Tim McGraw entertained 12,000 fans at the Canadian Tire Center

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Country superstar Tim McGraw arrived at the Canadian Tire Center on Friday, entertaining a nearly sold-out crowd with a stylish, joyous show that also demonstrated the viability of the Kanata Hockey Stadium as a concert venue, even if the Senators build a new home in the middle.

McGraw, who introduced himself simply as “Tim” and joked that he is better known as “Faith’s husband,” was the affable host of a multigenerational shindig that drew nearly 12,000 fans from across the region, from mother and – a couple of daughters sitting behind me, who were on a pre-Mother’s Day outing, next to the boisterous group of guys from Eastern Ontario who were belting out a McGraw ballad on the concourse while waiting in the beer line .

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“I’ve been listening to Tim McGraw for 27 years,” said one of the plaid-shirted singers during a break in the impromptu performance, “and I’m 26.”

“Since before he came out of the womb,” a friend added, explaining, “we’re all good friends, we love Tim McGraw and sing it in the alley.”

The exuberance of fans like these brought an energy that ran through the entire show and seemed to light up McGraw and his top-notch band. On stage, in his skinny jeans, black cowboy hat, and black V-neck T-shirt, with video images tracking his every move and projecting them on the screen, McGraw ran through a generous array of rock hits and vibrant ballads. with swagger and a big smile, his solid, oaky voice never misses a note.

The tracklist reads like a greatest hits catalogue, starting with party starter Truck Yeah and including essential hits like Just To See You Smile, Shotgun Rider, Red Ragtop, Where The Green Grass Grows and Real Good Man , generating songs to sing. with almost all the choirs. A highlight was a passionate cover of Elton John’s Tiny Dancer, while another crowd-pleasing moment came when fans saw Taylor Swift’s image on screen during Highway Don’t Care, a song McGraw guest features to the musical phenomenon with sales of billions of dollars. .

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At one point, McGraw shared the reason he doesn’t talk much between songs: “I have a wife and three daughters,” he said half-jokingly, and quickly made it clear that he’s proud of the women he raised in his country. . -Singing wife of 28 years, Faith Hill.

“Our job is to leave the rest of the world out,” he continued declaring. “Let go, have fun, have fun… We’ll take you for a ride.”

While that was happening, staff at local businesses were preparing for the influx of customers after the concert. The most obvious place to keep the party going was the Crazy Horse Saloon, a Western-themed restaurant and watering hole in the Kanata Centrum shopping center, just a highway away. Exit 417 east of the Canadian Tire Centre.

As one of the few Kanata establishments open late and featuring live music, it didn’t take long after the show for a line to form outside Crazy Horse’s entrance. Inside, a lively crowd danced on the dance floor to catchy country hits like Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) before Ottawa Valley country-rock group Timber Line took over and kept the good stuff going. moments into the wee hours of the morning with its mix of classic rock and country tunes.

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Earlier in the day, with the patio open to the public on a sunny afternoon, the Crazy Horse was also sold out with reservations for the pre-show dinner, including a group traveling by limousine.

“People start their fun here, go to the show and then come back after the show,” said manager Andrew Lawrie, describing customers as a mix of Valley residents, city folk and out-of-towners staying at nearby hotels.

“We’re busy for any concert, but for country concerts, we’re the place to go,” added Mike ‘Skippy’ Labreche, owner of Crazy Horse. Although they are also busy with traffic from hockey games, he is not too worried about the team’s proposal to move to a stadium that could be built downtown in the future.

“Honestly, we didn’t even think about it,” Labreche said. “It’s so far away that I can’t let it affect our business because we’ll go crazy thinking, ‘What if?'”

At the same time, he realizes that losing the venue wouldn’t be good news for the many small businesses in Kanata that get a boost from event traffic. On the other hand, perhaps Kanata Stadium would still be used for concerts.

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“Maybe the concerts could be as big as those at the Sens because there are so many concerts throughout the year,” Labreche speculated. “I guess it all depends on what (the team) would do with that place after they left.”

Back on the concourse with the singing boys, some of them saw Kanata as a more convenient place to see a concert.

“For me, downtown would be more painful, to be honest,” said Connor McLaughlin, a 26-year-old musician who lives in the Finch area. “I can take the 416, skip all of Ottawa and get here. “I don’t need to go through the city.”

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