REFRAIN MUSIC

Terri Clark - Roots & Wings

   She’s a proud Canadian, a success in country music on both sides of the border, and a quality entertainer…Terri Clark rolls in to the Casino to spend an evening with us and her music.   After a minor mix-up with my credentials at the gate I was looking forward to this ‘sold-out’ show at the Casino, and could tell by the buzz in the room, that the crowd was as well.

Terri Clark – Casino NB – 10/01/11

The shows tend to begin promptly at the allotted time at the Casino, which is kind of refreshing as a lot of venues things tend to start late, and this rainy windy night was no exception.  Terri Clark was born in Montreal, Quebec, but her family later moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta where she was raised and has taken her music all over North America for the last sixteen years.  Signed to Mercury Records in 1995 at the age of twenty-five her first three albums were certified platinum in both the US and Canada, she’s released over twenty singles, had six go to number one, and her very first single was in the top five in both the US and Canada. Tonight she took the stage without a great deal of fan fare, no long intro’s, just the lights dimming and the band taking the stage.

Terri Clark - Casino NB - 10/01/11

Clark on this night appeared as though she was ready to have some fun, she was all smiles, dancing around the stage and after the first couple of songs addressing the crowd for the first time and thanking them for coming to her show.  She also took the time to point out the large ‘bar service’ signs that are projected on the wall on either end of the Center, one of several times she did this throughout the night, injecting some humor into her show.

Clark rolled through hits, and some not so well known songs this night and even did about a 5 song medley of some of her heavier radio play songs that didn’t necessarily make it all the way to the top of the charts.  She played her first single, the one that started it all “Better Things To Do”, “Emotional Girl”, “No Fear”, and many more.  She then switched it up by talking about her new CD, “Roots & Wings”, and playing songs like “Northern Girl” and “Breakin’ Up Thing”.  Clark also gave the band a break at one point, and sitting alone on the stage on a solitary chair, told the crowd the emotional story of her mother’s battle with cancer and her unfortunate passing in April of 2010, which led into her singing “Smile” off her new album, to which the crowd responded with a standing ovation.

Clark then rolled through several more of her hit songs like “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me”, “When Boy Meets Girl”, and “Dirty Girl” before talking a chance to introduce the band which contained a surprise guitar player in one ‘Anita Cochran’.  Cochran an artist in her own right had a number one single in 1998 with the song “What If I Said” a fabulous duet with country music artist Steve Wariner.  Clark also took a break from the stage and Cochran with the rest of the band performed a slow powerful ballad for the crowd, mixed with her confident guitar playing, that was well received.

Terri Clark Concert - 'Anita Cochran' - Casino NB - 10/01/11

Clark returned to the stage to end the night on a high note bringing with her that amazing white ‘canadian flag’ guitar that this reviewer loves so much, and calling the crowd out of their seats to the front of the stage (why some venues are so against people in front of the stage is beyond me).  The crowd dove to the front of the stage at Clark’s request and spent the remainder of the evening, along with your’s truly, cheering and singing along.

Clark, ended the night but was brought out by the crowd almost immediately for an encore and she played Canadian band Trooper’s classic rock song “Here For A Good Time” which she covers on her latest album “Roots & Wings”.

Terri Clark - Casino NB - 10/01/11

Musical, entertaining, fun, and an all around enjoyable show I recommend country fans that haven’t had the opportunity to take in a Terri Clark show, she interacts with her crowd, tells stories, has quite the sense of humor and is an all around good entertainer.

We had a blast on this evening and thank Terri Clark for a great show and Casino NB and PPRL for making it happen…until next time!