Featuring Justin Fancy, MacKenzie Porter, Dean Brody, and Blake Shelton
The second night of the Churchill Park Music Festival called for rain showers, but this did not stop the masses from flocking to the field for a night of fabulous country music.
Newfoundland’s own Justin Fancy started the night off strong. Since the release of his debut single in 2020, Fancy “has captivated audiences with heartfelt storytelling, east coast authenticity, and a sound that blends classic country roots with a fresh, modern edge” (Justinfancymusic.ca).
Fancy went on to release his debut album, Sure Beats A Good Time, in 2021. This earned him the title of ‘Country Artist of the Year’ and ‘Rising Star of the Year’ at the 2021 Music NL Awards.
Fancy is known for his high-energy live shows. This could be seen at the festival as he treated the patrons to some of his well-known fan favourites, along with some newer tracks such as ‘She Just Is’ and ‘Break My Heart Again’ from his upcoming album, The Road Where I Belong. Being prominent in the NL music scene, you are sure to catch Justin Fancy playing locally if you missed this night.
Up next was MacKenzie Porter. Hailing from Alberta, this Canadian country singer, songwriter, and actress has had an interesting career thus far. She began studying piano, violin, and voice at the age of four and toured in a family band with her brother (2004 Canadian Idol winner Kalan Porter). On top of these, she has appeared in numerous film and television productions throughout the years.
Porter started her solo career in 2010, releasing her debut single, ‘I Wish I’d Known’, in October 2012. She has released two albums, including her self-titled debut and Nobody’s Born with a Broken Heart. She has achieved four Canadian Country number one hits with ‘About You’, ‘These Days’, ‘Seeing Other People’, and ‘Pickup’. Porter performed some of these fan-favourites, captivating the audience. She also included some cover tracks such as ‘Tim McGraw’ by Taylor Swift and a medley of Shania Twain’s ‘Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under’ and The Chicks’ ‘Cowboy Take Me Away’.
Porter captured the attention of the audience with her catchy tunes, cover tracks that aided in demonstrating her talents, and personability, as she entered the audience and took pictures with the fans during one of her tracks. I am sure this will not be her last time on the rock.
Dean Brody was next to grace the stage. Hailing from British Columbia, this Canadian country music artist has had an impressive career to date. So far, his resume boasts 16 CCMA Awards and 2 JUNO Awards.
Brody made his debut in 2008 with his first single ‘Brothers’. This track went on to be a Top 40 country hit in the US. Brody had his first top 40 track on the Canadian Hot 100 and first certified gold single with ‘Canadian Girls’, a track from his third studio album, Dirt. He followed up this success with singles such as ‘Bounty’ and ‘Mountain Man’.
Brody found continued success in Canada with the release of his sixth album, Beautiful Freakshow. The album’s lead single, ‘Bush Party’, was certified Platinum by Music Canada. This album also included the single, 8th Day’ which hit number one, Platinum-certified ‘Beautiful Freakshow’ and Gold-certified ‘Time’.
Brody played tracks such as ‘Right Round Here’, ‘It’s Friday’, and the platinum-certified ‘Whiskey in the Teacup’. Brody is known for his dynamic performances, with a mixture of stripped-down acoustic sets to full-fledged high-energy sets with his band. He kept the audience on their toes, adding small personal touches where he could. His songs tell a story with a modern country sound, often including elements of rock, folk, and pop. Another amazing performance that kept the fans asking for more.
The final act of the night was none other than American country singer, songwriter, and television personality Blake Shelton. To date, he has an impressive career with 41 singles. 30 of these were number one hits, with 17 consecutive tracks at number one. These singles allowed him to break the record for the most consecutive number one singles on the Country Airplay chart’s 24-year history.
Blake Shelton made his debut in 2001 with the single ‘Austin’. This track spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Song chart. His debut album, which has been certified Platinum, also included two more top 20 tracks with ‘All Over Me’ and ‘Ol’ Red’. Shelton considers his cover of ‘Ol’ Red’ to be one of his signature songs. I am sure the fans at Churchill Park were excited for this one.
Shelton’s set included raw performances of classic ballads such as ‘Austin’ and ‘God Gave Me You’ and reflective tracks such as ‘ Who Are You When I’m Not Looking’. He also brought the party to the field with more upbeat tracks such as ‘Boys’, ‘Round Here’, and ‘Honey Bee’.
He excited the audience with covers of Post Malone’s ‘Pour Me A Drink’ and ‘Home’, a cover of a Michael Buble track that he has been performing since 2008. He also performed ‘Happy Anywhere’, a track that normally features Gwen Stefani. Fans were hoping she would make an appearance for the song since she would be performing at Churchill Park the next night. Alas, they would have to wait just one more night.
‘God’s Country’ left the audience singing along, especially the lyrics ‘God’s Country’, as that is what many Newfoundlanders call our home. There is definitely something special about living on this island.
Shelton is known for his laid-back style and fun-loving humour. He certainly did not disappoint the fans, as many of them sang along for the majority of the set. There have been so many posts on social media and from friends of mine expressing how much they enjoyed the show and how they cannot wait to see Blake Shelton the next time he makes an appearance on the rock!
