Lots of twang with Blake Berglund and Quinton Blair

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There was a whole lot of twang at the Slice on Thursday night, Feb. 26 as Blake Berglund and the Vultures stopped by for their first visit for approximately 30 people.


 Manitoba country musician, Quinton Blair, doing double duty as lead guitarist for Saskatchewan’s  Blake Berglund, opened up the show with a set of  acoustic originals and a few choice covers.Blake Berglund and the Vultures entertaining  with twangy country music. Photo by Richard AmeryQuinton Blair singing his original songs. photo by Richard Amery


 I only caught the last couple of songs in his set, but his deep, raspy voice not to mention full beard reminded me a little bit of Kenny Rogers with just a touch of Kris Kristofferson, one of Blair’s idols. He ended his set with an excellent version of “Me and Bobby McGee” by thanking the audience for letting him get up on stage and pretending to be Kris Kristofferson.


 Things got plugged in and turned up loud with Blake Berglund and the Vultures.
The Vultures started with a slower song then picked up the pace as Telecaster wielding guitarists Bryce Lewis and Quinton Blair locked in.


Berglund began his set by telling a story about hanging out and writing with Juno nominee Del Barber and getting recognized as “that guy” at the wrong show in Toronto. He followed it up with a song he co-wrote with Barber called “Funny Thing About Leaving You.” 
 His show was equal parts toe tapping, two stepping, twangy country and storytelling.

He prefaced one of the show’s highlights “ Me and Trav” by telling a story about being in a punk band when he was 17 and bringing his 14-year-old friend Trav on the road to do their sound.


Several of his songs were part spoken word and partly sung, which gave the band a sound similar to Ridley Bent.
 “ Pretty Good Guy” was a highlight midway through the show.
He danced and weaved  and sang.


 Quinton Blair played the title track of his CD “ Blues Man” backed by Berglund’s band, then Lewis played some really  beautiful guitar licks on “Moose Mountain”  about horseback riding near Berglund's hometown which had a Corb Lund feel. They ran the show to a sweaty heat and brought the show to a head with  several whiskey drenched two steppable highlights including “ Word’s Getting Around,” and ended their show with “ Get off the Table Mabel (The Money’s for the Beer).”
 But they were called back for an encore of Mark Chestnut’s “The Big D,” Waylon Jennings “ Daddy’s Gonna Walk The Line” and  Merle Haggard’s  “ Working Man  Blues,” which featured Berglund and Blair taking turns singing each of the verses.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 04 March 2015 12:33 )