Ready to Rock in Sharbot Lake

Jan 11, 2023

The newly renovated Soldiers Memorial Hall will get its first taste of guitar-based Rock n' Roll on Friday Night (January 13) when Tom Savage, and his band Dead Root Revival, take the stage.

Savage has played in the region before. He is from Westport originally, is based in Kingston now, and has played at “just about every one of the Day of the Pig events” at Seed to Sausage, between 2013 and 2019.

The COVID pandemic put an abrupt halt to live music concerts and bar gigs in 2020, and Tom Savage and his Dead Root Revival band felt the impact as much as any other band. As things have opened up, he has been looking to change the way people see and hear the band play.

“We don't want people to have to stay up until 4 in the morning to hear us play. We don't want to stay up until 4 in the morning every night either,” he said.

Savage was talking to his friend Chris Charlebois, one of the owners of Frenchie's Food Truck, which is located near Sharbot Lake on Highway 7, who suggested they might be able to book the hall in Sharbot Lake for a show.

The Township of Central Frontenac was amenable, and Daniel Lees of the K&P Brewing Company was also keen to participate, and the event came together. It kicks off at 6pm on Friday night, when the doors will open and with Frenchies and K&P brewery providing food and drink. At 7pm, an old friend of Tom Savage's, singer songwriter, label owner and road tested performer (he performed 200 dates a year across Canada and the United States until COVID hit) Brock Zeman, who will be accompanied by Savage on Guitar.

After Zeman's set, Dead Root Revival will take the stage, joined on keyboards by Toni Silvestri, who performs and records with his own band, as well as performing with other bands, including the Weber Brothers from Peterborough.

The show will run until 10 to 10:30 pm.

“This is something new for us,” said Savage, “and we hope people will want to come out. It's a chance to break up the winter a little bit, and if it is successful we can make it a tradition. It's great that the hall is available and affordable for us to try this. We're really looking forward to it.”

Dead Root Revival play Blues based Rock'n Roll. They have been described by the Kingston Live music site as a band that embodies “The spirit of the Delta Blues, the gritty inspiration of the farmhouse jam, the sheer brilliant power of guitar-driven classic rock.”

Tickets are $20, and will be available at the door on Friday Night. Advance tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite, at Frenchie's, and the Kick & Push Brewing Co.

Doors open at 6pm, and the music starts at 7pm.