The Allied Arts Council kicked off their new Thursday afternoon concert series Upside Downtown with a performance by Shaela Miler and her band, July 29.
I only caught the last hour of it, but Miller, playing a Telecaster ran though the music of her entire career to date.
She was backed by a crack band of Ryan Skinny Dyck on steel guitar, Taylor Ackerman on lead guitar, Paul Holden playing bass and Tyler Bird on drums and background vocals.
I arrived during one of my newfavourites “ Hard Knock upside My Head.”
“Jukebox” was a highlight, showing off Miller’s smooth, impassioned voice, which has only improved with age.
Taylor Ackerman added solos and baritone guitar and a cool double neck Danelectro guitar.
In addition out originals, they also played some classic country including some Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash deep cuts.
She would down the show with “Half Way In Love,” then dug really deep for a couple of old crowd favourites from her early days including “Station,” and another older song for which she welcomed Jon Martin on stage to add some solos on her Telecaster.
She ended with another popular cover “Thanks A Lot.”
– by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat editor