LAFLECHE – It was certainly a memorable way to kick off the Western leg of a summer tour as JJ Voss rolled in to Lafleche on July 22.
After a hot and clear summer day, looming skies quickly began to roll in - threatening to dampen the evening for Voss and 60 fans who attended his show at the Wood River Inn & Studio that night.
But Voss was undeterred, playing through his first set seemingly without hesitation. However, as the last notes of that set rang out, the raindrops began to fall, and a contingency plan went into action.
Audience members were advised that the backyard show would temporarily become a house concert during the storm. Tarps went over equipment, and people began to head inside where Voss switched to an unplugged set in the living room. The temporary change in location didn’t seem to dampen spirits, as music-lovers enjoyed the casual acoustic set that basically took the place of an intermission.
After around 30 minutes, the rain stopped - allowing for Voss to return to the backyard for a boisterous second half. The crowd had thinned a little, but a strong contingent of 30 remained to enjoy fantastic conditions for an evening concert.
Some highlights were Voss’ A Letter to Dad, a title which also recently earned him Video of the Year at the SCMAs held in Assiniboia back in June. It was also a fine example of his strongly personal songwriting, which inevitably strikes a chord with fans.
“When you write something that’s truly from the heart, inside and personal, you run the risk of it not necessarily being that relatable to everyone,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate to have some of my songs that are very personal be relatable to more people than just myself.”
Voss also broke out the mandolin for a tribute to one of his musical heroes - Steve Earle - with a cover of Galway Girl. Of course, who could forget his interpretation of “that song” (SOB) that made Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats so famous, bringing folks to their feet in response.
While many musicians used the recent Covid pandemic as a time to create new work, Voss was in a different realm. On the upswing from a lower back surgery in 2017 and time spent in recovery, the years preceding Covid were the place Voss found himself in reflection. He had just come off a period of self-reflection and songwriting, with renewed vigour; ready to hit the road.
“That’s when I did the majority of my writing and my soul searching,” he said. “We hatched this plan to relaunch my career after a fairly lengthy hiatus, and it was all systems go. Then the world did what it did.”
“When the pandemic hit, I couldn’t even fathom creating more music that I couldn’t be able to put out front.”
At the time, Voss had just released Come Away With Me, and invested quite a bit of resources to make the album happen. What was he to do, now with a new release and no traditional way to promote it?
“I didn’t have a choice - I couldn’t sit down and I couldn’t give up,” he said. “The only time a person ever fails is when they give up.”
So, it was time to set up the cell phone and perform for a livestream - waters many artists tested during the time of lockdown.
“We had no idea how it was going to go! It worked out, my audiences and my fanbase are very loyal to what I do, and they’re very supportive,” Voss said. “I’ve always been a fan of the underdog, and in some ways maybe I’ve embodied that role.”
Voss is currently on the road in Alberta as the Roots, Rust & Roads tour continues, but will be hitting Saskatoon in October at the Bassment, plus a big event at Darke Hall in Regina this November, seeing his Damn Good Band joining Saskatchewan country music legends Faster Gun for Light Up the Darke.
