Disbelief!
That’s what Scarecrow’s John Hodgson felt when he first got wind of an invitation to open for Nazareth, the wildly popular Scottish rock band that will perform in concert at Salmon Arm’s Shaw Centre on July 7.
When Shaw Centre events co-ordinator David Knight phoned to confirm, Hodgson was ecstatic.
“I just about fell off the chair – I thought it was a joke,” laughs Scarecrow’s lead singer/guitarist. “As teenagers, we grew up listening to them, so it’s kinda going full circle.”
Disbelief was accompanied by a good measure of colourful language when Hodgson shared the news with bandmates Dennean Gould, Rylan Wood and Kyle Reige.
“We just weren’t expecting it, we’re flattered beyond belief. They’re rock heroes.”
While Reige just joined the group last year, the other members have played together for four years.
But Hodgson has been a player since 1990 in Calgary, where the band was formed.
Back in Alberta now, Hodgson says moving to the Crazy Creek area west of Malakwa was terrible in terms of mosquitoes, but the best turn of events for picking up band members.
Three-quarters of the band are now living in Alberta, with only one remaining in B.C.
But Scarecrow, with its ability to play a wide variety of music well, is often back in the area – and that will continue.
“It’s country, it’s rock, it’s what gets you off your chair – whatever works,” says Hodgson of Scarecrow’s musical repertoire.
That’s something Winston Pain is happy to corroborate.
As chair of the Shuswap Trail Alliance and of the team that organizes the annual trail party fundraiser, Pain knows how well crowds respond to Scarecrow.
“The reason we keep bringing them back is their range is wide and they can play their own and cover stuff,” says Pain, describing Hodgson as exceptionally talented.
“If you close your eyes, you really think you’re listening to ACDC, or Elton John…”
As well, Pain says Scarecrow has a way of completely engaging a broad age group, and keeping them on the dance floor until the early morning hours.
“With Scarecrow as our name band we sell out all 450 tickets,” says Pain. “We’ve had them back by popular demand and we know they’ll be coming back again.”
That will happen sooner rather than later, with Scarecrow happy to return for Canada Day festivities on a barge in Sicamous, another gig at a private celebration and then, of course, the highly anticipated Nazareth concert.
“We’re like a travelling pack of gypsies,” laughs Hodgson, noting the band was heading into a recording studio Monday to cut a CD.
“The album will be like our live music – rock, country and in between,” he says. “I take in an idea, everyone throws their two bits into the sandbox and we see where it goes from there.”
Popular since their start in the 1960’s, Nazareth is on another world tour, still playing to sold-out audiences.
Doors at the Shaw Centre open at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 7 and the concert begins at 8.
Tickets are $34 for general seating, or $39 for a place at a table on the floor.
