Beyond the Books: Riverside Bookshelf strikes a chord with intimate concert series
Rubyyy Jones
Cultural Correspondent
Riverside Bookshelf is more than just a bookstore. Owned and curated by local writer and organizer Alison Fishburn, the Paris shop celebrates Canadian literature and independently published works while bringing book lovers and community members together through a shared appreciation for literature, arts and culture.
On October 17th and 18th Riverside Bookshelf hosted its first concerts, both featuring Canadian recording artist and music producer Scott Merritt, joined by composer, producer, experimental filmmaker and performance artist Jeff Bird. The concerts were small and mighty with about 50 people in attendance.
From the very beginning, the vision for Riverside Bookshelf extended beyond books, with plans to host a variety of events, from author talks and book launches to workshops and live performances. This vision is reflected in the thoughtful, custom design of the bookstore and its interior space.
Fishburn’s husband Tim Richards is a lauded local designer and carpenter, and he created custom shelves and shelving which not only evoke the flow of the river in their curved and wavy edges, but they also transform from shelves into seating for intimate live events, like these concerts with Merritt.
Richards shared, “I literally designed our little blue stage with Scott Merritt in mind, having seen a video of his shows from 10 or so years ago, and then his at-home Covid-lockdown YouTube concert. I wanted our concert series to evoke that intimate at-home, NPR Tiny Desk-style performance, but in a space where the experience can be a shared one, in person, within the community.”
His admiration for Merritt’s music, however, began long before the bookstore stage became a reality.
“I’d heard his music one morning on CBC Radio, and was instantly drawn in, down a deep rabbit hole, to find out who this guy was and why I’d never heard of him before when he had songs like that playing on the radio. He is also an artist with deep local roots, and a very devoted fanbase, myself among them, who regard him as one of the greatest songwriters out there. We sold out the first night without ever promoting the show, word spread almost instantly through a network of old friends and fans of his.”
It was a delightful evening of beloved Merritt favourites alongside exciting new songs, each as captivating as the last. Both nights featured an encore, with the second evening drawing to a close on an especially memorable note: an incredibly delicate and beautifully rendered performance of “Solomon.”
For an intimate pop-up concert, the sound was amazing — and not just “for a bookstore,” but by any venue’s standards. To sit comfortably, eye to eye with the artists, while enjoying such pristine audio was truly spectacular. What more could you ask for from a live performance? The sound tech for the shows, Nik Tjelios was a true professional and kept all the levels perfectly balanced throughout the set.
While Riverside Bookshelf doesn’t have any future concerts locked in as of yet, they are planning on Jeff Bird returning to perform some of his solo work and, of course, they have lists of dream artists to book. “I have a few artists that I’m hopeful will be next in the space: Jennifer Castle is a natural fit, the Wooden Sky would be fun, maybe someone like Buck 65 to weave storytelling and performance at an intimate scale.”
Get on the Riverside Bookshelf mailing list to hear about upcoming concert dates, movie nights, book clubs and literary meet ups, sign up and find out more on riversidebookshelf.com don’t miss out on their next celebration of Canadian culture.
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