Friday night was country night on Adelaide St. West in Toronto as Kira Isabella and David James headlined the stage at the Rock 'N' Horse Saloon during Canadian Music Week 2019!
Presented by KX Country (94.7 Hamilton & 95.9 Oshawa) Isabella and James took the stage after Nice Horse and Elyse Saunders had warmed up the audience to start the show. And with the energy and anticipation high for the crowd favourites, nobody was left feeling let down at the end of the show.
Related: Nice Horse and Elyse Saunders at Canadian Music Week 2019!
Kira hit the stage for the second to last set of the night, getting herself back in the CMW spotlight, and sharing old favourites and new songs with the Toronto fans.
Related: Side A - Kira Isabella Interview & Review // Side B - Kira Isabella EP Review
The setlist included four songs from Kira's newest release, Sides, with Soon, Little Girl, Danger Danger, and a (sadly Levi Hummon-less) version of We Should Be Together all flowing through the speakers. It was great to see fans singing along to the new material, making a connection to the songs that are now the second act of the 2012 CCMA Rising Star and 2013 CCMA Female Artist of the Year winner.
Note: We spotted a bunch of Canadian country artists in the crowd at Rock 'N' Horse on Friday night, including Alli Walker, Robyn Ottolini, Kris Barclay, and Jojo Mason. It was cool to see the support they gave to their peers on stage from the start of the show to the end.
As fantastic as it was to see the reception of the new music, the singing and dancing and cheering for songs like Gone Enough, A Little More Work, and Shake It If Ya Got It was even bigger. It's 100% clear that Kira Isabella is a staple of the Canadian country music scene. Her catalogue of songs continues to grow. Her voice has always been attention-grabbing. And as she has grown from her early career to where she is now in 2019, she has shown that she's up to the challenge of staying in the spotlight.
We know we'll be seeing more of Kira Isabella soon, and we can't wait.
Photos of Kira Isabella at Rock N Horse Saloon, Canadian Music Week 2019
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
In the last spot of the night, David James took the stage at the Rock 'N' Horse Saloon. The Winnipeg native came to the stage with a smile on his face, strapped on his guitar, and got on with the show.
The Cars, Girls, and the Radio, Downtown Kids, and Sun Set On It singer was in fine form on the small stage in Toronto. Fans sang along from the very start of the set, and things continued with great energy from there. David showed the growth in his presence and strength in his performance as he moves forward in his career. And as more radio success comes, more shows get booked on his schedule, and more fans are exposed to his music, that growth is sure to continue.
Related: Downtown Kids - David James Interview Feature
Whether David James is singing his own songs or breaking into a Led Zeppelin cover, he's putting on a show. And he made the most of his short trip to Toronto for Canadian Music Week with a set that entertained the audience, showed off his talent, and (we'd bet) convinced a bunch of folks to get tickets to see him again the next time he's in the area.
From What If I Don't to The One I Always Wanted, David James owned the room, and while the drinks flowed, the music played, and the Toronto country music fans had a good time, he was at the centre of it, right where he belonged.
