Toby Keith Rocks Vancouver with Star Opener: Vancouver's Jessie Farrell.

It’s amazing how music can characterize people; I like to think it doesn’t, but then that’s just me- just because I went to last night’s Toby Keith concert, and had a blast, doesn’t mean I am a redneck. Just as Toby said at the end of his performance 'hier soir,' “It’s okay to be patriotic.” I am not so patriotic, but I heard ol’ Toby went postal last tour on his Winnipeg stop. He bashed Canadian fans for not supporting the war; BS, however… We all know about Toby Keith and his Dixie Chicks fiasco, which I would like to believe was just something that happened in the heat of the moment.

 

I love country music, I try to spend most of my free time playing it on the guitar. Last night  GM Place was packed with eager ‘patriotic fans’ having the time of their lives, no bullshit like with a house music crowd- completely unpretentious. I had 3rd row floor seats, and had no trouble running into plenty of my old grade school pals scattered out haphazardly on the floor (some right next to me, only in Vancouver!) Not to mention my main man, with whom I grew up playing guitar, playing baseball, and causing shit from grades 1 through 12. He is now the lead guitarist for one of Canada’s up and coming Country Music sweethearts: The beautiful Jessie Farrell. She opened for Big, Badass and "Badder," American Toby, and will continue to open for all of Toby's Canadian Tour dates. I guess that also had something to do with why I went, to see my brotha’ Tucker, and to tell Farrell to keep that beautiful hair of hers red: It’s a lot better then those dreads you had years ago, actually she never had dreads…

This begs the question how did a folk/ rock singer like Farrell go country, hmmmm, $???? The Economist World Issue 2007 claims that Country Music forms the worlds biggest and most profitable music market; it runs over 50 million people who still buy CD's, and have larger disposable incomes than most of the predominantly North American music marketshare as a whole. I guess the yokels haven't figured out about computers! Another unbelievable generalization on my part! Sure hicks use computers... Like I love house music. If that point isn't clear to you it just shows how diverse of a society we have; I hope it makes sense.

I hope they hit Nashville, good luck to them, g-dspeed. It’s amazing that Vancouver and it’s environs manages to produce artists like Jessie Farrell (from Kerrisdale) and the Canadian Tour's other well known opening act, Aaron Prichett (Langley). Hold my beer! Who would have thought certain Canadian's love country music. Are we really a bunch of hicks? I think not! The radio format is in fine monetary form.

Good for Farrell, her and her crew landed a dream gig that the entire band has worked extremely hard to get, in each of their individual music careers. They are opening for all the Canadian stops on Toby's tour! And congrats on your latest CCMA award- now all you need is it's American counterpart- it's been done (Emerson Drive, George Canyon), just make good use of that sweet sassy redhair! "How does the [world] like you now, now that your on your way... I [am tryin to help] write your number on the fifty yard line T. Keith."

If you don't know who Farrell "is now" tune in to your local country station, primarily in Canada, for now.

I leave you with some great, shitty (real shitty) camera phone footage, and a few stills I got.

 

LL.