***Editor's Note: On Friday night work got in the way of my being able to attend the Kingston stop for Dean Brody's Beautiful Freakshow Tour. I asked our friend Abby Stewart if she would be willing to do a celebrity review of the show in my absence and she agreed. Although she missed the performance by James Barker Band here is her review of High Valley and headliner Dean Brody.***
To start the night off High Valley hit the stage and as soon as they did, the crowd went wild. Brothers Curtis and Brad Rempel opened up with a new song that got a great response from the crowd, and followed with their single "Come On Down".
They were great at pumping up the crowd, encouraging them to get up off their feet and dance! One of the best moments of the night was when they pulled up a couple of stools to the front of the stage and "got real" with the crowd for a bit. They talked about their Dad, and went into their song "A Father's Love (The Only Way He Knew How). Ending with their hit "Make You Mine", High Valley rocked it!
Dean Brody never disappoints. He is a true artist and owns the stage. Getting the crowd started off right with his hit song "Bush Party" was absolutely perfect. With the release of his album "Beautiful Freakshow", the stage was decorated like a large carnival tent! He also came out onto a little stage in the crowd and did 3 very popular songs "Little Yellow Blanket" "Brothers", and his very emotional new single "Time". He entertained the crowd non-stop with his strip tease (yes, strip tease), chainsaw solo 2.0, and pure energy. With his amazing band of 7 years now including 4 time CCMA Fiddle Player of the Year Shane Guse and multiple CCMA Recording Studio, Writer, and Guitar Player of the Year Jason Barry, the raw talent on the stage Friday night was unreal. I don't think there's any Canadian country fan out there that doesn't appreciate the music of Dean Brody!
If you want to catch Dean Brody, High Valley and James Barker band near you there's still plenty of chances. The Beautiful Freakshow Tour hits the Centre in the Square in Kitchener tonight before heading into Northern and Eastern Ontario for shows in Sudbury and Pembroke this week.
Full tour dates can be found here: http://www.deanbrody.com/
Our friends James Barker Band just released their debut EP, Game On, as well as a whole variety of awesome merch just in time for summer. Be sure to check them out at http://www.jamesbarkerband.com/
High Valley has been getting a lot of attention south of the border so this is their first time back in Canada in a while. Curtis and Brad will be stopping by a few Canadian festival this summer including RBC Bluesfest and Country Thunder in Calgary and Saskatchewan. For a full list of upcoming dates visit http://www.highvalleymusic.com
Abby Stewart has been singing to live audiences since first hitting the stage at her school talent show when she was 6 years old. From singing Karaoke in her family home to hitting the big stage with Dean Brody at the Rogers K-Rock Centre or opening for Hunter Hayes on his 2014 Canadian tour dates, this young 16 year old girl is in her comfort zone in front of a crowd. Abby also has had the opportunity to grace stages in some of Nashville's most famous Honky Tonks, including Tootsies Blue Orchid Lounge, which further solidified her love of Country Music and now has her eye set on someday singing at the Grand Ole Opry.
