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Tue,
May 10, 2005
Canyon
kicks up fest
By DENIS ARMSTRONG,
Ottawa Sun
GEORGE Canyon
might well be the first TV talent search winner to make a career
out of it.
The Cape Breton
cowboy, who was on the bill with Alberta's Emerson Drive and Carolyn
Dawn Johnson, opened last night's Alberta Scene country music
showcase at the National Arts Centre with 30 minutes worth of
country rock that was as unpredictably fun as it was brief.
Damn, isn't
that the way it goes, the fun always goes fast, and if the ongoing
Alberta Scene festival needed some fun, this was it.
After weeks
of promising an eclectic variety of cultural events, last night's
rip-roaring barnburner of a gig with Canyon proved to be as good
an opportunity to kick up your heels, whether you were wearing
cowboy boots or Blundstones.
In the opening
warm-up position, Canyon got a rousing welcome from a half-filled
Southam Hall. With a leather jacket and wide-rimmed smile, Canyon
evidently is something of a favourite with the ladies. Why not?
Bearing an
uncanny resemblance to another George -- Clooney, that is -- and
a huge bass voice covering a vocal range as wide as The Statler
Brothers, the 34-year-old has become a household name since placing
second (to Brad Cotter) on last year's TV talent series Nashville
Star.
On stage,
he and his band of veteran session players rocked the house with
a good set of old standards and Canyon originals that fired up
the house.
Opening with
an early single, Good Day To Ride, Canyon went on to play sensitive
ballads and let-loose tunes perfect for linedancing, including
Hell or High Water, a cover of Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues,
One Good Friend, Never Do Better Than You, and the poignant My
Name, which the devoted father of two dedicated to "unborn
fetuses."
Initially,
he appeared a little nervous or light on showmanship, relying
instead on a steady, road-tested musicianship to read the audience.
Mind you,
he didn't have to look too far for clues, as flocks of Stetson-wearing
female fans had a hard time staying seated, actually dancing in
the aisles (horrors!) and waving adoring banners at him.
In return,
Canyon took what promised to be a milquetoast 30-minute set of
generic country and turned up the heat to deliver one solid, entertaining
set.
So don't expect
Canyon to go the way of all those other Idols. That isn't his
style, which is why he just might stick around for a long time.
Following
Canyon, Alberta's heartthrob Emerson Drive proved to be country's
version of The Backstreet Boys in a set as musically tight as
their jeans.
If that reference
captures their raw appeal, it's not to discredit their talent
in a smartly paced 40-minute set that was high on choreography
and instrumental solos.
GEORGE CANYON
NAC
'ROCKED HOUSE!'
-- DENIS ARMSTRONG
Sun Rating:
4 out of 5
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