Langley’s Dallas Smith, seen here at the JUNO Awards in 2017, is among performers during the 2021 Canuck Country Rocks benefit concert, online on Thursday, April 29. (Photo: Youtube)

Canuck Country Rocks benefit concert goes virtual with Surrey ‘backdrop’ on April date

Annual event to raise money for mental health initiatives

Vancouver-area musicians and Surrey scenes will be featured during a virtual “Canuck Country Rocks” benefit concert later this month.

The online event will support mental health programs with performances by Dallas Smith, Aaron Pritchett, Chad Brownlee, Meghan Patrick, Jojo Mason, Odds and others, with appearances by former Canucks players and other celebrities.

On Thursday, April 29, the evening show is set to run for 90 minutes, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

An annual event, Canuck Country Rocks will be streamed this year due to the pandemic, with tickets priced between $15 and $20 on eventbrite.com. “With a packed show, a silent auction, prizes, and more, it’s a great way to support an amazing cause,” says a post on the Vancouver Canucks Alumni website (vancouvercanucksalumni.org).

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The event is presented by RYU Apparel in partnership with City of Surrey.

“Surrey’s landmarks and scenery will be the backdrop for one of the most anticipated country music events of the year, Canuck Country Rocks,” the city tweeted Wednesday (April 7).

• RELATED STORY: Canucks alumni players move their weekly scrimmages to Surrey’s newest hockey rink.

Former Vancouver Canucks favorites Kirk McLean, Harold Snepsts, Cliff Ronning, Dave Babych, Kevin Bieksa, Corey Hirsch and Gary Nylund will be a part of this year’s alumni line-up. Other special guests include “Corner Gas” star Brent Butt, plus Jason Priestley and Cindy Sampson from the TV show “Private Eyes.”

Programs to benefit from the event are Heads Up Guys, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, Coast Mental Health and Lifted: The Dallas Smith Charitable Organization.

Last fall, before such games were postponed due to the pandemic, Vancouver Canucks Alumni began skating at a new home rink, North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex.

Close to 30 former NHL players and other alumni association members were scrimmaging weekly at the rink, where the team colours, including logo and jerseys, were painted on walls of the Surrey Knights players’ lounge, thanks to the efforts of the junior hockey team’s owner, John Craighead, an alumni member.

The Surrey arena has served as a new home base for the alumni association, which involves a long list of former Canucks players in addition to former NHLers and other pros, hockey managers, entertainers, media and others.

The scrimmages, closed to spectators, were previously held at Scotia Barn, the eight-rink facility in Burnaby, said Robin Wyss, the alumni association’s executive director.

VIDEO/STORY FROM ARCHIVES: Ex-NHLer Nylund, a Surrey resident, rocks with Odds at second charity concert.


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Surrey Now Leader