I cut Saturday at South Country Fair in the Fort Macleod Fish and Games Park short, July 20, because of weather.
Because as much as I love live music, I’m not willing to wade through mud and dodge rain to hear it, let alone take pictures in it.
Being on duty in the CKXU booth stationed in front of the south stage, I missed all of the awesome music happening on the east stage including Tara Warburton and Rancho Deluxe plus Edmonton’s Bad Buddy.
Luckily, Bad Buddy was part of “
There’s a Party Going on,” which was the workshop of the weekend, sharing the stage with Jack Garton and Demon Squadron, who also had an evening set on the south stage, and Revel in Dimes, who wound up Friday night.
Jack Garton and Demon Squadron are playing the Owl Acoustic Lounge, July 26 and are not to be missed especially if you like zydeco music and accordion music.
This workshop was worth getting soaked for. While most workshops have each participant taking turns playing a song each, for this one, each band played three songs in a row with everyone else playing along, which lead to a really special experience as the rain started pelting down.
They played a selection of originals and jammed on a couple of blues classics. It was going so well that Revel in Dimes lead singer Kia Warren quipped “ This is now our band. We’re taking them all on the road with us.”
Jack Garton was especially impressive , as he came flying out of the gate with the upbeat “ Too Much Jesus, Not Enough Whiskey,” during which he simultaneously played accordion and trumpet as well as singing.
They carried on with a massive jam on blues classic “ Shake, Rattle and Roll,” and “Hip Shake.”
Bad Buddy, which featured solo artist Alex Vissia on bass, played a quick set of loud, profanity laced fun, including a cover of the Beatles’ “ Helter Skelter,” which they joked they wrote.
Vissia switched from bass to guitar to sing a more ’50s doo woo wop style number.
Revel in Dimes played a more soulful bluesy set with a couple of really catchy, sassy numbers including “ You’ve Got to Go,” and K-I-S-S-I-N-G I Want to be with you,” before leading everyone in a jam on blues classic “Rolling and Tumbling.”
Before that though, there was a really interesting and informative performance of traditional Blackfoot dance and stories plus hoop dancing. The dances reflected The Blackfoot peoples’ close connection to nature, reflecting animals like prairie chickens, deerbears and butterflies.
After that Toronto songwriter Abigail Lapell, took the stage, noting this was the last Canadian stop on her tour before she goes to the United States.
She played a sedate set of solo guitar and heartfelt songs which referenced a little bit of blues, jazz and a lot of folk.
The rain really started to come down during Ryland Moranz’s set of upbeat, yet dark folk music. Coincidentally, or perhaps deliberately rain was a prominent theme of his lyrics. He joked “even in my happiest songs, at least one person dies.”
Moranz is always a pleasure to watch and hear as he is always so happy to be here as anywhere. He borrowed band mate Leeroy Stagger’s band to back him as he played his own music, and you can’t go wrong with that. A good sized cluster of hardcore fans in rain slickers, rubber boots and umbrellas gather in front of the stage to enjoy his music.
The weather is supposed to clear up for Sunday and the last day of the fair.
It will be a good one.
In Cahoots and the adult choir, who have been rehearsing all week, strut their stuff at 1:30 on the South stage.
Things get exotic with Los Pachamama Y Flor Amargo at 2 p.m.
Winnipeg folk quartet Leaf Rapids featuring Keri Latimer, who is from Lethbridge originally and used to be part of popular folk band Nathan play at 3:30 p.m.
And the Family Values workshop at 4:45 p.m. should be amazing as it features Captain Tractor who closed off Saturday night, Ryland Moranz and Leeroy Stagger.
The East stage is also solid, beginning at noon with the SCF Big Grass Jam.
They will be followed by B.C. blues and roots band Nasti Weather aka Ana Schlechleitner and the False Predictions followed by Edmonton singer songwriter Erin Kay.
Another excellent workshop closes off the east stage at 3:15 p.m., especially if you love old school blues and rock and roll. “Here for An Old Time,” features Petunia who was performing Saturday night plus Howlin Pete Cormier from Peter and the Wolves and Blue Moon Marquee.
Sunday
South Stage
noon Ntlt Workshop with Lise Schultz
1:30 p.m. Emcee Chris Wynters Adult Choir with In Cahoots
2 p.m. Los Pachamamay Flor amargo
3:15 slammers
3:30 p.m. Emcee John Wort Hannam
Leaf Rapids
4:45 p.m. Family Values workshop with Captain Tractor, Gillian Moranz, Ryland Moranz Leeroy Stagger
East Stage
noon Big Grass jam
1:30 Nasti Weather and the False Predictions
2:10 p.m. Erin Kay
3:15: Here for an old Time not a longtime workshop with Petunia, Howlin Pete Cormier, Blue Moon Marquee
Lotus land
9 a.m. Twin hearts Meditation and the 5 Tibetians with Kurt and Patti 10 a.m. 26 Foundational Yoga poses with Martha Affleck Sound Healing drum journey and Psoas release and Giselle Gilliard Lotus land
11 a.m. Orthobionomy with Dannard Willikso Lotus land noon Gorsa Detox Massage and Thai Massage basics with Sheena and Krit Niamjin
1 p.m. Healing energies and Massage Technique Mikka Corbeil Lotus land
2 p.m. BIG banishing for Big BS with Wendy Aikins Lotus land
Passes for Sunday are $40.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
