Calgary country musician Julian Austin always puts on a fun show of modern country music and countrified classic rock puts on a fun show. So I was glad I caught some of it, April 17. Unfortunately I missed local opening act The Old Man River band. 
I arrived as Austin kicked into his country fried version of Queen’s “ Fat Bottomed Girls.”
He had a lot of couples dancing to “ Forever Loving You,” and as a special treat, invited local country musician Trevor Panczak on stage to sing a couple cool duets with him including Glenn Campbell’s “ Rhinestone Cowboy” and Hank Williams Jr.’ “ Family Tradition.”
Each took turns singing a verse on “Family Tradition,” though Austin was happy to play in the background, letting Panczak take centre stage for “Rhinestone cowboy.”
Austin’s originals are always excellent. A highlight was his flag waving tribute to the Canadian Armed Forces’ “ Red and White.”
He showed his Maritimes roots, not to mention his huge voice on a rousing a cappella version of “Barrett’s Privateers.”
And it was time for more covers after that as he started with “Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee” and dipped into the well of classic rock for covers of“On the Cover of the Rolling Stone,” The Eagles’ “Take it Easy,” Justin Moore’s “ Small Town USA” and an encore of Steve Miller’s “ Take the Money and Run.”
