Highlanders’ CD selling like hotcakes Kickoff concert also is planned

FORT FRANCES—The Fort Frances Highlanders’ first-ever CD, “Border Crossings,” went on sale last week—and so far is being met enthusiastically.
“CD sales have gone crazy,” pipe major Dr. Bruce Lidkea said Monday. “We’ve sold over 100 in the past week.
“We might not make parade season, which is weird,” he added. “I was hoping we could sell them in the next two years, then maybe buy some more which would last us for the next 10.
“It’s absolutely wonderful.”
Dr. Lidkea received the shipment of 1,000 CDs last Tuesday. For right now, they’re being sold at Drs. Lidkea, Elliott and Lidkea on Scott Street, but will be available at more locations down the road.
The CD costs $10 each, with all proceeds going back into equipment and uniforms for the Fort Frances Highlanders.
The CD will be officially launched at a Fort Frances Highlanders’ concert slated for Saturday, April 12 at the Townshend Theatre here. Dr. Lidkea noted the younger members of the group are organizing all aspects of it.
One of the organizers, Jordan Manty, said late Monday that the concert will feature opening act, “Haphazard,” followed by the Fort Frances Highlanders taking the stage.
“Haphazard,” which features several Fort High students playing classic rock, also is expected to play a few collaborative numbers with members of the Highlanders, Manty added.
Tickets for the concert are available for $8 each at Lidkea, Elliott & Lidkea, Skates & Blades, or from any Fort Frances Highlander.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with “Haphazard” taking the stage at 7.
“CDs will be for sale there,” Dr. Lidkea said. “And I didn’t think it would happen, but we’ve been getting a lot of calls for autographing CDs.
“It makes perfect sense after thinking about it,” he added. “When you go to buy a CD at a concert, lots of times you do get it autographed.
“There will be lots of new things for us to learn and enjoy out of this.”
Both Dr. Lidkea and Manty said the Fort Frances Highlanders have been eager to make this new CD available to the public.
“It’s really neat,” said Manty, 18, who’s piped with the Fort Frances Highlanders for the past five years.
He played on all the tracks on “Border Crossings,” was involved in mixing tracks, and also worked on the album art along with Jackson Gillon.
“We’re very, very excited,” enthused Dr. Lidkea. “It’s been a huge project for us.
“We started the project over a year ago, and have been kept pretty busy with all the planning and the practising, and getting everything all lined up,” he added.
“We got the recording done in two very, very long marathon sessions—one in October and one in November,” Dr. Lidkea continued. “Then it took a long time to get the producing and manufacturing process done.
“Some of the tunes are copyrighted, so we had to get permission from publishers to mass-produce them.
“Now, all the paperwork’s done, the bills are paid, and we’re ready to share it with the public,” he remarked.
“Border Crossings” contains 14 tracks, with a total running time of about 45 minutes. It includes a mix of traditional tunes and some modern compositions.
There are close to 35 members on the Highlanders’ roster, and some of the tracks feature up to 25 of them playing at once.
Dr. Lidkea said the CD was made possible through a Community Incentive Grant, which the band got through the Rainy River Future Development Corp.
“They’ve been very, very good to us,” he noted, referring to the RRFDC.
The CD print production was donated by the Fort Frances Times Printing.
(Fort Frances Times)