by LORRAINE CARPENTER

"I always thought Montreal was the party I wasn't invited to," says Carolyn Mark, "but finally, I think it took." Mere weeks after her most successful local show (and local downtime) to date, B.C.'s reigning C&W hostess returns to present a pro version of her weekly Hootenanny, a decade-old open-mic event that takes place at Logan's in Victoria every Sunday at 4 p.m.

Following a few Hootenannies away from her home turf, Mark felt ready to lead a country, folk 'n' roll caravan across the country.

"I guess I'm the madam," says Mark, whose headlining whores are Luther Wright (leader of Kingston's "alt-country punkgrass" band Luther Wright and the Wrongs), Juno-toting fellow Kingstonian Jenny Whiteley and bi-coastal country rocker Oh Susanna, with local "ringers" like ex-Sonny Best Band chanteuse Angela Desveaux and Notre Dame de Grace's Matt Large. All of the above will play three-song sets, including Mark, who'll also emcee this exciting experiment in Hootenanny history, minus the familiar faces and sounds of her hometown.

"There's this guy who's played the same song for 10 years," she says. "You can judge your own state of mind by how you feel when you hear that Goddamn song - some days you're filled with nostalgia and some days, you're like, ‘Oh my God, give it up!'"

The Hootenanny aside, Mark has shunned routine throughout her music career, having worked with an array of Canadian and American rock and country musicians in studios nationwide, often on a whim and sometimes giving her guest players five seconds' notice. Following up her 2004 LP The Pros and Cons of Collaboration, a duets album called Just Married, featuring the Silverhearts, NQ Arbuckle and a dozen others, will be released by Mint Records on June 7.

"I'm gonna keep making [duets] 'cause it's so fun, and one day there'll be a volume two," she says. "I sometimes go through phases where I intend to play solo, and walking to the bar with my new resolution, I'll meet someone and get them to come with me. I've just got that Velcro personality."

Mark's pliable sound reflects a reliance on rock-oriented musicians because, relative to the States, and despite the spirit of its communities that persevere in each city, Canada is low on country music. With one exception.

"At the Calgary Stampede, you can play about 1,100 times. We've never been invited inside the gates 'cause that's all new country, but peripheral events like BBQs and parties are amazing. They are all about the country music, and in this great way 'cause they have money, so they're actually proud of it, kinda like the East Coast is about their music. In places like Victoria, it's like this filthy secret that's swept under the carpet. But isn't everything more fun when it's slightly taboo?"

Carolyn Mark, Luther Wright, Oh Susanna, Jenny Whiteley,
Angela Desveaux and guests at Divan Orange
on Saturday, April 2, 9 p.m., $10

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