The Dead South gives Kelowna fans a foot stompin’ good time

Since I heard of the bands coming to Kelowna, I’ve had their music on repeat. Needless to say I was nothing short of starstruck when given the chance to meet up with these four multi-talented musicians before their show at The Habitat on Friday night. We chatted about the group's new album, tour hacks, new additions and live show experience before heading over to what may have been my favourite performance of 2016, which is saying a lot considering I’m a concert buff and have seen some of my all time favourite bands this year.

Sick and tired of the same popular sound and lacklustre live performances? Then The Dead South is just the band you need to see to bring your love of music back to life. Unrestrained passion, preponderant instrumentation, and unrelenting showmanship, this Bluegrass, Folk quartet stopped at nothing to bring fans a show they would remember for a lifetime.

Currently on tour promoting their new album, Illusion & Doubt, The Dead South played a set list that had fans two stepping, foot stomping, hootin’ and hollerin’ from the very first notes of their opening number “Boots”. I’ve only ever seen a hoedown of this magnitude in rural Alberta which makes sense as the band hails from the golden prairies of Saskatchewan. To see some of Kelowna’s city slickers get down and rowdy with these rough and tough modern hillbillies was almost as fun to watch as it was to be a part of.

Coming to the stage all dressed to nines in traditional 19th century old west garb, you knew this group did not play around when it came to a live show. Snapping two guitar strings in the first song from their ravenous strumming and two more throughout the rest of the show, it was evident that they gave all they had and more in this outlandish hour and a half set.

All members of the group seemed to be jack of all musical trades, regularly switching instruments, adding in new instruments and all joining in to create some stunning harmonies.

Nate Hilts, lead vocalist, brought the grit with his powerful wayward vocals that I can only describe as sounding like a grizzly bear that sings with stunning falsetto. But, he’s not just a voice, a big hat, and a pretty face, Hilts showed off his technical instrument abilities as he switched from guitar to mandolin to tambourine and back again.

Scott Pringle, the group's main mandolin player and second vocalists, kept everyone on beat with his heavy foot stomping and wow’d the crowd with his hypersonic speed strumming. Pringle also stole some hearts when he would chime in with his smooth, tenor vocals that paired beautifully with Hilts’ raspy deep register.

Oh yeah, they can dance too! Hilts and Pringle threw in synchronized choreography into a few songs and at times all four would join together for striking power solos pushing their show to the next level, having fans cheer grow into roars of excitement and surprise.

The other two members on stage are new to The Dead South. Erik, the cellist, or as he has recently been named, The Bonesaw, has played with the band before but usually tours on his own as Del Suelo plays the part perfectly. From long, drawn out notes to meticulous bowing, Bonesaw also showed that he to dabbles in the art of singing, catching fans by surprise as he took the reigns for “In Hell I’ll Be Good Company”.

The most recent inductee to the group is Eliza Mary Doyle, the banjo player who quickly became a crowd favorite, not just because of her sweet and adorable demeanour but her ferocious expert plucking of the strings, but that wasn’t the most impressive part. Eliza has only been with the group for 8 shows now and learned their entire setlist in under a week, creating an almost seamless line up change. Not to mention she fired out a quick rendition of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” which had faces melting and minds blowing.

At the end of their final song “Honey You”, Bonesaw gave a final roll call before each member took a bow and disembarked the stage one by one, like true southern gentry.

This wasn’t just another pub show, this was a production. Everything to the footwear, every swig of liquor, and holler of each member had been planned to the finest detail, gave fans an experience, not just a show. Jaw dropping skill, humble and kind interactions and talent oozing from every pore, The Dead South is a show every person no matter what age, or what genre they prefer, needs to see.