Thomas Rhett and MacKenzie Porter co-host this year’s edition of the Canadian Country Music Awards at Rogers Place on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m
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Country music is going to be inescapable in Edmonton over the next week.
Yes, we’re well aware that this is true in any given week in the city, but for the next seven days, the genre will be especially present during Country Music Week. A spinoff of the Canadian Country Music Awards, which takes place at Rogers Place on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.
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Country Music Week celebrates our domestic twang with a whole host of activities, both free and ticketed. This is the first time that Country Music Week has been back in Edmonton since it hunkered down for two years in 2013 and 2014, so this will be especially exciting as Alberta shows off a new class of roots music talent to the nation.
CCMA Country Crawl
The CCMA Country Crawl has already begun, but there are still plenty of up-and-coming acts to check out around town. Best of all, they’ll be playing for free, though maybe you should consider buying whatever merch they might be lugging along to help them in their musical endeavors. You can find the complete list at the CCMA site, but here are a few highlights:
On Tuesday, the Blue Chair Cafe, located at 9624 76 Ave., has Keira Myer, Jennie Harluk, Jaryn Friesen, and Jay Gavin at 8 p.m., while Kate Reid, Brettyn Rose, Cynthia Hamar, and Clayton Bellamy set up shop across town at the Backyard, on 10004 103A Ave. Looking for something a little more on the alt side? Soho at 11454 Jasper Ave is presenting a bill featuring Jody Shenkarek and Hot Kindlin” plus Justin Sutton & North Of 49, with a 9 p.m. start.
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Rolling over into Wednesday, The Black Dog Freehouse at 10425 82 Ave. Alberta will be flaunting their alt-country best with Booker Diduck & His Cribbage Club, The Give ‘Em Hell Boys, and Amy Nelson, starting at 8 p.m. You’ll probably be tired by the time Thursday night comes around, but you can’t stop just yet.
Justin LaBrash will be performing at the JW Marriott Lobby Bar, located at 10344 102 St., for a 2 p.m. show while Teagan Liitlechief follows up at 3 p.m.
Kelsi Mayne is on the Prairie West Pop-Up Market at EPIC Market stage at 3 p.m., with Megan Dawson continuing on just after at 4 p.m. Carter Felk and Jacquie Daniels hold up the beer quotient of the genre with a 6 p.m. show at Bent Stick Brewing, 9926 78 Ave., while the Denim Daddies and the Dust Collectors take over 9910, located at 9910 109 St., at 9 p.m. Say that five times fast.
Feeling woozy yet?
Throw on that Budweiser cowboy hat you found at the bar, have a shot of Jack for Friday night, and head over to River City Revival House, 10030 102 St., for a bill featuring Rosina Cove, Angelica Appelman, and Jade Hilton starting at 11 p.m. If you’re out earlier in the day, opt for apple juice and seek out the Cask & Barrel, 10041 104 St., for a 3 p.m. show that features Ryan Langlois, Son of John, and Paige Penney. Saturday is when the main event hits, but if you’re out earlier you might want to check out any number of fine artists at Delta Edmonton Centre Suites District 102 Drink + Eatery at 10222 102 St,. including Ryan Keown, Emma Peterson, Kendra Kay, and Jordan Pollard.
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Songwriters Unplugged
Curious as to how your favourite country music songwriters came up with those wry and witty lines about drinking beer, blue jeans, and trucks? Check out the three-part CCMA Songwriters Unplugged, as Hailey Benedict, Brad Rempel, Jason McCoy, Jake Vaadeland, Ben Chase, Parker Graye, Shantaia, and The Washboard Union allow fans to hear the songwriting process. Taking place Wednesday through Friday at the Triffo Theatre Allard Hall, 11110-104 Ave.
Tickets are $29.99, available in advance from the CCMA website.
Top of the Country
You won’t need to pay but you do need to RSVP for Wednesday night’s SiriusXM Top of the Country Finale Concert at Cook County Saloon, 8010 Gateway Boulevard. The show, which will be headlined by Mackenzie Porter, features performances by Robert Adam, Trudy, and Zach McPhee, finalists for a $25,000 grand prize.
The free event kicks off at 8 p.m.
CCMA Legends Show presented by CFCW
On Thursday night, the Winspear will be overloaded with Canadian country music royalty as the CCMA Legends Show brings together rising and current country stars like Gord Bamford, Hailey Benedict, Patricia Conroy, Dan Davidson, Jade Eagleson, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Brett Kissel, Kalsey Kulyk, Duane Steele, Tenille Townes, Michelle Wright. Kissel and Johnson are hosting this star-studded evening, which starts at 7:30 p.m.
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Tickets start at $41.99 and are available in advance from the CCMA website.
Canadian Country Music Awards
Finally, the main act. Thomas Rhett and MacKenzie Porter co-host this year’s edition of the Canadian Country Music Awards at Rogers Place on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.
They’ll be performing as well, along with several artists including Dasha, Jade Eagleson, Brett Kissel, Madeline Merlo, The Reklaws, Owen Riegling, Josh Ross and Julia Michaels, Dallas Smith, Tenille Townes, Jake Worthington, and more.
Notable Alberta acts competing for awards include Grande Prairie’s Tenille Townes, who is up for Female Artist of the Year, and JJ Shiplett, whose A Way Through Time is up for Alternative Country Album of the Year. Other nominees include MacKenzie Porter, High Valley, Lindsay Ell, Chris Buck Band, Gord Bamford, Tim & The Glory Boys, Brett Kissel, Cooper Alan, Hailey Benedict, Aaron Goodvin, The Prairie States, Lisa Dodd, Lisa Jacobs, Justin Kudding, Spencer Cheyne, and Brendan Lyons,
If we’re going to go all home team on this, however, the most exciting news of all is the reunion of k.d. lang and The Reclines, who are getting back together for the first time in 35 years to perform.
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Rumour has it that they’ll be playing Big Boned Gal from their 1989 album Absolute Torch and Twang. An excellent song to refresh our memories on just how great that band was, but if they’re taking suggestions we’d like to gently nudge them towards Watch Your Step Polka (from Angel With a Lariat) or perhaps Bopalena, and show these Johnny come lately’s what a true weirdo outlaw sounds like.
Tickets for the Canadian Country Music Awards are $51 and up, available in advance from Ticketmaster.
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