The Slice had a great turnout on a chilly Sunday, Dec. 23 as Rob Ursel and the Burning Sensations and Rancho Deluxe played their own bran
d of country folk and roots, taking turns playing a set each. Rob Ursel played the first set, backed by drummer Brad Brouwer and a stand-up bassist.
Ursel played several catchy original country/ folk songs including a highlight about low flying planes and bales of cocaine and several songs about living in Southern Alberta and Saskatoon. His voice sounded similar to John Wort Hannam’s voice, but his subject matter was definitely more gritty.
Rancho Deluxe featuring George Arsene on vocals, backed by Tyler Bird on stand-up bass, Taylor Ackerman on lead guitar, Brad Brouwer on drums and Ryan Dyck adding extra pedal steel guitar, played an array of original songs plus Cross Canadian Ragweed’s “Carney Man,” “Old Number Six,” and others.
They changed up Fred Eaglesmith’s snowplow driver ode “Cumberland County” to “Lethbridge County,” and brought back one of my favourite covers— the D-Rangers’ “Trois Riviéres.”
Ursel hit his stride in the second set, beginning with a catchy song called “The Power of Positive Drinking.”
“Everyone is a Whore” is always enjoyable and he even threw in some gospel by playing “This Train is Bound For Glory,” before calling it a night.
— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
