If relaxed country sounds and a laid back vibe is what you're after, there was likely no better spot in the valley than last night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Just a few ticks past 8:30 p.m., a true pioneer of the country-rock genre hit the stage. In the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, locals had a chance to witness one of the longest-running acts in all of modern music history, a band that made famous such standards as "Mr. Bojangles" and "Fishin' in the Dark."
And despite all the years, and due in no small part to a multitude of personnel changes, the Nitty ones delivered.
The performance wasn't nearly as lively as recent country-rock SOEC gigs such as Brothers Osborne, but that's not what these guys are all about. The harmonies were true, the musicianship was spot on, and the non-sellout crowd grooved along to the mellowness.
Indeed, many of them ended up dancing in the aisles and on virtually any open section of floor space. Once a fan of the Dirt Band and their hum-along style, always a fan of the Dirt Band.
Opening the show was the Alberta-based Nice Horse, in what proved to be a wonderful choice for a warm-up act.
The four women that make up the band kept any country-fied rowdiness to a minimum and instead entertained with their solid string-playing and gorgeous harmonies that ranged from tender to soaring.
All in all, a great night to relax and let the smoothness flow over you.
