1755, Lennie Gallant on stage for Rendez-vous Rustico
Acadian band 1755 and P.E.I. singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant will be performing during the 30th anniversary of Rendez-vous Rustico this summer.
The festivities will take place July 26-28 on the grounds of the Cymbria Lions Club (2184 Church Rd., Rustico), the Farmers' Bank of Rustico and the Centre acadien Grand-rustico (2244 Church Rd., Rustico).
“The very first Rendez-vous Rustico festival took place in 1994, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of this important annual event for the greater Rustico region,” says Andréa Deveau, director of the Conseil acadien de Rustico in a news release.
“This edition of the festival will feature a variety of artists from the Island and beyond, as well as artisans and interpreters of local historical heritage.”
A fixture on the Acadian music scene for the past 45 years, 1755 sings of Acadie with the passion, joie de vivre and the Acadian language. With their country, rock and folk tunes, the musicians get crowds both young and old up dancing. 1755 has succeeded in reaching more than one generation by promoting the pride of singing and celebrating in one's own language. The principal members of 1755 are Kenneth Saulnier, Pierre Robichaud, Roland Gauvin, Donald Boudreau and Ronald Dupuis.
The quintet has performed throughout Acadie and Canada, as well as in Louisiana and France.
Not every Acadian community can boast of having produced one of Canada’s most prolific award-winning singer-songwriters, but Rustico, P.E.I., can be extremely proud of Gallant. His 15 albums (11 in English and four in French) have earned him a host of East Coast and national awards and nominations (including Junos and ECMAS).
He has performed across the country and internationally, either as a solo act, with symphony orchestras or with some of the music world’s biggest names. One of his albums was even taken up to the International Space Station.
He is also one half of the new exciting francophone duo Sirène et Matelot, along with his partner, Patricia Richard.
This summer, Gallant and his band will be performing many of his hits from over the last 35 years, some new material for an upcoming album and his work with music icon, the late Jimmy Buffett.
The 1755 show is July 27, and Gallant performs July 28. Each show will start at 8 p.m. under the giant festival tent erected on the grounds of the Cymbria Lions Club. Tickets are at www.rendezvousrustico.com.