Blue Rodeo keyboardist plays free show at Souls Harbour in Halifax

Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Halifax was filled with music Saturday as Mike Boguski of Blue Rodeo performed a free concert.

Souls Harbour Rescue Mission was filled with music on Saturday as Mike Boguski, keyboardist for the legendary Canadian band Blue Rodeo, performed a free noon-hour concert at the Halifax Drop-in Centre.

Boguski, a five-time Juno Award winner and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, is currently touring the country with Blue Rodeo as part of their 40th anniversary tour. Along the way, he’s been stopping at local shelters and soup kitchens to perform intimate shows for people who may not otherwise get to see the band live.

“I just really enjoy playing for people in shelters,” Boguski said. “It’s something I love to do. So I usually call a local soup kitchen or community shelter and say, ‘hey, it’s Mike from Blue Rodeo-I’d love to come play.’ People usually think I’m crazy but once they realize it’s real, they’re so open to having me.”

The musician said he’s performed in nearly every city on the tour, close to 40 shelters across the country, with only one exception due to a missed email.

“It’s amazing because the people run these shelters are so open to having me come in and play,” he said. “Really, it’s about playing for the people who are accessing the shelters. They may not be able to afford a show, and I just want to bring them music.”

For Boguski, the visits are about more than just the music. Having been sober for 17 years and clean for 10, he says he understands how thin the line can be between stability and struggle.

“I have an addiction background, so I understand how fragile the link is between unhoused and people who are struggling with mental health and addiction,” he said. “This is my way of giving back and recognizing that the people accessing shelters are real people. They deserve to be seen, heard and to hear music.”

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