The Hunter Brothers kicked off Paul Brandt’s The Journey 2019 Tour in Edmonton on February 2, 2019.
The brothers opened their set with energy, singing “Lost”, the first single from their sophomore album State of Mind. They followed it up with “Those Were the Nights” from their debut album Getaway, inviting the crowd to sing along and rocking out with guitar solos.
The Saskatchewan natives took some time to introduce themselves to the crowd, gaining excited cheers when JJ Hunter donned an Edmonton Oilers jersey. He explained that it was the jersey he had been issued during his six years of preseason games with the Oilers, completely winning over the crowd. The five brothers – Ty, Luke, JJ, Dusty and Brock – grew up on a farm in a small Saskatchewan town playing hockey and singing gospel.
Ty Hunter talked about how the brothers’ lives have changed now that four of the five are married. The single ladies in the crowd collectively held their breath, waiting for the unmarried brother to be identified. When Brock Hunter was named, the crowd laughed and cheered.
The brothers’ camaraderie and brotherly ribbing was warm and engaging, creating a casual atmosphere that gave an air of familiarity and intimacy to the big stadium.
The brothers dedicated their song “When You Love a Girl” to their wives, mentioning that after being from a family of all boys, each of them had a girl as their firstborn. They performed the song with a single acoustic guitar and vocals only which allowed the audience a chance to really appreciate the band’s unique sound – all five brothers on vocals with harmonies reminiscent of old school gospel.
They wrapped up their set with “Born and Raised” with a lot of energy and the crowd singing along, finishing it off with Brock back-flipping over Luke.
That wasn’t the end of the night for the Hunter Brothers. They joined Paul Brandt on the stage at the back of the venue while he talked about how they’d all grown up going to church. They sang a few gospel songs including “Life’s a Railway to Heaven” and “Amazing Grace”, with the crowd singing along.
They took the stage once more, joined by Jess Moskaluke and High Valley, for Paul Brandt’s final song. The whole crew sang Johnny Cash’s “Walk the Line”.
It was such a great night, filled with some of the best Canadian country music you could ever hope for. Read about Paul Brandt, Jess Moskaluke, and High Valley’s performances that night too.
In country music, the Front Porch has long been a place of reflection. A place where you can look at the life you have inside that front door. A place where time almost seems to stand still, where you can get away. It’s also a place where you can go to observe the world as it passes by you. To think about your place out there beyond the driveway.
