by Scott Roos
This holiday season, join Jake Vaadeland and his band The Sturgeon River Boys for the “Goodness Gracious It’s Christmas” tour, a celebration of bluegrass, rockabilly, and heartfelt country influences wrapped up in a festive package. This one-of-a-kind Christmas concert promises to be an unforgettable musical experience, filled with classic holiday favorites, fresh original tracks, and a whole lot of warmth and joy. Fans can expect a unique blend of holiday cheer and musical virtuosity that only Vaadeland and his talented band can provide.
The “Goodness Gracious It’s Christmas” tour kicks off December 5th in North Battleford, and Vaadeland promises to deliver something special with every performance.”I'm really looking forward to (this tour) because, it's gonna be, not that every show we do isn't a little bit unique, but for the most part, we polish up what we do, and we make sure we put on a good show that people are familiar with every time,” Vaadeland told NSMZ in a recent telephone interview, “But I am excited to kinda do something a little bit different that'll also be polished up, but kinda just a different take on it, a Christmas take on it. We're gonna have a whole stage set that we're really excited to show people... we're gonna sorta have a very homey, comforting, Christmas style stage set on stage that will sorta change up the mood and the visuals (compared to what we normally do).” From the setlist to the stage design, everything seems like it will be carefully crafted to make this show stand out as a festive musical event like no other.
Vaadeland’s love for the holiday season runs deep, and he is especially excited to share his two new holiday songs with his Canadian audience that were recently released. One of the tracks, “Jingle Bell Rock”, is a fresh, rockabilly-infused rendition of the classic . The other new song,“Beautiful Star of Bethlehem,” holds significant personal meaning for Jake.
“When I used to go to church out in Park Valley in the country, that's close to Big River there, around Christmas time, Ira Amundson, the fellow I used to work with, his grandfather who's passed away now, that was his favorite song, and he was really good at singing it. And we would always sing that around Christmas time, and all the women and men in the church had their own parts to sing in the song. And, you know, people would sing harmonies and stuff, and it always sounded so great. And I loved it when they'd sing that song at Christmas time,” Vaadeland explains, “ (So when it came time for me and the guys to record it) I decided to just sing it more naturally like (Ira’s grandfather) at the age of, say, 90 or 91, the way he would stand up to sing it. So I did wanna include that one because it sort of is in my childhood and my family history and sort of the so-called culture in the area, I guess, you could call it, of where I come from in Saskatchewan".
For Vaadeland, this tour isn’t just about playing Christmas songs—it’s about creating a unique experience that makes each performance feel like a shared celebration. “I do love being a musician, and I love being an entertainer more than that and making people smile and trying my best. And it really stresses me out at night thinking about that and making sure I've made people happy and made a bit of a difference. I don't just wanna be putting on a show that people are buying tickets to and then going home and forgetting about it just for something to do,” Vaadeland explains, “My dream is that (my shows will) be life changing for somebody or everybody that bought tickets.”
Vaadeland is also thrilled to announce the addition of a new member to his band: bassist Jake Smithies hailing from England. “Yes, he’s our new full-time guy,” he reveals. “We just flew him over for a 3-day tour…. This fellow from Europe has fit in really well, and we’re gonna do our best to make sure he can be here for all the shows that we do, and he will be here for the Christmas tour as well.” While it may sound like a big logistical challenge to have a bass player flying in from Europe, Vaadeland emphasizes that it’s all worth it. “We have him here because he is one of the best bass players I’ve ever heard or laid eyes on,” Vaadeland says. “I wouldn’t be flying him over here for just a few dates if he wasn’t that good.”
While the new addition of Jake Smithies is a major change, it doesn’t mean the band has completely left behind their roots. “We still have the original bass we’ve always used over the years with us too,” Vaadeland says, referring to the beloved instrument that has traveled with the band throughout their journey. “That bass has all the marks on it—the places where I stand on it, where it’s gotten nicked or dinged over the years. I find it cool that we’re still using that bass, and Jake (Smithies) is playing it now. It keeps that history with us, which is really important to me.”
This new chapter in the band’s lineup isn’t just about finding the right bass player—it’s about continuing the tradition of excellence that Jake Vaadeland’s performances have always embodied. “(Jake Smithies) is the best replacement we've found and the best I've seen so far. We've looked for many other bass players, and to tell you the truth, every single performer I have, we've tried to find replacements sometimes, and we've we've found out that they cannot miss a show at this point because there are no performers in Canada that do as good a job as they do. That's why I have to fly a guy from England to come here and play with me because I don't know what it is, but, I thought there'd be lots of bass players that were good and stuff. And I suppose they are good, but I guess I guess I either have high standards…. but, it's gotten to the point where the guys that I have are kind of the guys the show depends on. So, this fellow from Europe has fit in really well.”
The “Goodness Gracious It’s Christmas” tour will feature a mix of classic Christmas songs, original material, and plenty of bluegrass flair, all woven together with the talents of the band. The new lineup promises to add an exciting dynamic to the performance, with Jake Smithies bringing his own style and energy to the mix. It should be an interesting performance with Smithies welcomed to the fold.
In addition to the music and the stage setup, fans will have the opportunity to pick up exclusive “Goodness Gracious It’s Christmas” merchandise. “ I'm really excited about the merch that's gonna be coming in for this tour too. It's sort of gonna be, brand new, well, (some of the) same stuff, but some new stuff coming in, that'll stay with us after Christmas and some stuff that's just specific to Christmas as well. So, just excited about everything that'll be coming with the tour that'll be a little bit different for everybody who's already seen it in Saskatchewan.”
As for the tour itself, Vaadeland is ready to hit the road and bring his festive celebration to Canadian audiences. With his passion for the music, his deep connection to the holiday season, and the addition of Smithies to the band, the “Goodness Gracious It’s Christmas” tour promises to be an unforgettable experience that will lift your spirits and warm your heart.
So grab your tickets and get ready for a Christmas concert that combines heart, humor, and incredible music. With Jake Vaadeland and his band—including the talented Smithies as well as longtime band members Joel Rohs (electric guitar) and Jaxon Lalonde (Banjo)—on stage, this is one holiday show you won’t want to miss.
Dates for 2024 ‘Goodness Gracious, It’s Christmas’
December 5 - North Battleford, Dekker Centre
December 6 - Saskatoon, Broadway Theatre
December 7 - Saskatoon, Broadway Theatre
December 11 – Regina, Casino Regina
December 13 - Lloydminster, Vic Juba Theatre
December 14 - Prince Albert, EA Rawlinson Theatre
December 18 - Regina, Casino Regina
December 20 – Halifax, Casino Nova Scotia
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