Joseph Blake
Monday Magazine contributor
Downchild is CanadaB次元官网网址檚 premier blues band, and they are celebrating their 50th year with a tour of Canada and the U.S. that comes to VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 McPherson Playhouse on Oct. 18.
Donnie Walsh founded the band in Toronto in 1969, and he has been leading Downchild onstage and in the studio for five decades.
Walsh, who has been called the Father of Canadian Blues, estimates that more than 120 musicians have been associated with Downchild over the years. The current lineup has been playing as a unit for decades.
B次元官网网址淚 joined the band in 1990,B次元官网网址� lead singer Chuck Jackson says. B次元官网网址淚 joined shortly after DonnieB次元官网网址檚 brother, Hock, left the band for the last time. He died of a heart attack in 1995.B次元官网网址�
The 50th anniversary tour includes songs from almost every Downchild album, right up to their 2014 Juno Award-winning Can You Hear The Music and their 18th studio album, Something IB次元官网网址檝e Done.
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B次元官网网址淒onnie Walsh and I have written a lot of DownchildB次元官网网址檚 songs over the last 30 years, but on Something IB次元官网网址檝e Done, almost everyone in the band contributes songs. We also included David VestB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淲orried About the WorldB次元官网网址� on the album.B次元官网网址�
The Victoria-based Vest and NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 David Gogo will join Downchild onstage at the McPherson.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e doing 25 shows in 35 days,B次元官网网址� Jackson says, listing a stretch of concerts that includes CourtenayB次元官网网址檚 Sid Williams Theatre Oct. 19, NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 Port Theatre Oct. 20 and Campbell RiverB次元官网网址檚 Tidemark Theatre Oct. 22.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e started our 50th anniversary at the Downtown Jazz Festival in Toronto with Paul Schaefer and Dan Aykroyd joining us onstage.B次元官网网址�
AykroydB次元官网网址檚 1978 multi-million selling Blues Brothers album, Briefcase Full of Blues, included three songs from DownchildB次元官网网址檚 1973 recording Straight Up including WalshB次元官网网址檚 most famous tune, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e Got Everything I Need (Almost).B次元官网网址� Aykroyd also performed on DownchildB次元官网网址檚 2009 album I Need a Hat with fellow guest musicians Colin James and Colin Linden, and Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns. But as great as Downchild sounds on record, it only hints at the bandB次元官网网址檚 blues power live onstage.
Multi-Maple Leaf Award winner Gary Kendall and Mike Fitzpatrick lay down a powerful rhythmic bass and drum groove for veteran keyboardist Michael Fonfara (Electric Flag, Rhinoceros, Lou Reed Band) and saxophonist Pat CareyB次元官网网址檚 Chicago blues and jump blues accents. WalshB次元官网网址檚 guitar and blues harmonica (The bandB次元官网网址檚 name comes from seminal blues harmonica star Sonny Boy Williams, Mr. Downchild) sails above the bandB次元官网网址檚 rhythmic churn, expertly framing JacksonB次元官网网址檚 soulful vocals.
As Walsh has explained, B次元官网网址淵ou show up with the blues. I play, you lighten up. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what itB次元官网网址檚 all about. ItB次元官网网址檚 like medicine.B次元官网网址�
DownchildB次元官网网址檚 50th anniversary show will be good medicine. They are the real deal. Highest recommendation. For tickets and more information visit or call 250-386-6121.
editor@mondaymag.com
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