The Rotary Dragon Boat Festival is always a blast, even when battling spurts of rain. I caught a few different acts in between storms, June 21 and 22.
The Chinook High School rock and pop program played an impressive array of ’90s songs and classic rock, with a couple of different lead vocalists belting out beloved hits by the likes of Guns N Roses and Nirvana.
The main act of Friday night was the Chevelles.
They played their usual strong set of classic rock, opening with “The Boys Are back in Town,” “ Twilight Zone,” and a couple of Rolling Stones classic s “Gimmie Shelter” and “Sympathy For the Devil,” coming on top of each other.
I left as they went disco for a song or two.
I also caught a couple of acts on Saturday, June 22 at the rotary Dragon Boat Races.
I mainly wanted to catch local blues rock band Coda. I caught them in the middle of a heartfelt version of the Allman Brothers/ Govt. Mule’s song “Soulshine,” but they also put a bluesy stamp on “Hold on I’m Coming” and the Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride.”
They went classic rock with a cover of Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s last dance.
While Dory Rossiter and her band Horizon were setting up, not to mention trying to track down their bassist.
Global Drums
put on a spirited set in front of the stage of Caribbean music and more impressively a percussion powered version of Nirvana’s “Smell’s like Teen Spirit.”
I was just expecting a set of classic rock from Horizon, but was pleased to hear them branching out on a variety of different pop and rock songs powered by Dory Rossiter’s big voice.
Coda bassist Rick Maddeaux stepped up to fill in on the first couple of songs including a cool version of Barns Courtney’s “Fire.”
I’m really starting to appreciate Ottawa songstress Kathleen Edwards, so I was really pleased to hear Horizon cover Edwards‘ “ I Make the Dough.”
And I love their cover of Kacey Musgraves’ “Follow your Arrow, so I was excited to hear that as their bassist arrived and took over for “Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me.”
