Scott Roos
Special to the Herald
Hometown favourite Allyson Reigh will bring back the classics when she takes the stage for the sixth in a series of wildly popular drive-in concerts this summer.
The E.A. Rawlinson Centre hosts Reigh on Wednesday, Aug 18 in what will be her first show since her previous group, Rosie and the Riveters announced their disbanding this past September.
Reigh has always enjoyed coming and performing for the hometown audience, and looks forward to playing her own original material for the first time since 2013.
“I always love playing my hometown, home province in general, but specifically P.A. because that’s where I had the opportunity to perform first,” Reigh told the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “It always feels extra special when I get to play at home, and also have ties to the Rawlinson. The support of the Rawlinson has been huge throughout my career, so it’s always a joy to work with the folks there.”
With a setlist she’s referring to as “busting out the classics” Reigh will use the Rawlinson’s drive-in show to reconnect with herself as an artist. The disbanding of the Riveters in conjunction with the challenges of pandemic life has enabled Reigh deep moments of reflection and introspection. The songs she’s chosen to perform with her band on the 18th will reflect that.
“We are going to play my (solo) record that I released in 2013. We’re going to play all the songs from that record and we’re going to play a couple new ones and also a lot of covers,” she explained.
Reigh’s choice of songs was in part inspired by friend and peer Megan Nash, who performed a drive-in show of her own on July 21st. Reigh saw the joy emanating from Nash on stage and wanted to replicate that in her own up and coming drive-in performance.
“One of the key things that I thought about when I was watching Megan Nash perform was just how much fun they were having and how good it feels to listen to live music in person, and then be able to perform live music,” Reigh explained. ” I have put together a show that features a lot of artists that I leaned on during the pandemic whose words I found comforting and whose songs made me feel something.”
In terms of using this event to also highlight her time in her previous group, Reigh says she won’t be performing any Rosie and the Riveters songs on the 18th.
“I will talk a little bit more about Rosie and the Riveters in the show and just tie it to the songs that I’m singing and I think that will sort of help round it out because some people still don’t know that we’re disbanded,” she said. “Every so often we get an email or something where people will ask when (the) next (Rosie and the Riveters) show is and I have to respond and say ‘actually… (we’ve disbanded).
I think also this (show) is sort of me finding my voice after seven years working night and day for the Riveters. I have to find out what Allyson Reigh sounds like now as a full band and I think it’s going to be really fun. I’m really excited to play with the band and just have a good time with the community.”
Tickets are still available for this show and can be purchased from the E.A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts website. Gates will open at 6:30 with the show starting at 7:30 pm.