Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys

Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys play The Cluny 2 on Friday 16 October, with the set running from 7:30pm to 11:00pm. It's a Canadian import for the Newcastle stage: Vaadeland is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Cut Knife, Saskatchewan, and he'll be leading the night alongside The Sturgeon River Boys.

His sound sits at the cross between bluegrass and 50s rockabilly, and he handles the guitar and banjo as well as the singing. The songs lean on storytelling and relatable messages, delivered in high-energy, foot-stomping performances with the full band. It's a traditional sound with a bit of a rock-and-roll edge, so it's as much for the bluegrass crowd as it is for anyone who likes a bit of old-school country.

Vaadeland's name started turning up in the awards lists around 2022. That year he picked up two Saskatchewan Music Awards, including Album of the Year for Everybody But Me and Folk/Roots Artist of the Year. He followed that with four Saskatchewan Country Music Awards: Fans Choice Entertainer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Alternative Country Album of the Year, and Emerging Artist of the Year. It's a fair bit of ground to cover in one year, and it gives you a sense of where he's coming from — a mix of folk, roots, and country that's as much about the songwriting as it is about the performance.

The gig is at The Cluny 2 in Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday 16 October, running from 7:30pm to 11:00pm.