Leisa Way brings iconic rock and country sounds to Ribfest

August 26, 2021 · 0 Comments

The sizzling aroma of freshly-grilled ribs will be hanging over Aurora this week as the Ribfest returns to Machell Park after more than a year’s absence.

But, as the breeze carries these enticing scents throughout the community, the “Wayward Wind” will bring acclaimed performer Leisa Way to the main stage with her “Rock the Night Away” stage show featuring the Wayward Wind Band.

Ms. Way, who has previously performed her Dolly Parton Show, Rhinestone Cowgirl, in Aurora has had few chances to perform live before an audience since the start of the global pandemic, but she’s set to bring the house down not once but twice this week.

On Wednesday, August 25, Ms. Way’s Opry Gold will be the penultimate show in the Town’s popular Concerts in the Park Summer Series. While Opry Gold, as the name suggests, is a celebration of all the hits that have come out of the Grand Ole Opry, Saturday nights Rock the Night Away show celebrates the best of classic rock.

“It is really wonderful that communities have been rallying around professional musicians they know live within their communities to present a concert outdoors – it has been so exciting to see people,” says Ms. Way, a resident of Orangeville. “The wonderful thing is our musicians are just so incredible; to hear, for example, my guitarist, Fred Smith, shredding a rock tune or to hear him play amazing licks and solos in a country show – it doesn’t matter whether you even like country music, you’re going to have fun listening to this music.

“Music is a universal language and it brings people together from all walks of life. Music brings us together as one. We do jazz, pop, folk, and we have fans that come to see whatever we do because when the music is played well you’ll enjoy it no matter what kind of music it is.”

Ms. Way says she and her band take the time to make sure what the audience hears will be “balanced, beautiful and wonderful,” and sound is considered above all else.

They rehearsed the Rock the Night Away show for the first time last week – the first time they had performed it in more than a year due to COVID – and they quickly got back into the rhythm. This rehearsal followed on the heels of a drive-in performance of her Parton show just a couple of weeks ago in Shelburne and Ms. Way says getting back to these themed shows has “felt like putting on an old sweater that I loved.”

“I will never take for granted how lucky I am to do what I do and to work with the calibre of musicians I do – not only the calibre of musicians, but how wonderful these human beings are that I get to spend two hours a night on stage with them – because I missed them,” she says. “In the 17 months, I realized what I missed the most is performing. It is part of my DNA. I miss people, I miss the people I work with, that camaraderie and I miss the audience, that magical connection that happens when an audience is with you enjoying the performance.

“I [want the audience to leave] with the joy of being out in public after staying in our houses for so long and being so careful and trying to not only keep ourselves safe, but our families, loved ones and strangers.”

Leisa Way takes the stage at Ribfest on Saturday, August 28, at 9 p.m. Ribfest runs at Machel Park from Friday, August 27 – Sunday, August 29. For more information, including up-to-date COVID protocols, visit www.aurora.ca/ribfest.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter