Hungry?

Section Entertainment Contact Jeff DeDekker Telephone 781-5321 Fax 565-2588 B [email protected] Leader-Post / leaderpost.com ■ Thursday, May 13, 2010

PREVIEW

Handout Canadian roots artist Cori Brewster is performing in Regina on Friday at a private residence, a popular trend these days for folk music. Buffalo Street BREWSTER’SBy JOE COUTURE organizations that help artists connect with Leader-Post house-concert-host circuits across the country, she said, noting some artists will not anadian roots artist Cori Brewster Coming to a even know the homeowners hosting their is performing in Regina tomorrow, shows. but she is not playing at any of the But in Regina, Brewster does know the usual venues in the city — instead, hosts. She is hoping that between word-of- the public is invited to come out to mouth and promotion on a local community Ca house concert. radio station, there will be lots of guests. “Having music in people’s homes is home near you “At any given moment, I think we can find certainly not a new phenomenon,” Brewster 30 people that might be interested in said, when asked to explain what house listening to an artist,” she said, noting house concerts are all about. “It’s been going on for Banff in the late 1800s and Cori Brewster typically is between 20 concerts are great for artists especially as centuries. But it seems to be a relatively new early 1900s. Private home concert in Regina and 50 people, she said. they can be planned for “off nights” — in phenomenon in Canada. Really, what it “Banff is certainly a Friday “Usually, it’s by other words, it doesn’t have to be on a amounts to is people — wanting to host these tourist destination that invitation only,” she Friday or Saturday night to draw the desired events — (who) love music and love inviting probably 99 per cent of said. “Some (hosts) — crowd. artists into their homes, if you can imagine Canadians have heard about,” she said. “But because (house concerts) are becoming well The format works best for smaller acts — that.” Banff is certainly a lot more than a tourist known — are putting them out to the public, primarily solo ones, Brewster said, noting There are several house concerts among town. It does have deep and rich cultural which is great for us.” house concerts are “really intimate the stops on Brewster’s current tour, which and historic stories. You just have to spend a In Regina, Brewster’s concert will be open evenings, for sure.” is to support her project Buffalo Street. The bit more time searching for those. I think to the public — anyone interested in “The audience is so close,” she said. “You “scene album” tells the stories of historical there’s lots of value to music that enriches attending is invited to call Jan at 757-9292 to have to be prepared to be exposed and characters of the Canadian Rockies, our identity as Canadians. That’s what I tried find out the details about the event. intimate with the audience. Usually, it’s an particularly Banff, where Brewster was to do with this project.” For some artists for whom it would not be incredibly great listening audience. That’s born. Her family has a long history of living Brewster will share the stories from financially feasible to tour otherwise, house always a wonderful experience for artists. in the Banff area and Brewster wanted to Buffalo Street during her house concert in concerts offer an opportunity to get out on Having a listening audience is great, tell stories of characters that developed Regina. The audience for a house concert the road, Brewster said. There are especially for this album.”

PREVIEW Four years from Idol, Daughtry still can’t believe his luck By TOM MURRAY Daughtry for Canwest News Service Saturday Regina’s Brandt Centre t’s been nearly four years since American Idol changed his life and Istill can’t believe his luck. would, his popularity was unquestioned. After being booted in the semifinals of the Immediately after his versions of Bon Jovi and reality television show in 2006, he could have Live songs were released as singles, a hastily returned to the world of struggling musicians. recorded album hit No. 1 on the Billboard Daughtry may have the self-possession and charts at the end of that year. belief in his own talent to think that he belongs Twenty worldwide hit singles (including the in the world of arena rockers and million- blockbuster “Home”) later, and Daughtry is an sellers, but he’s under no illusion about the assured superstar on the same level as his idols. process that got him there. Now he’s hanging around with songwriters he “It’s luck,” he admits. “There’s no planning used to cover back in his bar band days, taking for this, no preparation, especially in this his place in the MTV world of upper-echelon industry. We’re fortunate to have done as well rockers. Getty File photo as we have, but we’re also really lucky that the He’s still reflecting on his rapid rise to fame. Singer Chris Daughtry performs in New York. fans want us to succeed. We’ve managed to sell “All the time, man, all the time. I just think, a million records, and it’s all because of them.” hey, these are guys I used to listen to and now the song “No Surprise” for his last album, Leave here nor there; it’s what people want to hear. Sounds like your standard news release they’re buddies. It used to be that they were This Town. “You can just learn so much from The next question is what he chooses to do quote carefully written to make the musician in inspirations, and they still are, but now I can him. Being around guys like that has really with the power he’s gained as the rock star he question look humble and sincere, doesn’t it? call them up on the phone whenever I want.” helped with my songwriting. It’s become so always dreamed he’d be — continue down the Well, in this case he’s right. The Daughtry “They,” in this case, include Chad Kroeger of much more mature, and there’s a storytelling same path or attempt to forge his own? success story (both singer and band) is a Nickelback, Live’s Ed Kowalczyk and Carl Bell that becomes more of what you do.” “You never know,” he cautiously responds. populist one, more independent of radio and of Fuel, new friends and clear influences on Daughtry’s gratification at continuing success “As a fan of music I like a lot of left-of-centre industry machinations than that of the usual Daughtry’s music, which fits in so well around is genuine, his regular guy persona no pose. stuff, but I don’t know if I want to alienate our batch of radio-rockers. American Idol viewers these modern rock staples that it almost seems He’s the dude at the bar who chose all of the fan base. I mean, I’d like to experiment more, took an instant liking to the North Carolina- designed to be that way. right lottery numbers, and he knows it. That his but it’s very important to me to keep the fans born singer-songwriter, and while his run ended “Chad is an amazing songwriter,” says music is more a reflection of his favourite bands happy.” much quicker than many people believed it Daughtry, who roped Kroeger into co-writing than anything particularly original is neither Edmonton Journal