Ridley Bent & His Good Lookin' Band

Main Stage, Clearwater MB, September 12

Photo: Andrew Mazurak

BY Sheldon BirniePublished Sep 13, 2014

8
While it ain't a full-on country festival, Ridley Bent & His Good Lookin' Band cranked the western swing up to 11 for the rural folks and the urban hipsters and had the people two-steppin' like they were in Brooklyn, Texas. Bent's storytelling-heavy tunes ranged from his hick-hop debut Blam! to his recent Wildcard, keeping the crowd entertained for well over an hour-and-a-half.

A crack crew of Manitoba's finest pickers and players, Bent's Good Lookin' Band featured the guitar work of not only Chris Dunn, Bent's regular right hand man, but Chris Carmichael on second axe and Ken Campbell on pedal steel, making for an six string section that was almost as hot as the pallet fires burning back in the fields. Highlights, apart from the guitar pyrotechnics, were "Nine Inch Nails," "Buckles and Boots" and the aforementioned Little Feat-inspired "Brooklyn, Texas." If you ever have a hankering for a good taste of Texas-style honky tonk, and Bent's passing through town, do yourself a treat and check out his show. You won't be disappointed.

Latest Coverage