Downtown concert series showcasing Lethbridge artists

By Lethbridge Herald on August 12, 2022.

Herald photo by Ry Clarke Dave McCann plays to audience members at the Upside Downtown Summer 2022 festival Thursday evening on Rotary Square outside Casa in partnership with the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge.

Ry Clarke – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Casa and the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge welcomed guests to the fifth concert of its Upside Downtown Summer 2022 Festival in Rotary Square Thursday. 

Holding a free concert with musical guest Dave McCann, Thursday’s performance saw him playing songs and entertaining crowds. 

All month long every Thursday evening the event holds weekly concerts in the square with chances to eat, drink, and listen to local music in the downtown core. 

“Dave (McCann) was raised in Peterborough, Ontario. He moved to Calgary in the late ‘90s and moved to Lethbridge in 2014 to raise his family. After close to two decades, Dave has locked himself firmly in the hearts and minds of Albertans as one of the best untold singer songwriters working in contemporary music,” said Tara Gillanders, membership and project manager for the Allied Arts Council.

“This is wonderful. It’s amazing to be asked to be able to visit with people again. The last two years have been the longest 10 years of my life. So it’s nice to be here,” joked McCann, giving a performance that had audience members laughing and cheering as he sang and entertained the crowd in-between songs. 

McCann shared a colourful commentary on his life and experiences with people. 

“I wrote this song about a tumbleweed. Sometimes when you’re on the road for so long you don’t know when inspiration will hit. You know you have a songwriter husband when you get woken up in the middle of the night to a guitar strumming from the kitchen.”

Celebrating its second year, the festival looks to raise awareness for artists in the arts community, paying homage to their work and acknowledging the effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on their careers. Many artists were without work due to social distancing and event venues having to close down. 

“This is the second year we did this festival, last year through July and August into September. We’re really excited about this hopefully become a regular series for us. Last year was challenging just finding funding. We’re putting it on outside and making it safer for everybody. We really saw COVID as an opportunity to produce more events to support our performing artists here in Lethbridge because it’s been really hard for them during COVID,” said Gillanders. “This is the fifth in eight concerts. We’ve been looking for a way to support our local performing artists, while also providing an opportunity for the citizens here in Lethbridge to hear some great music and come together in a safe environment. That’s why we came up with the Upside Downtown Festival.”

The festival will continue Aug. 18 with Starpainter and conclude on Aug. 25 with Badlands Band closing out the event. Located on the Rotary Square outside Casa friends and family can come together to enjoy live music while taking in the local art presented here in the city. 

“You’re going to see some of the best musicians Lethbridge has to offer. It’s a great opportunity. Come with your dog, come after dinner with your kids, hang out in Rotary Square. It’s really casual, with a lovely environment to some great music,” said Gillanders.