Things were definitely brewing over at Red Bird long before Ben Klick took the stage with his small band for what would be an exciting and at times electrifying night of new country originals along with a mix of classic covers. The show had sold out quickly
and left many fans unable to get tickets for their favourite local male country artist.
Klick always seems to be fully present and engaged even in his solo performances, but when he has other players with him, as he did on this night, he kicks it into another gear entirely. This was a show that had much of the assembled masses dancing out on the patio early
into the evening and many more crowding the front of the stage and overflowing into the aisles to do the same by the end of it all.
The show consisted of a first set that lasted just shy of an hour, and then a longer set which ended in an uptempo medley of songs, which would ultimately lead to the encore we'll mention below. Before we get there, though, some thoughts about Ben and his small band.
Klick himself is a fine guitar player who has been doing remote session work for other artists during Covid and beyond. The addition of fellow guitarist Austen Sawchuk along with bass player Cyril Shermann created a much fuller sound and provided the opportunity for the musicians to play
off each other, with Sawchuk and Klick trading licks at times during the night while Shermann provided solid groove on the bottom end.
Having said that, Klick is a country singer and a songwriter and his fans love his songs. He has written some very good ones, and chooses covers that have meaning to him and his audience. Those fans come to see and hear him play, and the musicianship and soloing that was displayed
during the show was never at the expense of the song, and always in service of it.
Klick's audience did not want this show to end. After the high energy medley we mentioned before that brought much of the crowd to the front of the stage, an encore was both vociferously demanded and joyfully delivered. As that ended, there was a sense of not just expectations being met but of
appetites satisfied that would allow people to ease their way down from the excitement of the performance and eventually disperse into the night and find their ways home.
Ben Klick has continued to bring everything he is to his craft and his career, and is set to reap the rewards for all those efforts this year with over 55 gigs all over BC, including over on the island, as a solo act, in a duo, with the trio, and even larger groups. On top of that,
he will be sitting in with other country artists as well. There will be many other chances to catch him this year, so keep your eyes and ears open, but if you missed out on Saturday night..... you missed one hell of a good show.
Ben's eiKelowna Active Profile
For more information about Ben, including his bio, a list of places he has played, as well as any upcoming gigs, please visit his profile page by clicking the image above.