Review by Myrna Williams

Imagine – you’re so close to the band that you can see the glow from the fireplace on the musicians cheek…fingers dancing over the guitar…perspiration beaded on the brow.

The Neighbors Dog throws us more than a few bones -- visually, the performances are warmly lit – variously by firelight, vintage swag lamps or urbane lighting fixtures, whatever is in the home. As for the concerts, some episodes feature long-established Canadian artists like John Mann, widely known as the edgy lead singer of Spirit of the West, and the acclaimed Saskatchewan folk singer, Don Freed. Other episodes introduce you to new artists on the scene. Between songs, interludes of one-on-one interviews with the performers add to the show’s intimate appeal. Often acoustic, occasionally plugged in: the music is stripped down and pared back to its essence; the performances raw and earthy.

I asked series editor John Mills how he and his colleagues at plan9films came up with the idea for the series: “I’ve long been involved in the music biz – from playing in a band to opening Lydia’s (a popular live music club in Saskatoon) with family – and making it into a live music venue where people could play their own songs,” he explained. “We wanted to create a music series based on some of the musicians we’d worked with for Middle of Somewhere (a popular SCN original series). I’d actually been to a house concert at Peter Gabriel’s complex in Bath, England. All these ideas aligned during a conversation with Saskatoon recording artist Carrie Catherine, and The Neighbors Dog was born.

”I was curious to know how it feels to be one of the performers – literally singing for their supper at the homes of strangers – and got in touch with singer/songwriter Suzie Vinnick. Born and raised in Saskatoon, the 2009 Juno-nominee had just pulled into Winnipeg to perform her twelfth and final back-to-back show of a whirlwind house concert tour, from which she would head to Saskatoon to tape an episode of The Neighbors Dog.“

House concerts are fun -- I can actually sit down and get to know the name of everyone in the audience – it’s a special connection,” said Suzie. “I appreciate the opportunity to perform face-to-face with an invited grassroots audience – getting to see their reactions to my work up close. Every house concert is a unique experience.”

We’re going live from your living room with The Neighbors Dog – you’ve got the best seats in the house!