It’s not everyday a bunch of boys and girls get to meet, up-close-and-personal, the guy whose music they hear just about everyday on the radio.
But that just happened Thursday as Vernon’s very own music star Andrew Allen performed for a group of children at the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club in Vernon on Thursday.
And his hometown popularity couldn’t be more apparent as the children gathered around Allen before the performance for a meet ‘n greet.
One young girl asked excitedly if Allen, who had his song, Loving You Tonight, appear on the soundtrack for the movie Abduction, had met the film’s star, Taylor Lautner (also of Twilight fame), and what was he like.
To which Allen replied, “He was one of the nicest dudes I have ever met,” and the girl exclaimed “I knew it!”
Another boy asked Allen who his favourite super hero is to which the always affable musician said he thought Batman was pretty cool.
The Boys and Girls Club appearance was one of Allen’s last in Vernon, for now, as he and his wife, Julia, get ready to move to the City of Lights, Los Angeles, in February to pursue songwriting and other career opportunities.
Allen, who just returned from Québec, where he performed a few shows including at the Theatre Plaza Montréal, is giving another performance in town before he moves. It takes place this Thursday up at the National Altitude Training Centre at Silver Star Mountain.
Now sold out for the 150 lucky fans who bought tickets early, the show will be an intimate affair, just Allen and percussionist Nate Lotz, whom Allen is flying in from L.A.
“Silver Star has a special place in my heart. We filmed I Wanna Be Your Christmas up there and have had tons of memories there, so it’ll be that much more fun to be there again for a farewell concert,” said Allen. “For me, this is also a really fun send off. Vernon will always be home to me, but my address is gonna change for awhile, so to be able to say farewell in this way is a really fun and unique experience.”
The show is produced by Vernon’s Kip Jon Productions, who also produced Allen’s two-night, sold-out concerts in October at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre, and who was just recognized by the province for holding one of the top 12 social events in Vancouver, with a fashion show at the OPUS Hotel.
The concert is also unique in that the fans have chosen the songs for Allen to perform by posting their choices on his Facebook site.
“I’m excited for every show to be honest, but this one is really exciting for me ‘cause the fans get to choose my setlist,” he said. “They can choose covers, originals, old songs, new songs, whatever! It’ll be fun to rock some new songs in a creative way, and share them with my favourite city. It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime show. I’ve never done this before, and may never do it again.”
For video coverage of Allen’s appearance at the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club in Vernon, visit vernonmorningstar.com/entertainment.
—With files from Lisa VanderVelde.
