There’ll be a hot time in the old hall this Friday.
On the back loop of a Western Canada tour, the Steve Brockley Band will make a stop at Sunnybrae Hall – and they’re bringing some talented friends.
Named for singer-songwriter Steve Brockley, the band is also comprised of former Shuswap resident Leon Power and Eric Nielsen, a bass player and vocalist, who is making his Shuswap debut.
Power, who admits to singing once in a while, will play mandolin in Friday’s acoustic concert.
“We usually play electric, but for this show, we’re doing a single-mike, old-style concert like the old bluegrassers did,” Power says. “We don’t do them that often, but it’s a nice opportunity to play songs in a different format that maybe people haven’t heard before.”
Though it is apparent the band is part of the tradition of folk music, it can’t easily be defined by one sound or musical genre.
These musicians are able to take the style in new directions without making the audience feel uprooted.
Also in the tradition of J.J. Cale, Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan and Hank Williams, Vancouver musician Bob Sumner of the Sumner Brothers will make an appearance Friday night.
“I’ve toured with them and I’ve brought them up here a couple of times, so people are getting to know them,” Power says. “He’s (Bob) a really good songwriter and a great guitarist.”
Touring California with the Sumner Brothers led to a meeting with Friday night’s third act, Willy Tea Taylor.
On their first trip, the trio played in a cowboy town near Yosemite National Park, where they met and became good friends with Taylor.
“He blew us away. He plays an old four-string guitar and his presence on stage is unlike anyone I’ve ever seen,” raves Power. “He very simply sits down and plays his songs. It’s very captivating and you can really tell he’s lost in his songs.”
Since their first meeting, Taylor has spoken of coming to Canada, something Sumner was finally able to encourage for the last two shows on the Steve Brockley Band’s tour.
A Vancouverite for more than a year, Power says the move has been a stellar choice.
“I was lucky that a lot of friends over the years have moved there, so it was a pretty easy move,” he says. “I definitely miss the Shuswap, but there’s absolutely more opportunity. I am busy all the time.”
The April 11 show at Sunnybrae Hall begins at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 and tickets at $20 each are available at Acorn Music, Synergy Studio and the Shuswap Pie Company.