Aiden Edwards and his friends plan to give Prince Albert a taste of vintage rock and classic country when they step on stage for their first performance at Jam Street this Friday.
Edwards is no stranger to the Prince Albert music scene, having performed solo at the Prince Albert Winter Festival’s Country North Show and Gospel Show. On Friday, however, he’ll take the stage as Aiden Edwards and East Side of Second, a band consisting of his brother Logan and pals Evan Ace, Gavin Johns, and Kace Callaghan.
“We’re super pumped for this because this is our actual very first two shows here and we’re just so pumped,” Edwards said during an interview on Monday. “We have stuff scheduled coming up in Saskatoon and Rock the Ville and Candle Lake at the Water concert, so yeah, we have lots in the future and we’re just pumped to get it started.”
Edwards and his bandmates cherish the classics. Their inspirations include names like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
It’s not just the musicians of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s that they appreciate. They also love the vibe from that period.
“I just like that era in general,” Edwards said. “People always came out and danced. People jived. People two-stepped and it was just a very out-there era. People loved to have fun and the music kind of showcased it. People loved listening to music. People still do, but it’s not the same anymore.”
Edwards and the band formed a few months ago and are in the process of creating a debut EP. Until that comes out, they’ll be playing cover tunes, combined with a few of Edwards’ solo originals.
“We’re just definitely there to bring the energy and have a good time with the crowd and get people out dancing,” Edwards explained.
“Our whole goal for this show is just to showcase our talents and our sound and get people out dancing and having a good time.”
Edwards said he hopes the name East Side of Second will get people thinking positively about Prince Albert. It’s a tribute to the part of Prince Albert most band members were raised in.
“One of us is from out of town, but he joined late, so we don’t count him,” Edwards joked. “But yeah, we all grew up on the East Side of Second (Avenue). That’s where we practice. That’s where we do everything, so it’s just kind of like a home roots kind of name. If we ever make it anywhere, I hope people wonder, ‘oh, what is East Side of Second?’ Well, we all live on East Side of Second PA.”
Aiden Edwards and the East Side of Second will perform two shows at Jam Street on Friday. The first starts at 6:30 p.m., while the second is at 8:30 p.m. For ticket information, visit the group’s Facebook page, or Eventbrite.com.
