I got to relive a few of my happier days in Kenora as Yukon folk musician Gordie Tentrees stopped by the Slice, April 24 with Winnipeg punk bluegrass band the D-Rangers ” Jaxon Haldane who opened the show. They deserved three times as many people than those who showed up for an outstanding show.
The now Oklahoma City based Haldane always had a way with a weird lyric and showed it as he sang heartfelt, dark, disturbing stories accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. “Crystal,” a story about crystal meth addiction was a highlight of the set as was a newer song “They Don’t Build Shit to last long Anymore” which reminded me of Ben Sures.
Haldane played bright acoustic guitar which touched on rock and folk music. He covered some Willie P Bennett by request as well before stepping out of the spotlight for Gordie Tentrees.
Unfortunately I only caught Gordie's second set.
Haldane joined Gordie Tentrees for his set, playing a different instrument on each song including mandolin, cigar box guitar, banjo and musical saw.
The second set included songs from all of his albums. One of the many highlights form his latest “ Less is More” was “Deadbeat Dad.”
In addition to a lot of new songs, he played some songs from the beginning of his career including “Faded and Flow,” an a great song from his last CD about being single in the Yukon called “Hill Country Blues” which he introduced by cracking an old joke about how having all your original teeth makes you a catch in the Yukon.
Tentrees played some sweet, slide guitar on “Tucson” which was a highlight.
As always, Tentrees was a personable, quirky and entertaining storyteller.
He had a touch of blues lots of folk and played some sweet fingerpicking as he ended with one of his very first songs about trains.
