Ottawa, Ontario |
Damn the animals, let the music play THE show must go on is a familiar old showbiz truth, but in the case of Patricia Conroy it has a whole new meaning. A few months back, the popular Canadian country star was touring Europe when she was the victim of a vicious dog attack while strolling down a famous beach. The severity of that episode caused her to cancel the tour and head back to her home base in Nashville to recuperate. Judging from Conroy's afternoon performance on the Instant Bingo stage at the Carp Fair yesterday afternoon, her fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Not only has she recovered from the traumatic canine encounter but she seems to be even more relaxed and in control of her stage performance than ever before. Now, a live show within the confines of a primarily agricultural environment is a bit of a tall order simply because of all the distractions taking place around the performer. And yesterday afternoon, the Carp Fair was full to bursting with folks enjoying the splendid weather and sights and sounds of one of the country's premier fairs. But despite the chatter of the midway and the background swell of PA announcements from agri-competitions, Conroy seemed right at home. Two things have always been true about Conroy's live shows. First, she's got energy to burn, both on stage and vocally, and she's also far more impressive live than you might think. And as always, she seems even more powerful on stage than on record. Dressed entirely in black and sporting a blondified Friends-style hairdo, Conroy used her hour to roll out the tunes that have become her classics through extensive airplay. Whether it was the haunting Somebody's Leaving, the gentle Crazy Fool or the rock tinges of You Can't Resist It, both she and the band never wavered for a second. She always seems in complete control on stage and just real happy to be up there. In fact, because of the large number of kiddies dancing on the floor in front of her, the show took on a kind of campground feel -- it was just fun. Also on the set list was Conroy's brand new single Mary On The Dashboard, the first single from a new CD that's in the process of being finished as we speak. Considering the positive reaction from the fans, Conroy should be in for a good ride on this new recording, the first for her own label. The crowd loved her so much they brought her and her rockin' reliable band back for an encore of Bad Day For Trains. RICK OVERALL, Ottawa Sun |
July 4, 1997 Galgary, Alberta |
Rock solid Months after a vicious dog attack, patricia conroy is back entertaining stampede fans. Click Here for full review. ANIKA VAN WYK, Galgary Sun |