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ArtsCultureNorthernScene13TuesdayMay72013GildaysstarshinesbrightfortheNorthNWTsongstresstakesthestageagainandagainatOttawafestivalByKRISTENCAMPBELLWith10daysofnorthernexposurewrappedupbothartistsandspectatorsareeagertoseewhatdevelopsfromNorthernScene.NWTstorytellerPatBradensaidhefoundthewholefestivalmindblow-ingwiththesheeramountofcreativitytalentandmod-ernizationoftraditionalartforms.Everyonehasbeenpushingtheboundariesontheirowncreativelevelshesaid.BradencalledNorthernSceneagroundbreakingeventwhichhehopeswillcreateanewimageofCan-adasNorth.Thishasbeenbreak-ingdownstereotypesoftheNorthhesaid.Itsbring-ingsomeclarityandopen-ingthecurtainmoretothecontemporaryartsnotjustthetraditional.Itsanex-posofcontemporaryartandartistscomingfromatraditionalbase.OttawasWillBryantat-tendedNorthernSceneandhadhiseyesopenedtowhattheNorthhastooffer.BryanthastraveledaroundCanadabutduetothenan-cialandgeographicalobsta-clesoftravelingNorthof60hadnothadtheopportunitytoseeNortherneventsrsthand.TakinginLeelaGildaysshowalongwithasmanyothersashecouldmanageBryantsaidthetalentandhumanitybroughthimbacktoseemore.ForalltheseartistsIgetthesensethisisntajob.Itslifehesaid.BryantsaidseeingNorth-ernartistsinOttawadoesnotgivethefullstory.ItsgreatwhentheycomeherebutitwouldbereallygreatifpeoplecouldgoupNorthhesaid.Hewasnttheonlyonewiththosethoughts.SarahBelangersaidthatvisitingtheNorthwestTerritoriesandNunavutisnowonherbucketlistaftertakinginseveralevents.HavinglivedherwholelifeinOttawashesaidshewouldliketoexperiencemoreofwhatCanadahastooffer.Youdontreallyknowwhatlifeislikeuptherelivingdownhereshesaid.Thisgaveusasnapshotoflifeupthere.ThatsparkofinterestalongwiththemassamountofNorth-erntalentthatcongregatedinOttawahasbeenasourceofinspirationfortheartists.ItreallyhelpstoinspireyoutokeepcreatingBradensaid.Itjustmakesyouwanttogohomeandworkandworkandworksoyoucancomeback.Itwillbeinterestingtoseeinthenexttwothreeorveyearswhatisgoingtocomeofthis.ByKRISTENCAMPBELLAfterparticipatinginsev-eralcollaborativeeventsLeelaGildayhadtheop-portunitytoshareherheartprojectonanOttawastagelastweek.GildayandherbandtooktotheNationalArtCentresFourthStageonApr.29toperformanintimateshowinfrontofanearlysold-outroom.IntroducedasNorthernScenespostergirl-astheactualfaceontheNorthernSceneposters-itwasobvi-ousthatGildaywasthrilledtobesharinghermusicwiththosewhocametolisten.NorthernScenehaspro-videdmewithmanyoppor-tunitiesshesaid.Iamsothankful.Gildayhadearlierper-formedduringtheSwarmeventonApr.26andtheCir-cumpolarSoundscapeperfor-manceonApr.25.ShealsoparticipatedinICountMy-selfAmongThemareadingofFortSmithauthorRichardVanCampsradioplayaswellasseveralotherevents.DuringtheperformanceonewasnotonlyexposedtomusicGildayhascreatedwithherbandmates-guitaristJasonBurnstickbassistScottTuckeranddrummerElliotPolsky-buttotheirpersonallivesaswell.OpeningwithDeneLoveSongGildaycapturedtheaudiencerightfromthestart.Loudcheersandapplausewrappedupeachsongwithfoot-stompingaccompany-ingthemoreupbeatnum-bers.SomesongsincludingOneDrumhadtheaudiencesingingalongtothechoruslinewithlittledirectionfromtheband.HeranthemtomissingwomenCallingAllWar-riorsalsohadtheaudi-encesingingalongbutinatonemoresombre.Sev-eralaudiencemembersreachedfortissuesafteranemotionalsilencefol-lowedthelastnote.ThroughthevarietyofhersongchoicesGildaywasabletogivespecta-torsaviewofherlifeintheNorth.Shesaidthefeedbackthebandre-ceivedaftertheshowwasremarkable.ItwasoneofthebestshowsIveeverdoneGil-daysaid.Theaudiencewaspresentandtotallywarm.Youcantellwhenpeopleareopeningtheirhearts.Itwasareallyenjoyableshowforus.IntheminimalofftimeshehadbetweenrehearsalsandshowsGildaysaidshetriedtotakeinasmanyoftheothershowsaspossible.Itwaslikeagianthomecomingshesaid.IvejustbeentryingtotakeinasmuchasIcan.Idontknowwhensome-thinglikethiswillhap-penagain.PhotoKristenCampbellSinger-songwriterLeelaGildayperformswithherbandontheNationalArtCentresFourthStageonApr.29inOttawa.Festivalbridgesdividebetweennorthandsouth