I usually let Sunday shows go by the wayside, but there are exceptions, like Cory Marquardt, who played a late starting show at Coyote Joes, April 10.
I was very impressed by his last Lethbridge show with Aaron Pritchett last year, so wanted to see what he could do with his own show. He sounded like a mix of Molly Hatchet and Jason Aldean, bringing out a whole lot of rock on his Les Paul, which he alternated with an acoustic guitar.
He and his band put both the rock and the country into Coyote Joes’ Rock and Country. He started strong by playing the tour namesake “ Don’t Count Saturday Night” and his first hit “ Smart Phone,” which attracted a few two-steppers. Then he dedicated the next song to the country girls in the audience before playing the title track of his debut CD “This Man” He followed it up with the new single “Nowhere With You.”
After that he tried out a new song “Your Kind of Trouble,” which was a hit with the audience.
He completely switched gears from that by giving his band a break and playing a couple classic country songs solo on acoustic guitar including some Merle haggard, which he dedicated to Haggard’s memory.
“Are there any real country fans out there, because I love that too, he said, introducing Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” after which he played another old country song he learned from his grandpa.
He brought the band back for some more rock and roll beginning with a big cover of Kings of Leon’s “Sex is on Fire.”
“The party is small, but it’s happening, he shouted gleefully and the band segued into “Footloose.”
He wound down his set with a selection of songs from his new CD including “ Take You Home Tonight, which he sent out to the pretty girls in the audience.
He finished his set with his big, anthemic hit “21.”
