LAC LA BICHE - Calgary-based folk/rock musician Sonia Deleo performed at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park on July 13 for the Music in the Forest series.
Deleo played two sets during her lively, energetic concert which featured several of her signature songs, including her latest single, “Remind me that I’m crazy”, which is about being free of manipulation.
The near-capacity audience that had gathered inside the intimate campground ampitheatre for the intimate show also got to hear “Little Lady”, a song Deleo wrote for her daughters, along with “Monsters”, the title track from her 2022 debut LP, Love Notes to the Monsters, which has received considerable airplay on CBC.
Throughout the evening, Deleo used the time between songs to speak with her audience, talking about life, love, tragedy, along with dreams and her experiences in the music industry. In addition to performing many of her handcrafted songs, Deleo also did some covers as well, including a very upbeat, acoustic version of Gladys Knight’s “RESPECT” as well as Tracy Chapman’s “Give me one reason.”
Deleo, whose musical influences include Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, and Sinead O’Connor, often tours with her band, The New Dads. However, for the Churchill show, she was playing solo. This wasn’t Deleo’s first stop in Lac La Biche. In early 2020-just before the COVID pandemic lockdowns-she played a gig in the area.
The Music in the Forest series is hosted by Alberta Parks as a way for rural areas to enjoy Canada's independent music scene. The next Music in the Forest performance is on Saturday, August 17 when Lethbridge musician John Wort Hannam will be taking to the Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park stage. Doors for that show open at 6:30 p.m. while the music starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available through the Alberta Parks website.