Year in Review: Rocking and laughing through 2019

By Chris Brown on December 27, 2019.

cbrown@medicinehatnews.com@MHNBrown

The past 12 months saw Medicine Hat continue to build on its reputation as the mid-sized city that can. Can what, you may ask? Can attract big-name international talent to the local stages.

Music, comedy, dance and more gave Hatters plenty of options to choose from when it came to entertainment in 2019.

This may be country music territory but arguably the biggest shows of the year were rockers.

In April, Godsmack and Volbeat blew the roof off the Canalta Centre and proved a hard act to follow. The three-pronged attack of The Offspring, Sum 41 and Dinosaur Pile-Up were up to the task in November, delighting old fans and gaining plenty of new ones.

On the country front, the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede kicked off with a double bill of two fan favourites. Brett Kissel and the Hunter Brothers made Wednesday evening feel like a Friday and Saturday show all wrapped into one with a pair of explosive performances.

Fellow Canadian Michelle Wright was one of the earlier shows of the year in March, Travis Tritt was here in July and Rascal Flatts brought Aaron Goodvin and Steven Lee Olsen along for an October date. Other country shows included Neal McCoy in February and George Canyon, Doc Walker, Charlie Major and Manny Blu in May, and Blackhawk and Restless Heart at the Stampede.

Classic rock and oldies fans definitely weren’t left out this year.

Burton Cummings’ November show was quickly sold-out, Creedence Clearwater Revisited closed Stampede, Tom Cochrane returned in March and The Stampeders played in June. A host of tribute acts also performed in the Hat throughout the year, including PIGS: Canada’s Pink Floyd tribute. The ABBA Show and Michael Jackson HIStory show.

There were laughs aplenty throughout 2019.

Cheesecake Burlesque Revue got faces and stomachs hurting in January and Cathy Jones and Bruce McCulloch kept it going in February. Suddenly Mommy and Ali Hassan made May a happy month and Red Green brought his final tour here in September.

Dance fans also had plenty of options for nights out this year, with TerZetto in August, Juliet & Romeo in October and Moscow Ballet’s “Great Russian Nutcracker” in November among the standouts.

There were also a lot of shows that don’t really fit in to any real genre. Blue Man Group had a run at the Canalta Centre in April, followed by Monsters & Mayhem in May and Rock the Rink, fronted by Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue, thrilled skate fans in October.

Other acts of note that came through Medicine Hat: The Trews, PJ Masks Live!, Slocan Ramblers, Celtic Tenors, Blue Rodeo, BMF Country Gospel Music Jamboree, Lloyd Spiegel, Harpdog Brown, Billy & Elton: The Legacy, Ian Sherwood, Young Irelanders, Louisiana Hayride, Jake’s Gift, Christopher Hall, Legendary Downchild Blues Band, Pretty Archie, Ennis Sisters, The Huron Carole Path to a Miracle, Classic Albums Live, Canadian Wrestling Elite.

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