FEMMES AND LADY ANTEBELLUM AT BLUESFEST
Solid sets from opposite ends of the spectrum
LADY ANTEBELLUM Bell stage Reviewed Sunday
The multi- Grammy winning country-pop group Lady Antebellum opened their headlining Sunday show with the danceable, optimistic Compass. They probably could have sung When the Saints Go Marching In and got the same wild audience response.
The trio — Hillary Scott and the charming Charles Kelley on lead vocals with multi-instrumentalist Dave Haywood on background vocals — could do no wrong. Their new single Bartender, 2011’s ode to chastity (at least in the early stages of a relationship) Just a Kiss, 2007’s Love Don’t Live Here: the sprawling crowd soaked it up.
Even the badly mixed Dancing Away with My Heart, with the bass too loud and vocals distorted, didn’t faze Lady A’s fans.
The band steers a safe path up the middle of the road, netting them a large fan base and shows of consistent quality but not a lot of excitement. If they were investment advisers, they’d tell you to put your money into GICs.
As deadline loomed, the trio was well into a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Rhiannon, with lead guitarist Jason (Slim) Gambill in the spotlight.
Earlier in the evening and as if on cue, clouds began gathering as country singer Tim Hicks opened his mainstage show with Here Comes the Thunder. Like most of his music, the rumbling tune isn’t shy about its heavy bottom end and no-nonsense beat.
Unlike a storm, Hicks — from southern Ontario — is a likable, crowd-conscious sort. By the time he’d finished his second tune, the swampy Greasy John Deere Cap, he was snapping photos of the crowd. He bounced red-and-white beach balls into the audience and squeezed in a happy birthday to a fan before tackling Dust and Bone from his upcoming album 5:01.
Hicks, 34, is a relative newcomer to country music, releasing his Juno-nominated debut album Throw Down just two years ago. He doesn’t have a deep catalogue, and much of his set, including the good-naturedly patriotic Stronger Beer, came from his first album.
If Hicks maintains his current combination of solid music, that catalogue will mushroom.
In a festival rich with country acts including Blake Shelton on opening night, Missouri’s David Nail also played the main stage earlier on Sunday; he favours minimal stage presence and country rock of the overstated variety.
Also on Sunday: a memorable showing by retro blues rockers Vintage Trouble on the River stage. The band played the Black Sheep stage Saturday. Much as we love these two venues, the furiously good Vintage Trouble merits a bigger space and audience. MANY MORE BLUESFEST REVIEWS, PI CTURES AND NEWS CAN BE F OUND AT OTTAWACITIZEN.COM