The Bridgette Yarwood band returned to the Slice, Friday, Feb.4 to share a bill with local Tragically Hip tribute the Hip Trip.
The Bridgette Yarwood band, including Bridgette Yarwood , singing lead vocals, playing some acoustic a guitar and keyboards, bassist Ian Morrice, lead guitarist Mel Gaydos and drummer Beau Sommerfeldt raced through a set of well worn country and rock covers.
They played Gretchen Wilson’s “Here for the party” and Journey’s “ Any Way You Want It” about twice as fast as the originals. Yarwood was just delighted to be back on stage as she completely lost her voice a few weeks ago due to illness. She definitely got her voice back, showing impressive range and immense power.
She bounced and strutted around the stage alternating between playing acoustic guitar and keyboards and just singing.
Lead Guitarist Mel Gaydos gave her a bit of a break as he sang Pagliaro’s “ What The Hell I’ve Got.”
Yarwood showed off her more soulful side on a cover of Amy Winehouse’s cover of the Zutons’ “Valerie.”
They returned to the rock with a cover of CCR’s “Born on the Bayou” and went a little more modern with Jets’ “Are You Gonna Be My Girl.”
They wound down their short set with with another Gretchen Wilson song “ Here For the Party” and a beautiful cover of “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” and Adele’s “Rolling In the Deep,” which once again showed off Yarwood’s powerful pipes before making way for the Hip trip. But they were called back for an encore of “Hard to Handle.”
The Bridgette Yarwood band host Honkers Pub’s Friday night open mic.
The Hip Trip aka guitarist Mark Hall, drummer Raz Bruce and bassist Jack Horne played their usual solid set of Hip favourites. Gabe Thaine was doing his best Gord Downie impression.
They ended the set I heard with a deeper cut “ I’ll Believe In You (Or I’ll Be Leaving You tonight)” from their 1989 album “ Up To Here”
Gabe Thaine played a couple Hip songs on acoustic guitar including “38 Years Old.”
I missed most of their first set because I wanted to check out a new band at the Owl Acoustic Lounge.
— By Richard Amery L.A. Beat Editor