Country/Pop superstar Kenny Rogers hit the Casino Rama Entertainment Centre for his first of 2 sold out shows this past Friday night. The 70-minute show was filled to the brim with hit after chart topping hit and the multi-generational crowd hung on every note and word. Rogers has been writing and performing for well over 50 years, but despite the fact that he is pushing toward his mid-seventies, his signature vocals and magnetic stage presence were in fine form.
His 7-piece touring band, complete with 3 keyboardists, 2 guitarists, bass, drums and a smoking violin player backed him up flawlessly. He opened the show with 1978’s, “Love Or Something Like It” and moved effortlessly from hit to hit. Rogers has the gift of stage banter down to a science. Never seeming to take himself or his fans too seriously, he knows that the male dates in the crowd are usually there due to their significant others having brought or dragged them to the show. Rogers usually picks out a male fan from the front row and knowing he was probably coerced into coming to the show, asks him how many hits he knows.
Rogers pulled out a pack of ten dollar bills and offered to pay the fan one bill for each hit song he could name. Our “fan” for the evening was named Mario and he named 3 of Rogers many hits. Rogers then paid out 3 bills by flicking them from the stage. He also declared that by the end of the show he would make a fan of Mario. By the end of the show Rogers had been flicking bills at Mario everytime he played a hit, and Mario had a total of $160 and as well as a t-shirt from Rogers.
Rogers also let the audience know the reason that he has stage lights set up to illuminate the floor section of the audience, is so he knows if they’ve left or not. Someone told me before the show that I would be smiling for the whole show. She wasn’t wrong. Rogers is an engaging performer who draws the audience in and keeps them on the ride with nostalgic hits, stories and conversations for the whole show. One of the standout performers was violinist Amber Randall who had her own instrumental called “Amber Ho Down” early in the set. She was clearly a virtuoso and Rogers wanted to showcase her talents. Rogers sat on a stool off to the side while the band, along with Randall, captivated the audience with the toe-tapping tune.
The first big fan favourite was “Coward of the County” which Rogers hit perfectly. The stage was setup with a large video screen behind the band.
At a couple of times during the show, Rogers introduced a “film” to enhance the song played. The first of these films showed a young Rogers with his 1960’s band “The First Edition” playing their hit, “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In).” Rogers introduced the film, as “this is as close as your going to get to an acid flashback.” The video was synced to the band, so the young and older Rogers were singing together, which worked great. Rogers spoke of the duets throughout the years with famous female singers.
One of his favourites was a Bob Seger cover of “We’ve Got Tonight” with Sheena Easton. While Easton wasn’t present for this performance, Rogers still nailed it. The second film was a montage of memorable scenes from all “The Gambler” movies played to Rogers hit “The Gambler.” The hit filled show ended with “Lucille”, “Lady” and “Islands in the Stream.” Before the last song Rogers explained that at his age, every step is valuable. So he would dispense with the customary stage exit to wait for his encore. The crowd roared their approval. Rogers tossed tambourines into the audience as the final song started. And as it ended, Rogers left the stage while his band played him off. All in all this show was a treat to experience.
Set List:
Love or Something Like It
It’s a Beautiful Life
If You Want To Find Love
Old Medley (Through the Years/Ruby)
To Me
Amber Ho Down (Instrumental)
Coward of The County
Daytime Friends
Buy Me A Rose
Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)
We’ve Got Tonight (Bob Seger cover) Stand Up
Have A Little Faith in Me
Gambler
Lucille
Lady
Islands in the Stream
We would like to thank Jenna Hunter from the Orillia Casino for the credentials to cover the show.
