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St. Albert singer-songwriter Davidson travels Road to the Junos

Road to the Junos is a 10-concert series in regional venues designed to create momentum for the 52nd annual Juno Awards held in Edmonton
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St. Albert country singer-songwriter Dan Davidson and his long-time band perform at Road to the Junos on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Starlight Room SUPPLIED

In his first live concert to “hometown crowds” since before the pandemic, country singer-songwriter Dan Davidson is tapped to play Road to the Junos, a 10-concert lead-up to the award ceremony held Monday, March 13. 

Davidson and his bandmates are headlining a Juno momentum-building concert at The Starlite Room on Saturday, Feb. 25. The concert was originally slated for Station on Jasper. However, the club permanently closed its doors last Thursday afternoon 

“We’re selling tickets fast and we want to make as much noise as possible. We want the city to rally around the Junos. They put this concert series together and we’re excited to be part of it,” said Davidson. 

Opening for the St. Albert headliner is Kyle McKearney, a singer-songwriter, recording artist and luthier. Recognized across the province for his triple talents, the Airdrie-based country artist won the 2022 Project Wild $75,000 award. 

“He’s a bit of a chameleon. He’s done rock, new electric, bright dance pop, dark Indie pop and roots. He’s a bit like Chris Stapelton’s country project. He’s different but complementary to what I do. He’s very soulful and he’ll get people to pay attention,” Davidson said. 

Within the past six months, most barriers that prevented artists from performing internationally have all but disappeared. Davidson is once again experiencing high demand on the international touring circuit. He’s received an invitation to perform at Austin, Texas’s massive South by Southwest music festival. 

“Texas overlaps with a planned tour to the United Kingdom. The Texas festival brings in about 5,000 bands. I’m not sure I want to go there and build a base from scratch. I have a better chance of leaving a mark in the United Kingdom. It’s a much more concentrated country, and I already have a reputation there.” 

A skilled guitar and bass player, Davidson is also recording a new EP. Before releasing too much information, he wants all the creative and engineering perspectives tied together. He did say the overarching theme is American rock, specifically the '80s pop sound. 

“There’s more symmetry in this album and there’s definitely a nostalgic flair.” 

One new single, If Streets Could Talk, focuses on a lost soul. Meanwhile, Throwback reflects rock classics and Spirit of 17 revisits the freedom of youth. 

This upcoming EP has received interest from a label and could change the landscape of Davidson’s career from indie singer-songwriter to a label recording artist. 

“At this point, I need support and help navigating the industry so I can create content. I’m not locked into anything, but I’m exploring growing a team. I don’t want to repeat myself. I want to push myself in new directions.” 

And speaking of new directions, Davidson has once again teamed up with visual designer and creator Travis Nesbitt to film a documentary tied to the new record. The documentary is split into three episodes, each about five to seven minutes in length. 

The episodes are a quest for inspiration. In each one, Davidson travels to a North American city interviewing a different singer-songwriter. A chat with Nashville songwriter David Thomson (Champagne Night) in New York is already in the can. 

Episode 2 features Clayton Bellamy in Arizona in a discussion about how environments lend inspiration, and Episode 3 is slated for the picturesque foothills of Alberta. An interviewee has yet to be named. 

Davidson’s regular squad join him at the pre-Junos concert. It includes Greg Williamson (drums), Tyler Dianocky (lead guitar), Darren Gusnowski (accordion/guitar/backup vocals), Curtis Ebner (bass), and Tyler Beckett (fiddler).  

“We’re excited about playing the hometown crowd. We’re excited and we want to pack the crowd and make a big statement. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We just want to have fun.” 

The Dan Davidson Band performs Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Starlite Room, 10030 - 102 St. Tickets are $11.30 for the 18-plus show. Visit www.ticketweb.ca.

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