Folk artist WiL performing in Kelowna and South Okanagan

Three non-commercial venues in the Okanagan will be hosting WiL concerts this week.

“He’s an amazing slide guitarist – the way he handles it and can make so many neat, incredible sounds,” said Shannon Coppin, owner of the Gateway, where WiL is scheduled to perform. “He plays several other guitars too, and he’s amazing drummer. Very unorthodox. And he always has funny stories about life and weird things that have happened to him on the road.”

WiL’s first show in the region is at the Outback in Kelowna on July 7. The Outback is a small venue tucked away in local neighbourhood. Directions will be given to guests who purchase tickets, which cost $30 each, my emailing houseconcertkelowna@gmail.com.

The following night, July 8, WiL is going to be playing An Evening in the Valley in Summerland, but that show has already sold out.

On July 9 he’ll be at the Gateway – Coppin’s outdoor concert space at a picturesque ranch west of Kaleden.

Coppin wants the shows at her venue to feel more like a music festival. Guests bring their own chairs and refreshments, and are encouraged to give artists their full attention. Only a handful of shows have been hosted at the Gateway so far, and a wooden stage was recently installed.

“The stage is a game-changer,” Coppin said. “It just makes everything look more professional but it’s like an altar. It makes it a religious experience and brings it up to another level, and honours the musicians… it elevates the acoustics, and provides musicians with a flat and stable platform.”

Tickets for the Gateway concert cost $35 through Eventbrite.ca.

And on July 15, WiL is back in Summerland for a backyard concert at Timber Rock Ranch. It's bring your own chair and cooler, attendees are welcome to camp overnight, and a food truck will be available for dinner and breakfast. Tickets can be purchased by emailing Brett Ziegler at brettaziegler@gmail.com or texting him at 778-214-2301.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Dan Walton or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.