September 1 2013 – The Canadian National Exhibition was in full gear musically in 2013 and tonight on either end of the grand lady were two great shows.
The bandshell featured Frankie Avalon and let me tell you it was as packed as any other show we have seen this year. The seats were overflowing with people sitting all over the grass surrounding the stage for Avalon. His CNE bio states “A talented and multifaceted performer, Frankie Avalon has a career that spans over three generations and includes music, television and film. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Avalon began his career as trumpet player by entering local amateur contests and made appearances on The Perry Como and Jackie Gleeson Television Shows. His sound would eventually become one of the defining sounds of the “Pre-Beatles” Rock & Roll era and garner him a string of Gold Record Million-Seller singles and albums and an induction into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. In addition to his musical success, Avalon is also known for his acting chops with film credits that include roles in the Beach Party series, The Dark, and The Alamo, amongst others.“
On the other side of the fair at the Midway Stage The Blues was the musical category and once again the venue was full for The Jonny Max Band.
The blues ensemble featured a variety of guests including Steve Strongman (who we reviewed earlier this year at his Safari Niagara gig). The strong Blues set was incredible and here is the CNE bio page tells us: “To listen to Johnny Max tell it, and to watch Johnny Max present it, you understand very quickly that there’s more to creating great music than simply performing a first-rate piece of music well. It’s much more all encompassing than that. Max’s take includes engaging the audience, making his show accessible. He wants to more than simply feed off the audience, he looks to make them part of the experience. And he does so with his good natured wit. Using humour to get your point across is always risky because there’s a fine line between entertaining and being the comic. To his credit Johnny Max knows how to tread that line because the music always comes first. It’s all in days work for Max. And he and his fans wouldn’t have it any other way.”
