We should be very proud that Estevan has won the Music Towns competition for Western Canada.
This accomplishment is due to the efforts of the people who submitted the heartfelt nominations for Estevan and everyone who took the time to vote at least once. (I know I voted numerous times. And I’m not the only one).
Our reward is a concert from leading Canadian country music star Dallas Smith, which should draw a big crowd. Hopefully the venue will be packed for the show, and Smith, his band and his crew members will leave praising Estevan for all that it has to offer.
Smith and I are actually from the same hometown of Langley, B.C. I remember his first foray into the music business with a band named Default in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. He’s since moved on to even bigger and better things as a country music singer.
But I also remember him for another reason: bowling.
A few years ago, my best friend asked me if I knew of a guy named Dallas Smith. My initial thought turned to the former Boston Bruins’ defenceman who played his junior hockey in Estevan and would eventually become Bobby Orr’s defence partner in Boston. (My best buddy is a long-time Boston Bruins fan. I don’t hold it against him).
My pal was referring to Dallas Smith the musician. He was convinced that we were on the same team as Smith in 1991-92 at the famed Willowbrook Lanes bowling alley in Langley. He pointed out that Smith the country music star looked a lot like the guy we bowled with when we were 13.
To be honest, I was actually kind of annoyed that this was brought to my attention, but only because I’m the self-proclaimed “human filing cabinet” who world remember something like that and bring it to other people’s attention.
I always had it in the back of my mind that if Smith ever appeared in Estevan for a concert, to ask him if he was a bowler back at Willowbrook as a kid, and to point out that we were on the same team.
I don’t recall how good of a bowler he was, but needless to say, he’s proven to be a much better musician. After all, a lot more people have paid to watch him sing than ever would have paid to watch him bowl, and his appearances at the Junos and the Canadian Country Music Association Awards would attract far more viewers than a game on the TSN Special Old Pins Game.
It should be noted that some of the guys we bowled against at that time would eventually go on to win national titles. We weren’t among them.
His fans are certainly glad he decided to pursue music, too.
This concert represents a lot for us. Music Towns helped bring a lot of people together for the cause of having a concert here. And it’s the chance to enjoy live music. We haven’t had that very often.
We’ve had some smaller and really enjoyable shows in Estevan since our last big concert, The Offspring, in November 2019. The Orpheum Theatre has brought some great acts to Estevan. But Smith’s appearance will be the biggest one yet.
For many of us, we’ve realized just how much we missed live music.
The musicians have realized how much they miss playing before the crowds, too. It was nice to have the virtual concerts and the drive-in shows during the pandemic restrictions, and it enabled them to at least make some money, but it wasn’t the same as playing before the large audience, with the fans crowded around the stage, singing and dancing to their favourite songs.
Now that we have this opportunity again, we have to capitalize on it.
And the best way to say thank you to the people who nominated Estevan for Music Towns is by turning out for the show and having a great time.
This concert should also bring people to the community. The previous large concerts that we’ve had in the Energy City have not only been a great time for us, but they have drawn fans from outside of Estevan. Those people have dined at our restaurants and stayed in our hotels.
Winning Music Towns is great for Estevan on so many fronts. I guess you could say a Dallas Smith concert is a real strike in our favour.
