by Scott Roos
photos by Scott and Deanna Roos
On Friday, August 9th the third edition of the Sunset Country Music Festival took place on artist Josh Stumpf’s family farm near MacDowell. The lineup featured up-and-coming artists Morgan Desjardins, Brett Down, Aiden Edwards & East Side of Second, Mercy Glover, and headliner Josh Stumpf, giving the event a youthful atmosphere that resonated with both the performers and audience alike. Proceeds from the festival were directed towards purchasing musical instruments and instructional booklets for Ranch Ehrlo, making it an enjoyable evening for a worthwhile cause.
First to take the stage was Desjardins, a 17-year-old country singer from Prince Albert, who, as emcees Stumpf and Glover mentioned, had only started singing publicly a little over a year ago. She sang a variety of country songs that suited her style, captivating the audience with her smooth voice and gaining valuable experience to advance her budding singing career. Next up was Brett Down from Regina, who offered a more folk-oriented vibe. Down, acoustic guitar in hand, was accompanied by guitarist Andy Schmack for several songs and later by the rest of the backing band "The Boys Downtown". He ended the night with a few solo songs at the piano. After his performance, it’s clear that he is someone to keep an eye on in the near future.
Next up on stage were Aiden Edwards & the East Side of Second. Despite being a relatively new band, having only debuted in March, Edwards and his bandmates exude a youthful and eager energy. In fact, the group's youth is a defining characteristic, with drummer Evan Ace at just 16 years old, Logan Edwards on harmonica/vocals at 17, guitarist Kace Callaghan at 22, and bassist Blake Callaghan at 20. Frontman Aiden is also 20. Their performance featured a mix of classic country tunes like Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" and rock classics such as "Hound Dog," "Blue Suede Shoes," "Runaround Sue," and Buddy Holly's "Oh Boy!" They also included newer country tracks like Zach Bryan's "Revival." While their live show may be a bit loosey goosey, they are steadily improving and certainly will eventually tight up the proverbial screws. At this point, they boast a stage presence full of enthusiasm and are a highly entertaining band.
Glover, festival co-organizer, with “The Boys Downtown” in tow, followed next. With a voice that evokes memories of the legendary country artist Dolly Parton, Glover clearly possesses immense potential. Her performance featured a mix of excellent country covers and some unexpected classic rock songs such as Bryan Adams' "Summer of 69" and pop hits like Taylor Swift's "Romeo and Juliet". Towards the end of her set, Stumpf joined her for an exciting duet of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain". By this point in the evening, numerous young audience members were gathered at the front of the stage, singing and dancing along to Glover's spellbinding performance. Admittedly, the unexpected launching of fireworks near the end of her set also helped hype everyone up.
Wrapping up the evening, Stumpf took the stage with "The Boys Downtown." Despite the abundance of talent on display at the festival, Stumpf stood out for his impressive accomplishments, including reaching the top spot with his hit song "Drink Me a Lullaby" on the Canadian indie country music charts. His unique gravelly voice and dynamic presence brought a fitting close to the event. Stumpf is currently engaged in exciting endeavors, further highlighting the recognition he has rightfully earned in his brief career. The audience truly valued his genuine performance on stage.
“I think my set went pretty good,” Stumpf told NSMZ in a brief interview the morning after the festival, “ we had a lot of crowd engagement which was awesome.”
“I think the festival was a huge success. I could not be happier with how it turned out,” Stumpf concluded.
With more than 450 people in attendance, Glover and Stumpf are optimistic that the funds raised for Ranch Ehrlo will reach in the estimated neighbourhood of $8000. Despite the festival showcasing a remarkable display of young talent on stage, what truly stands out is the commendable charitable cause and the efforts of the co-organizers to bring everything together. Congratulations to Glover and Stumpf, and here's to the continuation of many more Sunset Country Music Festivals in the future.
Comments