Langley’s Bez Arts Hub is one of the community’s most loved spots for music lovers. Offering intimate live performances, the venue has hosted many notable artists from all around North America.
Like many, this small business, too, was hit hard by the pandemic. Now returning with its fall series, Bez is once again set to host local and touring artists.
But, the recovery hasn’t been easy for Russ Rosen, the artistic director, and concert curator at Bez.
“We are a little overwhelmed by the challenges of this recovery,” he admitted. “[Recovery] is slow, but it is happening,” he continued.
Ahead of the fall performances, Rosen has transitioned from outdoor summer events to moving the audiences indoors, but the ticket sales for the shows have been relatively slow.
The pre-pandemic scenes were the opposite.
Rosen shared that people were attending live shows in 2018 regardless of who was playing.
“[People] just wanted to see live events.”
Rosen added that said he understands the need for the communities to have shared experiences. Though challenging, he is hopeful for the future as he invites community members to upcoming events, including a solo performance by Paul Pigat on Friday, Sept. 30.
After a recent performance by multi-instrumentalist Jeff Plankenhorn on Friday, Sept. 23, Rosen has invited multiple local and touring artists to his facility.
Returning to Bez is musician Jacob Moon, who will make his appearance on Sept. 30 with a special guest, Cory Alstad. On Oct. 1, spoken word artist D Fretter will bring his work to the stage.
The Crescent Sky, a young quartet, is scheduled to play on Oct. 21. Just about a week after, on Oct. 29, multiple experienced songwriters will join for a format best described as the Nashville “in the round” style.
In total, there are 12 events planned to showcase about 20 B.C.-based artists. For full details on the performances, people can visit bezartshub.com.
Also, Bez will soon host a Gospel Choir with director Lincoln Tatem, exclusive to adult music lovers.
“Bez arts Hub is a place of collective celebration. Here, we amplify the voice of the artist; here, we make room for creativity and a passion for the arts. And there’s a place for you in the middle of it all,” Rosen commented.
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