It’s always fun to see an up and coming band in a small club when you just know they’re going to break it big and soon.

Jo Hikk, a Calgary based band, who already gets regular play  on country radio across Canada thanks to a string of hits including “My Kind of Radio” and their cover of the Stampeders’ “Sweet City Woman” played to  perhaps 30 people at Average Joes, Aug. 22. They showed they have serious live chops and know how to sing a song with a touch of country, southern rock and all kinds of things.

 The played all of their hits and introduced their catchy, almost Spanish flavoured latest single “Dancing with the Devil’s Daughter.”

 They sounded tight and bassist/singer Kelly Sitter sounded like a countrified Rob Thomas all the while looking a little  like Brad Paisley. Keyboardist  Don Jorgensen brought out the mandolin for a cover of Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road” and lead guitarist  Kenny Sitter took a turn on lead vocals for a credible cover of my favourite song, Doucette’s “Mama Let Him Play,” though the keyboard seemed out of place in that song.

 They ended their set with an amped up version of their break-out hit “Pimp My Tractor” which is on one of  the Big Rock’s music compilation CDs then were called back for an encore of “New Orleans is Sinking.”