Kelowna’s fourth edition of Rock the Lake kicked off on Friday night promising a weekend of head-banging, light-hearted fun for attendees.
Day one was all geared toward guitar lovers with three incredible acts ready to scramble the brains of hundreds with their fast fingers, and electric wails.
Opening up the weekend was none other than Canadian guitar slinger, Pat Travers.
Welcoming fans with his signature greeting of “Hey Kelowna, I’m Pat Travers, this is my band and we’re here to kick your ass”, Travers won the hearts of the audience from the very second he hit the stage.
Known for his diverse discography, Traverse delivered a set riddled with classic rock hits that were dripping with jazz, blues, metal and even big band influences to keep the crowd rocking throughout the entirety of his set.
From sing-along favourite “Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights” to his greatest hit “Snortin’ Whiskey” and even his very first live performance of new track “The Art of Time Travel” — Travers shred through his setlist with ease and immense prowess, only solidifying his place as one of Canada’s greatest guitar players.
Up next was Canadian bluesman, David Wilcox.
The 70-year-old guitarist brought out all the stops for his 60-minute performance which included everything from technical finger-picking, unique tones and effects to the sweet sounds of slide guitar.
For someone who has been in the biz as long as Wilcox, his energy and genuine charm are still that of a rookie.
Animated and a little kooky at times, Wilcox and his band did much more than play a few riffs for fans, they told stories.
Bringing along his hypnotizin’ boogie, Wilcox encouraged fans to dance along with him just as the sun began to set.
With all of his hits on hand from “Bad Apple” to “River Boat Fantasy” Wilcox gave his all with a set backed by good vibes.
Of course, we can’t forget about “Layin’ Pipe” which was arguably the fan favourite of Wilcox’s time at Rock the Lake.
Closing out a wicked first night were Okanagan favourites, Honeymoon Suite.
While the setlist was similar to their last RTL visit, the energy they brought was infectious.
Jumping onto the speakers within seconds of bursting onto the stage, each member radiated pure joy and their audience returned the sentiment.
No matter who you are, once you hear the opening synths and licks of “Burning In Love” you can’t help but raise your fist and headbang alongside your neighbours.
It's that kind of catchiness that has hoisted Honeymoon Suite up to where they are as one of the country’s signature classic rock acts.
Singer Johnny Dee powered through some technical difficulties and remained on key throughout the entire set, with his now raspier register only lending to their power-ballad doused library.
Resident shredder Derry Grehan, was a fireball. Ripping across the stage and egging on the fans all the while blowing through each solo without breaking a sweat — bringing with him the passion and showmanship of 80s pop-rock that we so dearly miss.
The best part about a Honeymoon Suite show is that you never really remember how many classic tracks their behind until you’re in the middle of the crowd freaking out when you recognized yet another hit.
Responsible for “Stay In the Light,” “Feel It Again,” “New Girl Now” and “Love Changes Everything,” it really is no wonder why these rockers have stayed afloat all these years and no shocker they’ve been invited back to the valley so many times.
I’m sure I am not alone in saying this, but I look forward to the next time I can be transported back in time to the glory days of the 80s with this band.
All in all, day one was a warm welcome home and we here at NowMedia cannot wait to spend the rest of our weekend rockin’ the lake alongside all of the rad folks there.
Tomorrow is set to be one of the best of the weekend as we can all look forward to seeing the return of Streetheart and first-time RTLers The Romantics, 54-40 and Tom Cochrane with Red Rider.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news to those of you who didn’t snag tickets for the rest of the fest, but tomorrow night is already sold out.
However, you can still score some passes for Sunday if you act quickly. Click here to secure your time in the presence of Prism, The Headpins, Quiet Riot and Trooper!
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