties showed why they were recently named runner-up for Best Band in Toronto by NOW Magazine readers.

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The first artist to join the Beauties was Jim Cuddy, beginning with a performance of Bob Dylan’s ‘Like A Rolling Stone,’ drawing an enthusiastic response from the crowd.

 

 

Lindi Ortega was the next artist to take the stage, performing a Joan Baez song as well as one of her own. The afternoon before the show, Lindi tweeted that she was “losing my mind” trying to learn Baez’s finger picking style, although by showtime, it sounded like she had been performing it for years.

 

Next, the first surprise guest of the evening, Ron Sexsmith, took the stage, performing a song written by Tim Hardin, who performed in the 1960’s Greenwich Village folk scene, just as Llewyn Davis did in the film. After playing Hardin’s ‘Reason To Believe’, he followed up with ‘Hard Bargain’, written by Sexsmith and recorded by Emmylou Harris.

 

 

 

The concert continued with Justin Rutledge, who was recently awarded the Contemporary Album of the Year at the Canadian Folk Awards, making him a perfect fit for the evening.

Just as it seemed the night couldn’t get any better, the show featured a surprise appearance by Sylvia Tyson, a Canadian music legend who was a part of the Greenwich Village folk music scene in the 60’s. Performing as Ian and Sylvia, the duo was managed by Albert Grossman, who served as inspiration for one of the characters in Inside Llewyn Davis, Bud Grossman. At the Adelaide Hall, Sylvia gave the audience goosebumps as she performed ‘Four Strong Winds’ with Justin Rutledge and the Beauties.

 

 

 

 

 

Maylee Todd was the next performer to grace the stage, delivering a great performance of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Susanna’ as well as her own song, ‘I Tried.’

 

Thanks to our co-presenter Mongrel Media, as well as sponsors TD Bank Group, Steam Whistle Brewing, Adelaide Hall, and the musicians who delivered such terrific performances and made for a very special night in support of MusiCounts.

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