BY: JESSICA BEUKER
One of the greatest joys in life is attending a live concert. There is nothing more lively and energetic than the atmosphere at a concert. The band blaring through the speakers, the flashing lights, the screaming cheers that ripple through the excited crowd, and then, when your favourite artist finally hits the stage, grabs the microphone and begins to belt the lyrics to your favourite country tune. It’s an experience unlike any other, and one of my personal favourite feelings in the world.
If there’s one thing that country music artists know how to do, it’s put on a good show. The high energy, the performances and the music all contributes to a fun night out and an evening you’ll never ever forget.
Lucky for all of us country music fans, 2018 is going to be a great year for country music concerts. With provincial, eastern, western and cross-Canada tours happening all throughout the year, it’s going to be a great time for our ears, but a hard time for our wallets.
Here are some of the top country tours coming up in 2018.
1. Brantley Gilbert
Brantley Gilbert’s The Ones That Like Me Tour will kick off in February 2018 and bring along Tim Hicks and Josh Phillips for the Canadian dates.
2. Tim Hicks
Tim Hicks will be kicking off the new year in Quebec for the additional leg of the Shake These Walls Tour. In March, he joins Brantley Gilbert in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Kelowna, and Abbotsford.
3. Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel kicked off his 2018 We Were That Song tour on January 13 in Calgary, Alberta. From there he travels through the prairies and into Eastern Canada, before finishing off his tour in BC.
4. Gord Bamford
Gord Bamford is hitting the road on the cross-country Neon Smoke tour. He leaves January 24, 2018 and wraps up the tour on March 2.
5. Old Dominion
Old Dominion’s Happy Endings World Tour kicks off in Regina, SK on February 1. They will travel through Canada and the U.S. before heading to the U.K., Ireland and finally, Australia.
6. James Barker Band
James Barker Band will go cross-country, playing in cities across Canada during the months of January and February on the Game On Tour
7. Johnny Reid
Johnny Reid will kick off his 2018 Revival tour on February 26 in Sidney, BC. He’ll follow up with 8 more BC dates before moving over to Alberta. Reid will tour until the end of April, making stops in major cities and even smaller cities along the way. He will even be heading far east, performing shows in PEI, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.
8. Shania Twain
A few years after the queen of country announced her farewell tour she’s already back at it again. Only this time, she’s got a new album to go with it. Twain will kick off her Now Tour on May 3, travelling through North America, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. She’ll complete her tour in Mid October. Talk about a busy year!
