Jay Gilday’s voice is a raw and gorgeous siren of the Canadian north, fusing hymnal anguish with driving rhythm and blues. And he is about to inscribe a special chapter in Canadian music history.
Kitimat audiences get to be part of his journey – the Kitimat Concert Association is pleased to present Jay in concert on Saturday, October 26, at the Mount Elizabeth Theatre, starting at 8 p.m.
Whether on the main stage of a summer festival or headlining a shadowy cabaret, Jay captivates. He is equally arresting as a solo performer, crooning over acoustic guitar and piano, as the front-man of an eight-piece rock band, baiting dance floors with infectious hooks and boundless energy.
What sets Jay apart is the unfailing authenticity that accompanies his rare talents. His craft is unfettered by pageantry or put-on, and the intensity of his delivery is a product of conviction, rather than coaching. Jay Gilday has a rare convergence of skills in the world of singer-songwriters.
His neatly trimmed and powerful turns of phrase, an ability to pull the listener into a particularly vivid experience, and a warm vocal instrument coupled with an always dynamic, and at time explosive instrumental foundation, make for a formidable and complete skill set.
He’s rooted in the singer-songwriter tradition but unique – Jay Gilday stands out from the pack. On his second full-length record, Faster than Light (2016), Jay’s voice is bathed in a torrent of harmonic electric blues—in turns playful and devastating—perhaps best described as an uncannily soulful brand of rock.
This record has earned Gilday the Indigenous Artist of the Year award from the Western Canadian Music Awards (2017), Singer-songwriter of the Year, and Artists to Watch from the Edmonton Music Awards (2017). Jay is currently based in Edmonton, where his considerable fan base has learned what the rest of the country is about to find out: Jay Gilday owns one of the most arresting and important voices in Canadian music today.
As a songwriter, Jay threads together the colours of his own ancestral traditions: Dene spirituals, Irish ballads, Canadian folk and rock. He was raised in a family of accomplished musicians on the tundra of Yellowknife, where his music electrifies its never-ending days and nights.
Whether on the main stage of a summer festival or headlining a shadowy cabaret, Jay captivates. This is a show that you don’t want to miss.
Tickets are available at Bradley’s Bait and Tackle or at the door. Beer and wine are available before the show and at intermission, so come early and enjoy a glass.