Replay: New Country Rehab performs live in the News Café

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Half of the Canadian quartet New Country Rehab arrived in Winnipeg and performed at the Winnipeg Free Press News Café this afternoon. Champagne James Robertson and John Showman made it into town, while band mates Ben Whiteley and Roman Tome were held back by an overbooked flight. All four will be live at Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club tonight.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/03/2013 (4946 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Half of the Canadian quartet New Country Rehab arrived in Winnipeg and performed at the Winnipeg Free Press News Café this afternoon. Champagne James Robertson and John Showman made it into town, while band mates Ben Whiteley and Roman Tome were held back by an overbooked flight. All four will be live at Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club tonight.

The Toronto-based foursome has turned heads and pricked up many ears since forming six years ago as devotees of the music of the original Hank Williams.

Tyler Walsh / Winnipeg Free Press
Champagne James Robertson (left) and John Showman, half of alt-country band New Country Rehab, perform at the Winnipeg Free Press News Café Thursday afternoon.
Tyler Walsh / Winnipeg Free Press Champagne James Robertson (left) and John Showman, half of alt-country band New Country Rehab, perform at the Winnipeg Free Press News Café Thursday afternoon.

Since that time, the band has developed its own, genuinely infectious sonic motif, sparked by the fiddle and voice of John Showman, the guitar and banjo of Champagne James Robertson and rooted in the standup bass of Ben Whiteley and the earthy rhythms of drummer Roman Tome.

The band released a self-titled debut album in 2011 and arrives in Winnipeg just two days following the official release of its latest recording, an 11-song album titled Ghost of Your Charms.

New Country Rehab will play its full Winnipeg show on Thursday evening, March 7, at Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club, 234 Main St.

“Live at the News Café” is an occasional series of live musical performances and interviews, hosted by longtime Winnipeg music journalist John Kendle.

History

Updated on Thursday, March 7, 2013 3:50 PM CST: updates photo and story

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