Keith Urban At Sarnia Bayfest 2010

SHAWN JEFFORDS sjeffords@theobserver.caCountry music superstar Keith Urban took the stage at Bayfest in front of a raucous crowd Friday. Fans were in the palm of his hand as he performed his hits.



Review: BAYFEST: Country faithful get Urban-ized
TARA JEFFREY
The Observer

Bayfest said goodbye to air-drumming and hello to the two-step Friday night when country music star Keith Urban kicked off the weekend.

Urban hit the stage at 10:30 p.m. to a roaring crowd — singing along to every word — to hits like "Days go By," and "Who wouldn't want to be me," and "Sweet thing."

Fans at Sarnia's massive summer music festival were all gussied-up, clad in cowboy hats, short-shorts, dirt-kickin' boots and sparkling belt buckles.


"We've been here since 6 a.m.," said Ashley Wojcinski, 23, who traveled from Buffalo, NY with her mom.

Bayfest marked Wojcinski's 54th Keith Urban concert in four years.

"I've been from New York to California; I've traveled the country," said Wojcinski, who didn't mind the 11-hour wait in line on Front Street in Sarnia.

"Everyone's been complaining, but I think the time went by really fast," she said. "This is the best moment; I always feel so happy at Keith concerts."

Last year Wojcinski actually met the Aussie heartthrob and had him sign her wrist — then had his signature permanently tattooed in place.


"I haven't regretted it yet," she said, showing off the inked autograph. "I might one day, but I haven't yet."

The country hunk arrived in Sarnia Friday morning and hung out backstage while the lineup — largely female — wrapped around the park.

"The crowds look like they're going to be larger than the rock weekend," said organizer Michele Stokley, who estimated Friday's attendance at 19,000 people.

A string of openers warmed up the crowd, including Sarnia's own Crow Jane, local band and Bayfest veterans Scott Manery & the Barnburners, Canadian Country music star Aaron Lines, and popular Canadian group The Road Hammers.

Amid the high-energy lineup Sarnia resident Jamie Noel proposed to his girlfriend Tara Tonner on stage.

She said yes, to a roaring crowd.

Meanwhile, the festival's popular souvenir — Bayfest's Yellow Coolie Cup — has sold out.

"We've gone through 10,000," said Stokley. "I thought it would be a push to go through that much, but I should have ordered 15,000."

Bayfest continues tonight with country music star Alan Jackson, along with opening acts Whiskey River Band, Marshall Dane, Dean Brody and Shane Yellowbird.

The festival wraps Sunday with hip-hop supergroup the Black Eyed Peas, along with openers Down with Webster, Wild Domestic, Hello Bella and Art of Fresh.


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Video from Sarnia....audio quality isn't great but you can listen to Keith talk about the resurrection of his TSCA Fender from the Nashville flood at the 2 minute mark.