So Wednesday night I made my way down to Kitchener, Ontario to catch the #ThreesAParty tour that had a stop at Dallas Night Club. The last time I was at this venue was for the WTLGD tour with Chad Brownlee, Jess Moskaluke & Bobby Wills.
New Country 94 Birthday Bash
So our friends over at New Country 94 had a wee little party to celebrate 1 year on the air in the Nations Capital. And they invited some pretty special friends to help celebrate. Our Sean Sisk was there to cover the night, So here it is… through the eye of Sisk..
AUTUMN HILL
BRETT KISSEL
DALLAS SMITH
Brett Kissel Parties in Barrie!
Canadian country artist Brett Kissel brought his Airwaves Tour to The Roxy Theatre in Barrie for a high energy night of country music. The near sell-out show comes early in the cross-Canada tour for Invictus Entertainment clients Kissel and supporting act Jordan McIntosh. This show has been on my radar since it was announced a few months ago. Something about Brett Kissel’s music just resonates with me so I was happy when this day arrived. Things are certainly taking off for Brett both personally and professionally. He and wife Cecilia are expecting a baby, due in February 2016. And it’s easy to see why Kissel has found success with his music. The catchy single Airwaves, for which the tour is named, has reached gold status in sales on his Warner Music label and has also enjoyed heavy rotation on country radio. This tour also comes on the heels of Brett’s appearance on the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville, a rare honour for any artist let alone a Canadian country performer.
So yeah, I was stoked to be covering this event! This show kicked of with French-Canadian artist Yoan, who opened for the Airwaves Tour in Quebec. He was not originally on the bill for this Barrie show, but was certainly a great addition to the night’s entertainment and we’re glad he made the trip to Ontario. Yoan has seen some awesome results of his work, winning season 2 of La Voix (which is the Quebec version of The Voice). And his first solo album released in March 2015 broke sales records (with 35,000 copies sold in it’s first week!) and has been certified platinum. His deep baritone voice and smooth guitar skills were a great way to get everyone warmed up. Yoan was accompanied by the really slick slide guitar playing of Rick Haworth for his acoustic set, and the crowd were very appreciative. We will absolutely be seeing and hearing more from this talented Canadian.
Next up came the introduction for Carleton Place Ontario’s Jordan McIntosh who opened with All About The Girl much to the crowd’s delight.
He captured his audience right away and got things heated up by following up with songs Story Of My Life and That Girl. His boyish good looks and non-stop smiles added to his presence on stage. Jordan was a great choice for an opening act, with a great voice and his own unique style. He is enjoying some great exposure and touring experience in advance of his debut record Grew Up In A Country Song, which is slated for a 2016 release. Jordan whipped the crowd up with a strong set, got things rolling and set the stage for Kissel’s arrival. He came back out later in the show, joining Brett on stage for another number. I am definitely looking forward to hearing and seeing more of Jordan in the future, because he certainly has one!
After the break, BAM! Right from the opening chords Brett Kissel owned the rest of the night. This was definitely a country music crowd, and they were immediately right into it and looking for a good time. With lots of western boots, hats and plenty of plaid, they rocked and swayed with beers in hand for a great night of live country music. It was a great venue to see this show, with a good sized stage to give a true concert hall feel, but intimate enough for everyone to feel close to the action with great sightlines. The sound was spot on, and Brett had everyone dancing. The show opened the with I Can Play Guitar as the Canadian Kid immediately connected to his audience. With band mates Matt McKay on guitar, Ben Bradley keeping time on the drum kit, Tyler Vollrath on the fiddle/guitar and Justin Kudding on bass, they entertained us thoroughly and completely.
Things rolled along wonderfully with a set list that provided a nice congruent flow of tempos and moods. Standout songs were 3-2-1 and the obvious Airwaves. And of course everyone loved the Blue Jays game updates and the fact that Brett donned a Blue Jays cap at one point. But memorable moments for me were Brett wading out into the middle of the audience for a couple of songs including an amazing version of Great Day To Be Alive and then taking peoples phones to capture some selfies. He also brought one lucky fan onstage who was celebrating her birthday. He sang with her, and then gave her his guitar, which he autographed for her. Talk about making this girls night! This is an artist who really knows how to connect with his audience. Brett also brought Yoan back out for Good Hearted Woman , and as mentioned did the same with Jordan McIntosh for a medley version of Raise Your Glass. It was a full-on, high energy country music show.
The tour supports Brett’s Sept 2015 Pick Me Up record, and after leaving Barrie, Brett moves on to other Ontario shows before heading through western Canada to complete the bulk of this Canadian tour. My last comment… GREAT SHOW! Make sure you catch it as they come through your town, you won’t be disappointed.
Scott Burns / @SBurnsimages
The Wild Ones Tour Rocks London…
This past Friday night Kip Moore’s Wild Ones Tour rolled into London, Ontario for a the 1st of 2 Sold Out nights in Canada. Now Kip had already had a very successful western Canadian swing with numerous sold out shows put on by Canada’s #1 promoter Invictus Entertainment. Friday was no different.
Chillin’ It with Cole Swindell
It was the last of the Country concerts to hit the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto and Cole Swindell just so happened to be playin’ direct support to Mr. Jason Aldean. Before that show we had a chance to hang with Mr. Swindell and let me tell ya this fella is the real deal.
The Sheepdogs – Future Nostalgia CD Release Party
Well, to be honest its been awhile since I have been to a REAL Rock show as I have had my head buried deep into the world of Country Music the past 2 years. But last night I was given the opportunity thanks to the folks over at Warner Music Canada to go and chill out with The Sheepdogs at an intimate venue (Boots & Bourbon Saloon) in downtown Toronto. Now don’t get me wrong I know who The Sheepdogs are and totally was a fan before walking into the venue. But the minute the music started… WOW.
Tebey – Mason Jar Session – When The Buzz Wears Off
A couple weeks back we hopped on the bus with Tebey and the boys and went down to tape a Mason Jar Session down in Harrow, Ontario before he hit the stage to Headline the night at the fair. For those of you that haven’t had the chance to catch Tebey live we highly suggest you get to a show on his upcoming Three’s A Party Tour with Jason Blaine and US Singer / Songwriter James Otto. Here is a bus side rendition of When The Buzz Wears Off performed by the very talented Tebey.
More Info On Tebey
iTunes here…
Website here…
Twitter here….
Facebook here…
Three’s A Party Tour Kicks Off in Halifax!
So the latest in fall tours has Jason Blaine, Tebey & James Otto hitting the road for the Three’s A Party Tour. This one kicks off in Halifax on October 30th and stretches 22 Dates in just 31 days ending in Vancouver at the Roxy on November 29th. You can grab your tickets here..When they go on sale THIS FRIDAY! threesapartytour.com
Chattin’ Illinois with Brett Eldredge
We recently had a chance to sit down and chat with Brett Eldredge, about his album that actually drops TODAY! September 11th. You can grab it here. I had a chance to chat with Brett awhile back when he played in Detroit at a radio gig. But this time around it was a bit more of a chance to go a little deeper with Brett and discuss the the new album and touring with Darius Rucker! Enjoy! And hey… WE LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK! Don’t be shy.
Scarlett Jane loaded for the road…
The duo Scarlett Jane just released some additional dates to their fall tour. For those not familiar with the duo, It might be as Andrea Ramolo and Cindy Doire are stepping up to collect a prestigious award. Maybe they’ll be on a plane zipping towards their latest European tour. Or maybe it’ll come much, much later, while the pair is gleefully tossing back margaritas and baking their septuagenarian skin on a beach somewhere, recalling their glorious past.