August 16, 2022

SUN SETS ON ANOTHER MAGICAL BARGE SEASON WITH GREAT GOOD BROTHERS CONCERT

GRAVENHURST — It was a Goods way to end the Barge season.

For the 30^th time the Good Brothers wrapped up the popular Sunday night concert series at Gull Lake Rotary Park.

With more than a 1,000 country and blue grass fans nestled beneath the pines, on the beach and in the water the long-time band of bros from Richmond Hill delivered another solid performance that delighted the relaxed audience in their lawn chairs.

For 90 minutes Brian and his twin brothers Bruce and Larry dished up songs that included familiar folk favourites as the sun set lighting up the lake stage like candles on a cake. And making the final evening of Music on the Barge another magical hit.

The eight-time Juno winners performed many of their original songs and classic country covers including Fox on the Run, which received a raucous round of applause.

Special guests included family members Margaret and Susan Good on vocals and Travis Good on guitar, along with Gravenhurst fiddler Wayne Ferguson and bassist Kevin Luciani.

The Canadian Country Hall of Famers ended the night at 9 p.m. with the Gordon Lightfoot hit Alberta Bound, the same tribute they sang with him last month at the Mariposa Folk Festival where the Orillia native was named to the Mariposa Hall of Fame.

Sunday’s show capped a busy weekend of music in Gravenhurst, which also included a Joe Cocker Mad Dogs and Englishman tribute at the Opera House.

Pianist Lance Anderson returned to town with a 12-piece band that was a cover band, covering a cover band that was a cover band of the Beatles and Ray Charles.

A big sound the sum of which needlessly overwhelmed the soloists with its poor overall sound, which seldom let any of the singers’ individual lyrics be clearly heard — especially the three backup singers.

It seemed there was no sound check — and could have benefited from the Goods’ long-time sound engineer Brian McCullagh.

Gravenhurst gets another shot at musical fame this weekend at the Dockside Festival, which includes the Barge, the Wharf and the Opera House, where Lightfoot’s daughter Tessa takes the stage Saturday night.