On the evening of Monday, Nov. 26 The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra performed at The Fire Hall in Cranbrook, the first live band hosted at this new establishment.
Hailing from Victoria, The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra, first formed in 2006, consists of a collection of five talented musicians, Kurt Loewen (vocals, guitars), Paul Wolda (vocals, percussion), Mack Shields (vocals, fiddle) and Keith Rodger (double bass).
The five-piece outfit have their roots in folk music in the purest sense of the world — they are true story tellers, they are all exceptionally skilled musicians and songwriters and they draw influence from sounds from the world over, with hints of gypsy, bluegrass, roots and psychedelic rock.
This was the first live band to grace the Fire Hall and they definitely had the place packed and lively, with spirited cheering and applause throughout their two-part performance. Co-owner of the Fire Hall Jesse Roberts says he doesn’t want this to be their last show.
“Dawson Rutledge has played for us before at a charity event that was excellent but this was our first exclusively musical event,” Roberts said. “TMO were the perfect band for the job. We’ve always wanted to host live shows. Based on Cranbrook’s response and the fun we had last night, we can’t wait to do it again and bring more awesome talent to Cranbrook.”
Roberts said that he had some concerns about the sound, given the building is made from brick, but he thinks the show and the sound overall turned out great.
The bar even served up a custom Tequila Sunrise in honour of the band, ditching a featured beer tap in favour of a cocktail.
“We were slammed with people all night long,” Roberts said. “Virtually every table in the hall was reserved before the band took the stage and stayed full all night. When the band finished their final song the place erupted; I had kitchen staff asking me if everything was okay.”
Stay tuned for more great bookings from the Fire Hall.