Tom Phillips plays great show of honky tonking country

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I left a rare show from one of my favourite local musicians, Alyssa McQuaid early because I didn’t want to miss Calgary roots/ country musician Tom Phillips playing a sold out show at the Slice, Jan. 20.  with Medicine Hat’s Derek Hintz and steel guitarist “Wichita” TiTom Phillips and his band rock the Slice country style. Photo by Richard Amerym Herman.


 I caught the last few songs from Hintz which got the crowd warmed up with upbeat honky tonk and twangy country.
 Phillips and his band, Buck‘s Row were impressive.


Phillips, bassist Tim Leacock, lead guitarist Geoff Brock and drummer Ian Grant played an impressive show of country, roots and upbeat honky tonk music featuring plenty of  multi-part vocal harmonies and enough twang to keep the cowboys and would be cowboys dancing from the first song “Neon Rain,” which aptly set the tone for the night.

They played mostly original material and reworked covers ranging from country to new wave including a New Order cover, that sounded like originals and a few outstanding brand new songs including “Deep Blue,” a three chord country rocker which which Phillips said would be on his next CD.

He invited special guests up on stage to play with him including show organizer Ryan Dyck adding pedal steel guitar and vocalist Shaye Zadravec who was a prominent face throughout the first set. She often accompanies Phillips with her sister SidneyGeoff Brock asnd Tom Phillips. Photo by Richard Amery
There was plenty of hot, twangy guitar, soloing through the set. They ended their first set with “Blue Shadow,” a song he wrote about Billy Cowsill.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 19 December 2017 16:26 )