August 13, 2020 @ 5:43 PM
Southern rock musician Devin Cooper played a mix of original tunes and covers to a large and appreciative audience in West Stettler Park on Wednesday night, August 11. Stettler residents brought chairs, blankets, dogs, and fishing rods to enjoy the warm evening as Cooper serenaded the town. The audio setup allowed everyone in the park to hear his amazing guitar and vocal skills without being overwhelmingly loud. Cooper’s set was part of the Entertainment in the Park series.
Toward the end of his concert, Cooper explained that one of his biggest influences was Stevie Ray Vaughan before playing his hit, “Pride And Joy.” He was also influenced by southern rockers ZZ Top, Chris Stapleton, and the Cadillac Three. He has been playing guitar since the age of seven, and his talent is immediately clear even to people without much background in country music. This reporter is a fan of classic rock and was quite captivated.
Audience members congregated safely, keeping distance between families, and Cooper offered to throw t-shirt purchases “from six feet away” on the stage. Just before his last song, Cooper explained that he had originally written “Last Time Last” about the end of a relationship, but by the time he recorded it “the world had fallen apart” and it became much more about taking advantage of the time we have with our loved ones.
Luckily, although the major tour Cooper had scheduled across Canada this summer was cancelled due to COVID-19, he has been able to play lots of outdoor shows and even some indoor shows with plexiglass shields to keep the audience safe. Last weekend he played Calgary’s King Eddy, and on September 3 at 9:00pm he will be at Mikey’s On 12th in Calgary for the Blue Jay Sessions: Anniversary Edition.
For more information on Devin Cooper, visit his website: https://www.devincoopermusic.com/ and to purchase tickets for his upcoming show visit https://www.showpass.com/the-blue-jay-sessions-anniversary-edition/.
Alix Adair, Reporter