At an age when most musicians are looking towards the next big thing, Canadian singer-songwriter Jake Vaadeland seems perfectly content to look backwards. With his slicked-back hair, sharp suits and a musical vocabulary drawn from bluegrass, traditional country and 1950s rockabilly, the Saskatchewan-born performer could have stepped straight out of a black-and-white television variety show. Yet, accompanied by his Sturgeon River Boys, Vaadeland is doing something rather more interesting than simply recreating the past. He’s introducing a new generation to music that was old-fashioned long before he was born.
The Sturgeon River Boys took to the Music Room stage first, launching into some fast and furious bluegrass that immediately gave the audience a taste of what was to come. Vaadeland joined them and tore into the opening numbers, ‘Father’s Son’, ‘Bachelor’s Life’ and ‘Farewell Blues’. His voice matched his appearance perfectly, with its old-fashioned delivery, pronounced phrasing and slightly theatrical quality.
Musically, the band were pretty much flawless. Joel Rohs, on both acoustic and electric guitars, provided a steady backbone, while Jake Smithies’ virtuosity on upright bass really anchored the performance. Jaxon LaLonde’s banjo picking and backing vocals were outstanding. Together, these musicians formed a tight-knit unit, clearly enjoying their time on stage and feeding off each other’s energy.
Three more songs followed in quick succession before we were treated to what can only be described as banjo versus bass, as Vaadeland and Smithies went head-to-head in a thrilling musical duel. ‘One More Dollar to Go’, the title track of their latest album, followed before a couple of covers, including ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’, paid tribute to the musical traditions that have shaped their sound.
The band then stopped playing to allow Vaadeland to deliver a mock commercial for Diet Pepsi in a perfect 1950s radio announcer’s voice, complete with a sung advertising jingle. It was a wonderfully absurd comic interlude that the audience clearly loved. Three more songs followed before another instrumental battle, this time featuring the duelling banjos of Vaadeland and LaLonde.
The comic exchanges between songs must have been meticulously rehearsed, yet they came across as wonderfully spontaneous. That ability to make carefully choreographed routines appear effortless is a considerable talent in itself.
The set continued with original compositions that sounded as though they belonged to an earlier era without ever becoming mere pastiches. One in particular, ‘I Ain’t Going Back to Nashville’, brought a contemporary edge to proceedings with its as Vaadeland introduced it with reference to the incumbent President of the United States of America.
Another advertisement followed, this time for 19Fifties Union Pomade, further reinforcing the impression that we had somehow stumbled into a country music radio broadcast from seventy years ago.
What made the evening so enjoyable was the balance between outstanding musicianship and genuine entertainment. Vaadeland is an engaging frontman, blessed with a distinctive voice, considerable instrumental ability and an instinctive understanding of how to hold an audience. Just as importantly, the Sturgeon River Boys are superb musicians in their own right, bringing energy, precision and personality to every number.
The audience responded with a richly deserved standing ovation, bringing the band back for a two-song encore that included a spirited rendition of Carl Perkins’ rock’n’roll classic ‘Blue Suede Shoes’. It was a fitting conclusion to an evening that had celebrated the musical traditions of a bygone era without ever feeling dated.
In an age when so much live music relies on elaborate production and technology, Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys demonstrated that four talented musicians, a collection of beautifully crafted songs and a generous helping of humour are more than enough to deliver an unforgettable evening.
Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys tour continues and details can be found in the following link,
https://www.jakevaadeland.com/#tour
Reviewer: Adrian Cork
On: 13/10/2026
