It was auspicious.
As the sun set and the full moon appeared, Blue Rodeo launched into its encore with the band's signature smash hit 'Try.'
It was an iconic setting for an iconic song by an iconic band in an iconic venue.
Blue Rodeo played to a sell-out crowd of 1,000 at the outdoor amphitheatre of Mission Hill Family Estate in West Kelowna earlier this week, kicking off the winery's summer concert series.
Fronted by lead singers Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, the alt-country rockers pumped out a non-stop set of 17 songs, including hits 'Til I Am Myself Again,' '5 Days in May,' 'Rain Down on Me' and 'Disappear'.
Then, Cuddy bid farewell with a: "Goodnight folks!'
The band exited the stage and the lights went down.
The crowd, already on its feet dancing and applauding, knew it was not goodnight.
Blue Rodeo had not yet performed 'Try' and the audience rightly expected it to be the encore.
The lights went up, the band reappeared and Cuddy went to the keyboards, instead of his usual guitar, to sing the heartfelt ballad 'Try.'
And everyone sang along -- 'I'm falling in love/ Oh, night after night/ Oh, it's crazy/ Oh, you got to try, try, try/ Oh, don't you know you've got to try, try, try, ooh/ Oh, baby, you try.'
Earlier in the evening, Keelor, before launching into the song 'I Can't Hide This Anymore' declared: "It's a BC state of mind tonight. A beautiful night in a beautiful place."
Indeed it was.
A concert at Mission Hill is much more than a musical performance.
It's a chance to see and be seen in a magical hilltop setting, sip wine and socialize and be entertained as the sun sets.
Since this is a wine column, after all, I have to tell you about the wine served that night.
Even the basic ticket includes two glasses of wine per person -- a choice of Mission Hill Reserve 2024 Sauvignon Blanc or 2022 Reserve Merlot.
For an extra cost you could also sip Terroir Rose, Syrah or Chardonnay.
Mission Hill's summer concert series continues Thursday, July 17 with Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden ('Insensitive' and 'Could I Be Your Girl'), American pop artist Andy Grammer ('Honey, I'm Good' and 'Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)') on Thursday, July 31 and Grammy Award-winning Gipsy Kings on Thursday, Aug. 21.
Limited tickets are still available for each show at: https://www.
By the way, Blue Rodeo is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a band this year with an extensive cross-country tour.
Two nights before playing Mission Hill, the band was at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton; its next show is July 27 at another winery (Burning Kiln in St. Williams, Ontario); more summer concerts are in St. John's, Sudbury and Toronto; and then there's a stretch of 31 dates between Oct. 1 and Jan. 24, which includes another stop in Kelowna, this time at Prospera Place, on Oct. 11.
Tour and ticket information at: https://www.bluerodeo.com/
Savour Summer in Naramata
More than a dozen Naramata Bench wineries will set up on the grounds of the historic Naramata Inn Thursday, July 17, 4:30 to 7:30 pm, for the 'Savour Summer: Red, White & Rose' tasting event.
There will also be canapes from Bistro Lapin Perdu, lawn games and carnival-inspired prizes to pair with the sips.
Tickets are $105 at: https://naramatabench.com/
Steve MacNaull is a NowMedia Group reporter, Okanagan wine lover and Canadian Wine Scholar. Reach him at [email protected]. His wine column appears every Friday afternoon in this space.
