The Middle Coast, a Winnipeg-based band, performed a high-energy concert at the Prince of Wales Complex auditorium on March 3. The event was part of the Stars for Saskatchewan series organized by the Assiniboia and District Arts Council and the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils.
Despite their youth, the band members, Liam Duncan, Dylan MacDonald and Roman Clarke, are seasoned musicians playing and performing since childhood in their native Brandon. The Middle Coast is a fairly new band for the trio, having been together for about a year. While they don鈥檛 have their first album yet, they have been racking up the kilometres touring and playing in various venues.
The band鈥檚 own compositions were performed with simple lyrics but strong resonant melodies. Surprisingly, many of the group鈥檚 song like 鈥淧aycheck鈥� were melancholic and sorrowful, in contrast to the easy-going cheerfulness of the group members鈥� stage presence. MacDonald tried to explain this disparity by joking with the audience that the band鈥檚 songwriter 鈥済ot a lot of mileage from breaking up with a girlfriend.鈥�
Before the break, the trio surprised the audience with a sweet-sounding a capella piece underscoring the trio鈥檚 singing abilities. Based on the audience鈥檚 head-bobbing reaction, the favourite of the night was the three-song mash up of Elvis Presley鈥檚 biggest hits.
They did justice to the King of Rock 鈥榥 Roll with featured instrument solos by each of the band members.聽 The audience was wowed by Duncan鈥檚 keyboard rift in 鈥淚鈥檓 All Shook Up鈥�, MacDonald鈥檚 guitar in 鈥淗ound Dog鈥� and Clarke鈥檚 expert drumming in 鈥淏lue Suede Shoes.鈥�
The Middle Coast gave a refreshing and energetic stage performance and took care to connect with the audience by telling their story between songs. If the Assiniboia performance was anything to go by, the group has 鈥渕ore than a middle鈥� bright road ahead.
