Bruce Guthro

So this lovely lady I work with has a little obsession with this Cape Bretoner named Bruce Guthro. Her and her old man follow the guy all over hells half acre. I mean these people are groupies to the extreme. Minus the sex. They even travel THOUSANDS of clicks (those would be Canadian miles) just to see Bruce and cheer him on. I think this is totally cool for an "older" couple to pursue their passion in music to the extreme that they do. I fuckin HATE when someone says to me, "I'm too OLD to go to concerts". I just give 'em that squinty eyed sneer and say, "Yes, you ARE too old". Anyway, I always told this lady I'd shoot her favorite dude for her if he ever comes within a stones throw, and she even offered to get me AND my wife tickets if I did that for her. Well, you know me. Scottish. If it's free, I'm all over the shit. So we go to this place in Guelph, (where I live) that is just too classy to have any serious headbangin shit EVER play there and I'm feelin like a whale outta water.

I can breathe, but I aint gonna last long in this environment! After a couple beers, I don't care much anymore. The lights wake up and a lone figure walks out to the stage. He seats himself on a stool and grabs the microphone. No guitars, no bass, no drums, nothing. He starts singing. He sings a song that fuckin near brings a tear to your eye. Yes, even I get moved by music once in a while but it's THIS kinda music that brings it outta me. The music Bruce plays is straight from the heart. He's a songwriter that tells you a story with every song. Some of the stories are for real and reach down and tweak some shit inside of you that you can totally relate to. Other times he tells goofy stories that just make you laugh. All the while doing it with a silky voice, acoustic guitar and often accompanied by a fiddle or bass. Enter Allie Bennet, a well known musician also from Cape Breton who filled in more than competently for Bruce's usual sidekick. Allie's played with everyone out on the East coast from the Rankins, to Rita McNeil and then some.

East coast music. For the most part, I'm not a huge fan of it, but I have to admit, a lot of it is FUN. It's not always written with the finesse that a guy like Bruce puts to it, but those who like it, like it a lot.I must admit, my horizons were broadened that night. Do yourself a favour and check this guy out. He's an entertainer. He's not just a musician. He'll have you laughing at his funny tunes like Joe, a tale about a guy who's wife screws around on him with someone named Joe so he goes on a "Joe" killing spree. He kills everyone he can find who's named Joe and finally ends with the cops gunning the guy down and having his last rites administered by "Father Joe" the priest who he tells with his dying breath to kiss his ass. Then he'll have you literally crying to some of his more sensitive tunes like Falling, which I aint gonna tell you the lyrics cuz I'll start crying, you'll start crying, your fuckin dog will start crying, and I'll get my ass sued for evoking too strong of emotions through my web site.

Here's some pics.

Bruce Guthro Official Web Site

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