A week or so ago we went on one of our “Random Roads” jaunts up towards Owen Sound with the express intent of ending up in Meaford to catch muso friend Tara MacKenzie playing a show with Beggar’s Road. Its was a gorgeous day, the country was beautiful, few enough people on the road and new tunes on the CD player.
We arrived in Meaford a little early and so got to hang out in town a bit, checking out the area. Meaford is a neat little town, touching right on Lake Huron. Great view of the lake, friendly …ok, hungry… seagulls, gorgeous escarpment country. The show was being put on at McGinty’s Cafe, a neat combination cafe/antique shop/peformance space. (These funky multi-use spaces in small towns in Ontario are just way too cool!) The folks at the Cafe were very hospitable and the room was really nice: good acoustics, roomy, full service bar, etc. Definitely a place to check out for a gig (hint).
Beggar’s Road put on a great show. All of the folks in this band have great chops and play really well. They have a nice electro-acoustic take on their material and present a sound that mixes elements of country, celtic, folk and rock .
Their vocalists are quite impressive. Justine Maw-Farrar is incredible. Her voice is silky-smooth, with just the right touch of country-gospel-folk, and has tremendous power. Tara MacKenzie is another amazing vocalist with serious chops. Despite performing while ill, she was spot on, and her original songs added a wonderful Irish touch to the night. Dave Farrar rounds out the vocal duties with a powerful delivery. These powerhouses handle the front line quite ably, and their harmonies added colour and excitement to the night.
The band’s writing and arrangements were wonderfully inventive and full of unexpected harmonies, playful grooves and highlight their tight ensemble playing. This was particularly apparent in their treatment of “The Blacksmith,” a common traditional song. Other highlights included “Ceilidh in the Glen” and “West Island Rail.”
We were so happy to have been able to catch their show and look forward to doing so again. Fair play to you, Beggar’s Road!
