Country music brings you to that fresh air, those open skies, and that farm smell immediately. But I love when country is played in a place that pairs with the music like rum and Coke. Last night was the opening night of the 2025 Canadian Country Music Association Awards. Some of the country genre’s biggest stars were present and lit up the red carpet. The opening acts are so crucial to set up the pace of the rest of the nights are going to go. Well, the James Barker band did not disappoint. The warm evening created the perfect atmosphere for a night of country music, turning the venue into a dance floor where even fellow performer Cameron Whitcomb couldn’t resist joining in as they performed.
All in good time, as they won Group/Duo of the Year, again this year. They are starting their Bud Light Buckle Up tour on September 18, with Kalsey Kulyk being added in as an opener. They are coming to Vancouver in November. They have had an amazing past few years, doing consistent shows around Canada. “James Barker Band is proof that big dreams can grow from small-town roots,” their bio states, and that authenticity shone through. Their set kicked off Country Music Week with an energetic blend of nostalgia and modern style. What a journey they have had, from small stages to one of the biggest stages in Canada. These best friends, who had grown up within an hour of each other in small towns surrounding Toronto, had gotten a taste of that success with their single “Chills” in 2017, and went to the top of Billboard’s Canadian Hot 100 chart. As it says on their website: “The group currently holds the title of the most No. 1’s for a Canadian country group in the BDS/Mediabase era.”
Their performance felt like they were still that band performing in their background, except there were hundreds of people watching. Some artists have that “let me show you a different way of being, a higher way of entertainment”, and others, like the James Barker Band, have that warmness to them, their relatability, and their struggle connects fans to them. Their performances work because they still feel intimate; their friendship is very visibly seen. They are country boys, and you can sense that in the clothes they choose to wear, in how closely they interact with their fans, even as they perform. Their vibe is like listening to a band perform during the summer camps’ bonfire, it’s warm and impossible to resist. They made Kelowna come alive!
They had the crowd jumping on the beats in no time; there was singing, screaming of their ladies’ fans, and just other celebrities dancing with them. What a gift it is for country fans to get to enjoy James Barker Band even as they get bigger and bigger, but to still feel that authenticity and like they are a part of the band’s inner circle.