Jazz Winnipeg Festival
Jesse Cook / Kyle Riabko
June 24, Winnipeg
Burton Cummings Theatre
Winnipeg, Canada
As I was walking to the Burton Cummings Theatre, I couldn't help but notice the number of couples heading to the venue, hand in hand. Usually, I don't see any hand-holding as fans head off to the rock and pop concerts that I have attended lately. This was going to be a prime romantic date night for many fans, no doubt.
MC Lisa Best mentioned that they had a special treat for us and we quickly became a soon-to-be nationally televised audience for a performance by Winnipeg's Easily Amused, a pop duo consisting of Keith MacPherson and Renee Lamoureux. MacPherson was a contender on Canadian Idol and they were being recorded by CTV for broadcast on the show. The song didn't make a lasting impression on me, but MacPherson was lively and fun. Whether or not he becomes the next Canadian Idol, I believe he impressed the audience. I'm also going to track down their CD, Simple Stuff.
Easily Amused
Kyle Riabko is only 19 years old but has been performing for half his life. The young blues-funk rocker puts on one heck of an energetic show. As is the case with many artists, however, bringing his act to the next level where he can make a strong impression in the public's consciousness due to his songs and not due to his age may be a while away yet. You can't help but root for a guy who tries so hard and who carries himself as a seasoned professional.
His style of music would no doubt appeal to fans of blue collar musicians, such as Jeff Healy, among others, but what launched Healy's career into the stratosphere back in the late '80s wasn't so much his gee-whiz phenomenal virtuoso guitar playing - the best new axeman since Stevie Ray Vaughn, many people said - but his fantastic songs on his debut album. Songs like "Angel Eyes" and "Confidence Man" were distinctive and memorable. There are lots of great instrumentalists out there, but what elevates some into the national spotlight are the songs. I haven't heard any of Riabko's CDs but if he played his best songs last night, he's still short of some truly memorable material. Easily Amused's Renee Lamoureux provided backing vocals on several songs.
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