by Roman Mitz
Alberta-based Nice Horse provides one of the best country music values of the summer as they take to the Northern Comfort Saloon stage at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto from August 31 to September 2. The show is free with CNE admission so just order up a tall boy or two and enjoy the sweet sounds of a filly that’s really starting to pick up momentum with country music fans. “We’re very comfortable sharing the stage with each other,” says drummer/vocalist Krista Woodlet. “We’re friends on and off stage and I think it comes across in our performances. We have a lot of fun and the audience can feel that.”
The group is a self-contained unit that plays their own instruments and writes potent songs such as the feminist anthem “Mansplainin’, the roof-raising single “Pony Up”, and plenty of others that you can find on their debut album “There Goes The Neighborhood” (with emphasis on the neigh). Having four writers in the group led to the enviable problem of choosing from a wealth of material for the album and there’s admittedly still a “creative hangover” lingering from an initial Hawaiian excursion. As bassist/vocalist Brandi Sidork explains, “We decided to have a girls’ weekend where we planned to just sit around having some laughs while drinking Mai Tais. By the end of it we had 30 songs written.” The group is rounded out by Tara McLeod (electric guitar) and Katie Rox (vocals, banjo, acoustic guitar)
The growing buzz surrounding Nice Horse led them to be named a CMT Fresh Face Feature Artist, and they have recently been nominated for a 2018 Canadian Country Music Award for Interactive Artist or Group of the Year. Nice Horse will be appearing in Hamilton for the CCMA’s from September 6-9 where they will be performing at various events. Following that they have four prestigious gigs opening for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at various British Columbia venues from November 7-10. https://www.facebook.com/roman.mitz
