PORT TOWNSEND — Trinity United Methodist’s Candlelight Concerts will host Chris Gilbert, a singer who divides his time between Port Townsend and Gloucestershire, England, on Thursday.
The performance will be at 7 p.m. with one set and no intermission at the church at 609 Taylor St. in Port Townsend. Attendees should plan on arriving early, organizers said; doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Masks will be required for in-person attendees.
The concert also will be streamed live at https://trinityumcpt.org, where there is a link for the Candlelight Concerts online and ways to donate. In addition, the concert will be simulcast on KPTZ FM 91.9.
Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10 per person. Half of the proceeds from this concert will be donated to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), https:// namijeffcowa.org.
Gilbert’s repertoire contains an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary folk songs from across the British Isles, but for this concert, he will focus on folk songs from England and Ireland.
He sings lilting ballads, dramatic story songs, upbeat drinking songs and rollicking roaring shanties.
Gilbert will be joined by Hap Smith on bass. Smith has played in a variety of bands and was a founding member of Chris’ PT Irish band Happenstance.
Those who enjoy the songs of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, the Dubliners and Ewan MacColl will enjoy this concert, organizers said.
Audience participation on choruses is encouraged, and chorus words will be provided.
Gilbert has played at many venues in the Puget Sound area, including the Wooden Boat Festival, the Port Gamble Maritime Festival, the Port Angeles Maritime Festival and the Northwest Folklife festival.
He was the leader of the Irish band Happenstance, one part of the duo Gilbert and McHagar, and a member of the shanty band Nelson’s Blood. (Happenstance and Nelson’s Blood have performed at previous Candlelight Concerts.)
Gilbert spent his professional career in healthcare software engineering in both the UK and the US and has now returned to his passions as an artist, singer and storyteller.
He was born in the East End of London and often lets his Cockney accent shine through, organizers said.
He cut his folk-teeth on the traditional English pursuit of Morris Dancing and learned to sing folk songs the hard way — in front of rough-and-tough British pub audiences.
For more, see www.cj-gilbert.com.
