PRESS RELEASE – THE COMPLEAT UNKNOWNS

Regarding gigs : Beaufort Pub, April 5
Tweed Legion, April 19

Contact: Doug Barnes 613-546-4499 dougbarnes2015@gmail.com

GATSBY’S ‘PIANO MAN’ RETURNS TO BELLEVILLE

Doug Barnes, former Belleville area resident, and long time ‘Piano Man’ at Gatsby’s in the Quinte Hotel, is bringing his music back to town.
He recently played the Shoreline Casino with 60’s band REWIND, but has now teamed up with bandmate Paul Olmstead to form a new duo called THE COMPLEAT UNKNOWNS. They concentrate on the folk-rock movement, the music of Bob Dylan, The Byrds, John Prine, The Everly Brothers, early
Beatles, Jim Croce etc. “The duo works well in smaller, more intimate venues. We play well known material, and work hard on getting the harmonies right. It’s been going over really well!”

Mr Barnes said he gets a strange feeling when he passes the large empty lot at the corner of Bridge and Pinnacle Streets. “I have so many fond memories of the Quinte Hotel. After my run in the Toronto production of HAIR ended in ’71, I formed a band, and our very first booking was in the Tropicana
Room. I don’t think I’d ever been to Belleville before.” Within a couple of years, Barnes was raising a family on a rural property near Roslin. “We were the
back-to-the-land hippies. I played music all around the area, sometimes in bands, often as a single. I played the Green Door in the Quinte as well.”
Then in the mid 70’s, Joe McDougall and Gord Stewart bought the hotel and opened Gatsby’s.

“It was such a great spot. For a few years, for the downtown business community, it was THE place to be on a Friday after work. I played there for about 15 months straight. Not as a focus of attention, just as a soundtrack and part of the ambiance. It was great fun.” Since moving to Kingston in the early 90’s, Mr Barnes has been active in the music scene there.

THE COMPLEAT UNKOWNS will be appearing at The Beaufort Pub on Saturday afternoon, April 5th, from 1- 4. They’ll also play (as a trio, with Belleville drummer Gerry Ratz) at the Tweed Legion on Saturday, April 19th, from 2-6. A date at the ANAF Belleville is in the works. Doug hopes some of the old gang from Gatsby’s will stop by to say hello !!