Once again, Lethbridge musicians lent their hands and talents to help a good cause.
A successful fundraiser at the Smokehouse, May 21 raised $3,021.50 for the Salvation Army in Fort McMurray which included some folks who were evacuated from Fort McMurray.
It was another day long event, so I only caught a few acts playing during the afternoon.
I missed the Lethbridge Firefighters Pipes and Drums.
I arrived midway through a solo set from Oliver Wolffe, who was playing familiar hits from bands including Blue Rodeo and the Foo Fighters.
I mainly wanted to see the Calgary blues band Eric Braun Band as I keep missing their shows, and was somewhat surprised to hear them on more of a country kick. Frontman Eric Braun still played some blues though.
Lethbridge will be able to hear more when they play Casino Lethbridge, June 17 and 18. They started off smooth and funky with “After Midnight,” allowing Braun to show off some tasteful blues chops on guitar and received a lot of applause for it, then it was down to country classics including “ Whiskey River” and Johnny Cash’s “Cry, Cry, Cry.”
They wound up their set by showing off massive blues chops on a Phillip Sayce cover “ Out of My Mind.” A new band including Sheldon Arvay of Billie Vegas, Don Ponech on bass guitar and Ryan Dyck on drums featuring Alison Hawkins-Fehr and Andi Ceron alternating singing lead vocals on a loose set of familiar hits.
They began with Hawkins singing a fast version of Journey’s “Any way You Want It” and dove right into Elle King’s hit single “ Exes and Ohs.
Ceron did her best Michael Jackson impersonation on a cool cover of “Billy Jean,” as well as Tom Cochrane’s “Life Is A Highway. Then Hawkins-Fehr tackled AC DC’s “Highway to Hell.” They ended their set with Ceron and Hawkins-Fehr each taking turns singing a verse of Guns N Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” while drummer Ryan Dyck tossed his drumsticks in the air.
I only caught a few songs from Dory and the Weathermen, who played their usual strong set of rock, pop and country music.
They opened with “99 Problems” and one of my favourites Brandy Clark’s “Stripes.“
— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
