A rodeo, indeed

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This article was published 16/08/2015 (4066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The second day of Interstellar Rodeo was looking pretty grey and even suffered a rainstorm or two, but ended up being another sunny, hot one for the more than 3,000 people who decided to venture to The Forks Saturday.

Country and blues seemed to be the genres of choice (the number of cowboy hats dramatically increased from Friday night), and headliner Dwight Yoakam fit the bill to a T.

The honky-tonk veteran didn’t speak to the audience until he stopped mid-song during Streets of Bakersfield to correct a lyric. It was a funny introduction to the man who had walked onstage and ripped through Dim Lights, Thick Smoke, Please, Please Baby and Little Sister without so much as a “hello.” Regardless, it took all of about four bars of music before audience members were literally dancing in the aisles.

Yoakam’s voice is still as smooth and nimble as it was when he began performing more than 30 years ago. Even for those who aren’t necessarily the biggest country fans, it’s impossible not to appreciate his well-honed skills.

At press time, Yoakam was midway through the title track from his newest album, Second Hand Heart, which has a distinctly less honky-tonk sound, but is still unmistakably Dwight Yoakam in its construction and traditional country lyrics.

Mixing things up a bit, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings came out swinging with a boisterous collection of high-energy soul/funk jams. When you see a full horn section and conga drums, you know it’s gonna be a good night.

Jones sparkled onstage (she was wearing an eye-catching, lime-green sequined dress); her voice is incredibly powerful but perfectly controlled, and her physical performance is explosive, which was particularly inspiring after she revealed she has been fighting pancreatic cancer. To put it concisely, the lady has swag oozing out of every pore.

Jones’ awesomeness is only enhanced by the Dap-Kings — the crew of 10 musicians flawlessly kept the pulse of the set, reacting perfectly to Jones’ vocal cues, feeding off of the immense energy she was expending.

The title of their latest album is Give the People What They Want, and if what the people wanted Saturday night was to witness the best possible live show, they certainly got it.

Earlier in the evening, country was king with back-to-back sets from Nashville, Tenn., native Justin Townes Earle and his father, Steve Earle.

Justin Earle and his dad approach the genre very differently. Justin’s singing and speaking voice holds just the right amount of twang (it’s smooth, warm and comforting), whereas Steve Earle is rough around the edges and maintains much more of a country-rock feel.

Single Mothers, the title track from Justin Earle’s 2014 album, was especially moving with its dense and heartbreaking lyrics. The younger Earle has never been shy about discussing his family life (the followup to Single Mothers is Absent Fathers… not the most subtle titles), and songs such as this are so much more effective because of that. Justin Earle is simply one of the best at being able to eloquently translate his heartache to anyone listening to his music.

Adding to the weekend’s collection of amazing cover songs, Justin Earle performed a stunning version Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams. Of course, nothing can touch the original, but his rendition felt more melancholic somehow — the tempo was slowed and his southern drawl crawled over each line with a wonderfully sad tenderness.

Steve Earle, accompanied by band the Dukes who were outfitted with country-music staples of a standup bass, fiddle and mandolin, were ready to rock the stage from the moment they walked out. Steve Earle has been performing for more than three decades, and it’s obvious in the way he handles himself. There was not a note out of place from either him or the Dukes — they sounded incredibly tight, yet remained able to convey that relatable, down-home vibe so ingrained in good bluegrass and country music.

More and more people encroached upon the stage area as Steve Earle and the Dukes charged through classics such as Someday and Guitar Town; those two songs in particular elicited a massive roar of approval from the growing crowd.

Steve Earle isn’t much of a talker, but that doesn’t really matter; the timeless and lovable nature of his songs (and his amazing guitar solos) speak volumes for him.

Honourable mentions for the day include the wonderful Amelia Curran, who took the stage much earlier in the day. The St. John’s, N.L., singer-songwriter performed a dynamite set of her smart and carefully crafted folk/country-rock songs and earned a standing ovation from the crowd. And Elliott Brood, a Toronto trio that livened things up and brought many to their feet with a powerhouse set of upbeat, danceable alt-folk/country/bluegrass tunes.

Interstellar Rodeo wraps up today with performances from July Talk, Vance Joy and Blue Rodeo, among others. The gates open at noon, and the music starts at 12:30 p.m.

erin.lebar@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @NireRabel