THUNDER BAY – James Boraski believes the local acts play a crucial role at the Thunder Bay Blues Festival.
While they don’t draw the attention of artists higher up on the bill, the Burton Cummings, 54-40s and Jann Ardens of the music world, as the opening act each day, Thunder Bay artists help set the tone, getting the audience back into the groove, facing a long day at Marina Park.
“That’s obviously our challenge, to get the crowd in here and get them fired up and give them a reason to come early,” said Boraski, whose band MomentaryEvolution opened the sold-out festival on Sunday, the final day of the three-day event.
It’s not always easy, especially on Day 3, he joked.
“Obviously, as I said from the stage, following Bryan Adams last night, I didn’t think there was going to be anybody here because there were about 8,000 people here last night, on their feet singing every song,” said Boraski, whose new lineup includes Bob Stewart on saxophone, Cale Wilson on lead guitar, Brad Rusnak on keyboards and vocals, Mark Soderline as the second lead guitar, Mike Carlson on bass and vocals and Tyler Manning on drums.
“I thought Sunday morning could be a little laid back, but I was amazed to see how many people were here.”
Boraski, who works at Fisheries and Oceans Canada by day, said he was thrilled to get another chance to grace the Blues Fest stage, especially after his last opportunity was unexpected interrupted and shortened by a storm, a weather event he incorrectly predicted during that set.
“The first two times I played I got to open the festival on a Friday night and that was a tremendous honour for us, to really get people into the groove of coming to party for the weekend,” he said. “Opening on a Sunday, that’s a first time for me, but essentially the same task for me. But look who’s coming behind me – Kenny Valdez, Dawn Tyler Watson, who won the International Blues Challenge, and then of course Jann Arden and Burton Cummings, some of the folks I grew up listening to.”
Valdez, the second act of the day, was equally happy to reacquaint himself with the Thunder Bay crowd.
“I’m so happy to be back,” he said. “It is so good to be back in the city with the coolest name in the world. Thunder Bay … You guys have fun last night? Listening to Bryan Adams? Come on now, come one now. I get it. It’s a Sunday. You’ve had three days of a party. You guys are a little wrecked. We’re here to wake your (butts) up.”
And wake up they did, particularly when the Hip Show, a tribute to the Tragically Hip, took the stage. Lead singer Matt Mattson does a bang-on impersonation of the late Gord Downie, down to the mannerisms that made him legendary in concert.
Dawn Tyler Watson fed on that, bringing the audience to its feet, a rarity with the sun still shining over the Thunder Bay waterfront.
Canadian hit-makers 54-40 delivered a set full of rock-radio hits, leading into Jann Arden`s Blues Fest debut, a hit with audience members young and old.
Burton Cummings, at the top of a long list of Canadian music legends closed out the festival, digging into his extensive catalogue of hits from his time in The Guess Who and his equally successful solo career.
