Country music is alive and well in Canada, and that was showcased on Jan. 17, as the Game On Tour made its Ottawa stop at the Algonquin Commons Theatre.
Playing another sold out show, the cross-Canada tour is headlined by the James Barker Band, and features Meghan Patrick and JoJo Mason as opening acts.
Based in Vancouver, Mason released his debut album, Both Sides of The Bar, in 2017.
“The shows are so much fun, I’ve got my opening slot and I bring the heat,” Mason said, talking about the tour. “We’re a solid trio, a solid pack of artists.”
Being the first act to take the stage, Mason fired up the crowd with his soul-infused style of country. Toward the end of his set, Mason showed off some of his other musical talents, such as beatboxing and rap. Fans clearly enjoyed his set, as many of them poured out of the theatre to wait in line to snap grab pictures and autographs from him.
Patrick was up next. Originally from Bowmanville, Ont., she moved to Nashville to pursue a career success in country music. Days before the Ottawa show, Patrick released her second album, Country Music Made Me Do It.
To use a quote from her first album, Patrick performed with “grace and grit.” She showed off her old-school outlaw country style by playing songs from both albums and by projecting her powerful voice.
The crowd sang along throughout the entire set, notably to “Be Country With Me” and “Bow Chicka Wow Wow.” She also treated the audience to passionate and emotional cover of “Jolene” by Dolly Parton, an all-time great classic country hit.
Patrick’s performance was outstanding. The crowd was pumped, everyone seemed to really love it, and once again, people eagerly waited outside after to meet her.
Finally, the James Barker Band closed off the night with a fun and lively headlining set. The country rockers from Lindsay, Ont. played through their entire debut EP, Game On, as well as a few new songs, including “Good Together,” which was officially released two days later.
The band stood out in both their full and laid-back acoustic songs, which they often played sitting at the edge of the stage to get extra close to the crowd. They also treated the audience crowd to a cover of “Hey Good Lookin’” by Hank Williams, one of the most influential country artists of all time.
Their encore consisted of a medley of popular covers, including “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers and “My Girl” by The Temptations. They concluded the show with their 2017 number one single, “Chills,” which the crowd enthusiastically stood up and sang along to.
The entire show served as a solid representation of the future of country music in Canada. The talent on stage combined with the enthusiasm of the max-capacity crowd, show that the genre is achieving higher levels of popularity, reaching new audiences of all ages, and is becoming more diverse, so that anyone can find a way to enjoy it.
Photo by Jeff Pelletier
