Festival in the Park, held at the King George Park in Canora on July 20, featured a variety of different music for a wide range of musical tastes.
The open mic segment provided an opportunity for musicians and groups from Canora and surrounding area to display their talents.
Whitesand River Band performed together for the first time. The group is made up of Gillian Rice (vocals, keyboard), Glen Leson (vocals, guitar) and Grant Dutchak (drums), all of Canora. Other members of the group are Hank Okrainetz of Sheho (bass) and Dan Stacheruk of Yorkton (violin.)
They played mainly country covers and other old-time music. Rice delivered a spot-on cover of Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots are Made For Walkin’. Other other numbers included: I Fall to Pieces, Bye Bye Love, Ring of Fire, Honky Tonk Man, and Orange Blossom Special.
A highlight of the evening was the appearance of Rice’s three-year-old son Lowell, who gave an energetic rendition of the children’s favourite, Baa Baa Black Sheep.
Another talented young performer who appeared during open mic was Payton Hudye, an acoustic performer and Grade 10 student at Canora Composite School. She played the ukulele and sang Riptide by Vance Joy, accompanied by Evan Kushneruk (vocals, guitar.)
The final open mic performance came from Prairie Revolt, a local hard rock group that was formed recently.
Members of the group are: Kushneruk, his brother Eric (drums), Colin Knight (vocals), Mathew Tourand (bass) and Jeremy Negraeff (lead guitar.)
As Knight explained at the beginning of the set, “We do music that probably rocks harder than what many of you are used to.”
He originally said they would perform five or six songs, but the set kept getting longer and longer because loyal fans continually demanded “one more song.”
The songs included Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down, Blitzkrieg Bop by Ramones and a thundering version of Metallica’s Enter Sandman.
In addition to open mic, a number of other musical acts entertained during the festival. The Old Country Lads played their unique brand of old-time country music. Group members are: Rodney Flunder of Yorkton (guitar), Lorne Procyshen of Yorkton (tsymbaly), Stan Popowich of Yorkton (violin) and Orville Drobot of Mikado (accordion.)
Folk rock artist Nick Faye of Regina shared his talent of combining storytelling and musicianship. Even though he was the only performer on stage, along with his acoustic guitar, he created a full sound for those in attendance.
Faye said he is somewhat familiar with this region, since his father used to farm in the Foam Lake/Kelliher area.
“But this is my first time in this park,” said Faye. “It’s very beautiful.”
He performed a number of his original songs, including Told You, Diamond. “It’s about when I was chasing something I thought was important. But then I met someone special, and suddenly my priorities changed,” he recalled.
Hold Me Back was inspired by a night when he performed in Kindersley. After the show he went to a party and nearly got in a fight with a guy who apparently didn’t like the way Faye was looking at him.
Faye went on to perform Whispers, a song he wrote “after a typically intense prairie thunderstorm, when the skies clear and the sun comes out and its really muggy.”
He rounded out the set with a number of covers, including Slide by Goo Goo Dolls, Save Tonight by Eagle-Eye Cherry and Lovers in a Dangerous Time, originally written and recorded by Bruce Cockburn, and later covered by Barenaked Ladies.
The final performance of the evening was by Cover 2 Cover, featuring lead singer Catie St. Germain.
The group played a mix of country and rock covers which appeared to appeal to those at the festival.
The group’s set included: Bad Moon Rising and Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Somebody Like You by Keith Urban, No One Needs to Know by Shania Twain, Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar, Hard to Handle by The Black Crowes, Boot Scootin’ Boogie by Brooks & Dunn and Footloose by Kenny Loggins.
