Photos by Aaron Brown Photography, Article by Melanie Macpherson
Thursday, May 16 The Capitol Music Club's 10th Anniversary celebration continued with an intimate affair, bringing together a small but enthusiastic crowd for a night of powerful performances. The evening featured Saskatchewan based country artists Teagan Littlechief and Darryl Anderson.
Anderson kicked off the night with a solo acoustic set that showcased his versatility and vocal range. It took a couple of songs for him to fully settle into his stride, and at one point he joked good naturedly about forgetting lyrics you’ve sung a million times. Once he let loose and opened up, Anderson's voice revealed its true potential. His voice was powerful enough that the microphone was almost unnecessary as he moved effortlessly between bluesy growls, honky-tonk twang and classic rock wails. "My Old Truck", which was written about a bullet hole decorated ‘69 Ford half ton and "Shots at the Bar," were relatable and well-crafted songs. Anderson's choice of covers really highlighted his vocal strength. His rendition of "Tennessee Whiskey," requested by Littlechief herself, brought out Anderson’s soulful side. His surprisingly wonderful mashup of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" and The Beatles' "Come Together" was a ton of fun. And for his final song, Anderson invited Littlechief on stage for a light-hearted, yet powerful duet of "Proud Mary," getting the audience pumped for her upcoming set.
Littlechief took the stage with a full backup band, including Morgan Turk on lead guitar,
Anthony Kelly on rhythm guitar, Vern Nixon on Bass, and Neil Coghill. The band played with the ease and comfort that only years of experience can bring. Littlechief performed a mix of original songs and covers that let her show off her insanely powerful voice. The set started with original music, including the deeply personal "Need You to Go" the infectious and danceable "Song We Can Sing To," and the search for paradise in “Shangri La” allowing her to gradually shed any lingering nerves. By the time she broke into "Independence Day" by Martina McBride, Littlechief's voice soared, and the audience got a full dose of what they had come for. Once she let loose the reins and let her voice free all we could do was hang on tight and enjoy the ride. Her powerful rendition of "Unchained Melody" was an absolute highlight of the night, eliciting all the goosebumps and showcasing her incredible range. Littlechief ended the evening with a fierce and commanding performance of Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee," proving that her voice truly is a force of nature.
Despite the modest audience size, both artists delivered performances that laid it all out. It was an all out vocal powerhouse event that left a lasting impression and one I’m glad I got to be a part of.
If you are one of the unfortunate who has yet to experience these two artists, then you need to fix that. Littlechief will be performing throughout the summer at festivals such as Dog Patch, Bow Valley Jamboree, Sākihiwē Festival, as well as some acoustic sets at Saskatchewan Country Music Awards week. She will also be working on writing with Aaron Goodvin, so we can expect some new music in the not too far distant future. Anderson has shows coming up this summer in Saskatoon, Humboldt, Radisson and Allan so find one close to you and check him out as well. You won’t regret it.
