Johnny Reid’s Revival Tour that began on Feb. 26 in Sidney, B.C. made it’s way to Charlottetown, PEI on Friday night. Concert goers certainly got their money’s worth at Charlottetown’s Eastlink Centre.
The evening began with a heart-wrenching performance from two-time CCMA Award nominated, and Ontario native Jessica Mitchell. She performed an acoustic set of songs from her yet to be released full-length debut album, “Heart of Glass” such as “Bulletproof”, “Somebody’s Gonna Get Hurt”, and the very personal, “That Record Saved My Life.” While the album has yet to be released officially, concert goers had the privilege of being the first to purchase the album, myself being one of them and I would recommend it to anyone. It’s truly beautiful.
Not long after, Johnny Reid approached the stage like a fireball – hot, and full of burning intensity! It’s safe to say that the moment Reid’s feet touched the stage at Eastlink Centre, he never stopped until the last note of the night was sung. He brought with him his incredibly talent band of musicians and backup singers – The Soul Providers, and played many of his greatest hits like, “Fire It Up”, “Today I’m Gonna Try to Change The World” “A Woman Like You” and “Dance With Me”, but he also played songs from his latest album “Revival” such as “Whiskey Kisses” at which time he was joined on stage by Jessica Mitchell for a moving, an emotional performance. You couldn’t pin point a genre if that night you tried. There was quite literally a little bit of everything for anyone who attended – Rock, Pop, Big Band, Soul, Country, Traditional – you name it, they played it and the audience LOVED it!
A real treat came when Canadian powerhouse Glass Tiger joined Johnny and his band on stage during the show’s mid point. The band performed their biggest smash hits “Animal Heart,” “Someday,” Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone” and “My Town”. These songs, however, were performed with an incredible twist. While, most of these songs already had many Celtic and Traditional elements implanted,earlier this year the group worked with Johnny Reid on a project titled “31” that re-imagined these treasured hits in a purely traditional sense. That meant incorporating the sound of pipes, the bodhran, and fiddles that brought these songs to a whole new light. Hearing them live made you feel like you were at rockin’ ceilidh and here on the East Coast we’re no stranger to a good party! They concluded their set with with a single from “31” titled “Wae’ Your Family” to which Johnny joined them and brought the house down. The beautiful “flourish” to the song came when Reid and Glass Tiger front man, Alan Frew transitioned into an a capella rendition of the Scottish anthem, “Flower of Scotland.”
The Revival Tour concludes in Newfoundland this week with a performance tonight at Cornerbrook’s Civic Center and concluding in St. John’s at Mile One Center.