ROCKIN’ GOOD TIME WITH ROCK SINGERS OF MUSKOKA IN FIRST HALF OF WEEKEND CANADIAN LEGENDS SHOWCASE

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

MUSKOKA — Tonight’s Rock Singers of Muskoka performance at the Rene Caisse Theatre should be a rousing success.

Their second show of their second season Friday night was “rock” solid.

If last night at Trinity United Church in Gravenhurst was a dress rehearsal, Saturday’s night’s performance in Bracebridge can only be better.

A hard opening act to follow after the packed Trinity church hall audience lauded the 70-piece choir and its rockin’ back-up band.

Director Alana Nuedling’s Legends of Canadian Music concert now makes them “legends of Muskoka music.”

A full house rocked on last night of the Rock Singers of Muskoka’s first of two weekend performances in Gravenhurst at Trinity United Church. PHOTOS Mark Clairmont

Eighteen soaring numbers that combined all the best of Canuck creativity.

They let 200 or so Share the Land, with a Heart of Gold, rode a Big Yellow Taxi, as Lovers in a Dangerous Time, with Constant Craving, ’cause no Wonder, You Learn, Life is a Highway — a Carefree Highway — and tasted Ice Cream, as if it was the Summer of ’69, to name just half the 90-minute program’s memorable tunes.

Their takes on hits by Gordon Lightfoot, Glass Tiger, Bruce Cockburn, KD Lang, Neil Young, the Tragically Hip, Our Lady Peace, Tom Cochrane, Shawn Mendes, Serena Ryder, Crash Test Dummies, Alanis Morissette, Hawksley Workman, Joni Mitchell and Bryan Adams as a finale to a spring of 2025 night that was wet and wildly received.

Solos by band leader Sean Cotton (Muskoka Memories), Frank Berg (Clumsy), Tim Mathias (Wonder), a lovely sextet (Stompa) and the Mike “Mighty Lopez” Phillips (Superman) made this large ensemble soar at times.

Thanks in large part to Cotton on guitar, Phillips bass, George Axon guitar/banjo, Ross Willard Drums and Berg keyboard.

The Rock Singers of Muskoka rocked and the audience rolled singing along to their favourite artists all of them with maple leafs for hearts.

Enthusiastic supporters in the balcony swung and swayed to the end, with some turning on the cell phone flashlights and waving them in time.

Tickets for the Bracebridge show Saturday May 24 are available at theatremuskoka.ca and are $40. Act fast.

Director Alana Nuedling brought it all together wrangling the 10 bass singers, 19 tenors, 36 altos and 17 sopranos in the choir.
Guitarist Sean Cotton led the band the brought out the best in the choir, including singing one of his own Muskoka Memories songs that evoked the Once Discovered Never Forgotten district.
This sextet did a lovely job with Serena Ryder’s ‘Stompa,’ accompanied by an adorable golden retriever – which I guess makes it a septet.
Mom was happy and so was her daughter as they celebrated following another successful show.
The ‘Mighty Lopez’ Mike Phillips also greeted an appreciative fan post concert.
It was fun concert with everyone enjoying themselves in the orchestra and balcony seats and receiving applause from the choir.
Singing along and applauding was just part of the 90-minute show.
An all-age show, Joanie Sobotka ventured across the street from the Muskoka Manor with her friend who was surprised to find her grandson Ross Willard playing drums.
The sound was best up in the balcony where every note and lyric was more clearly heard than in the orchestra seats.

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