The Peg

The Juno Concert Series enlist a number of local acts to play various Canadian music with money going to a music-related charity. The recent incarnation at The Horseshoe Tavern on Saturday night highlighted songs from musicians who came out of Winnipeg "the gateway to the West".

The show had a relatively early start with multiple sets anchored by a band and various guests joining them on stage. I was in a tired stupor after dinner and was dozing off and on. Combined with the Winter chill, it took several tries before I finally woke up fully and convinced myself to head out the door. So I missed the first set with The Harlequin and guests.

I arrived as Tonight's the Night (Neil Young) was being played. The second set had young band Harlan Pepper being the stage band. In fact, many "close to geriatric" audience remarked that they hardly looked old enough to shave. After they covered Don't Be Denied (Neil Young), Ridley Bent came on and ripped through an energetic version of his song Suicidewinder. Wait, can you pay tribute to your own song? He followed up with Guns Guns Guns (Guess Who). Del Barber came on for a song about Fort McMurray. Hmm, didn't sound like a tribute either. Most of the Peppers left so that the New Meanies can back their lead Damon Mitchell on 3 blistering numbers including Southern Man (Neil Young).

The next set had Cuff the Duke manning the stage. They were joined by Nikki Yanofsky on Undun (Guess Who). This 19-year-old, who mostly sang jazz-pop as a precocious teenager, had a big voice. The next guest was the highlight of the night. Randy Bachman of The Guess Who came doddering on stage. But he came alive once his guitar was properly set up. Bachman and Yanofsky did a sweet duet of These Eyes. But he really revved up the crowd (who actually was a bit tepid in cheering when he was announced) with blistering guitar solos alongside Ian Blurton on BTO songs Rock Is My Life This Is My Song, Stayed Awake All Night and hits American Woman and Takin' Care of Business.

It was a hard act to follow but Jeremy Fisher slowed things down with a melancholy tune. Neville Quinlan (NQ Arbuckle) also sang quieter songs. Refreshingly, he chose newer "Winnipeg" songs The Superman Song (Crash Test Dummies) with Miranda Mulholland and Blood's Too Rich (Luke Doucet). Cuff The Duke closed out the set with Powderfinger (Neil Young).

I headed home as the techies were setting up for the final set. I guess I wasn't as hardy as some of the "geriatrics". Though the crowd had thinned, many were still going strong with the boozing and whooping it up.