The four guitarists of International Guitar Night 2024

International Guitar Night comes to the lower mainland at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster next Thursday, Jan. 25 featuring guitarists Luca Stricagnoli, Thu Le, Marco Pereira, & Minnie Marks.

From my high school guitar class held in the upstairs classrooms adjoining the Massey, to last year when I 'roadied' for Jocelyn Gould on foot after a podcast episode walking her gear up from my old place to the theatre, I've long been aware of the touring show. This edition is the 24th annual; tickets here.

Here's a link to one notable video by each artist, to give you an idea of what they'll present.

Italian-born Luca Stricagnoli is an extended-technique specialist on the acoustic guitar, something like what our own Colin Sankey does on bass. Among his unique arrangements is this instrumental cover of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" which has over 11 million views to-date:

Moving from the steel-string to the nylon, Brazilian classical guitarist Marco Pereira is a highly-accomplished composer, educator, and recording artist. Here's a resonant and well-captured performance that he uploaded to his own channel just before the new year:

There's a second classical guitarist on the tour with a distinct personality, the Vietnamese-born-and-trained Thu Le. She tours the world as a soloist and guitar duo performer from her base in Bahrain:

But finally, for something completely different, the Australian songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Minnie Marks delivers electric slide blues rock, kick stomps, and soul vocals, kind of like a shot down the middle of the Bonnie Raitt - Bros. Landreth connection:

Marks is the only artist of the four to have not played International Guitar Night before.