A special event, with Wayne Kaulbach, of Bobcaygeon…

A six-month, cross-country musical journey in support of reconciliation will make a stop in Squamish on Nov 3, when Wayne Kaulbach brings his solo show to Trickster’s Hideout

Kaulbach, the lead singer of Vancouver-based Tragically Hip tribute band Bobcaygeon, has been travelling across Canada since April, performing along the way and raising money for the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.

A musical journey with a purpose

Kaulbach left Vancouver on April 26 with a goal of raising $10,000 for the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.

He said 50 per cent of the money he earns through the tour, including tips from venues, is being donated to the fund. Some individual performances have seen all profits donated.

Kaulbach said he has raised about $7,100 so far and remains committed to reaching his $10,000 target.

“If I have to top it up with my own money, I’m going to reach $10,000,” he said.

The tour has taken him through every province and territory, including a trip to Iqaluit, where he performed three shows after flying north with his equipment.

The journey has not been without challenges. Kaulbach’s van, which he has nicknamed “the Goat,” has broken down several times, including mechanical problems in northern British Columbia and Ontario. At one point, he had to order a steering component from Latvia

Despite the setbacks, he said the people he has met along the way have made the experience worthwhile.

“People have been just so kind,” he said

A solo take on familiar songs

Although Kaulbach normally performs with the full Bobcaygeon band, the Humboldt show will feature him on his own.

He said the solo format has allowed him to explore some of the Tragically Hip’s music differently, including songs he had not performed frequently before beginning the tour.

He will also incorporate original material inspired by Downie’s songwriting.

“I mix it up,” Kaulbach said. “I started off acoustically, and I do some original work, and then I’ve got a full-band sound as well that I use for some of the bigger hits that people want to hear.”

For Kaulbach, the result is intended to be more than a tribute show.

“It’s kind of a love-in with Gord and the Hip,” he said.