The Keith Hallett show was a real “Blues Treat” on Saturday night at the Elks Hall. The show opened with David “Boxcar” Gates accompanied by Connie Andersen on Harp playing some down home Delta Mississippi Blues.

Then Keith took the stage and quickly demonstrated why he’s held in such high esteem in the Canadian Blues scene. This young man has an uncanny talent for making his guitar blaze through song after song with great ease and in many styles. In addition he has the voice and stage presents well beyond his years.

To think that we nearly lost him last year In Quebec when he was electrocuted on stage during a festival sound check. While holding on to his guitar he reached out and grabbed the microphone. There was a short and a strong current rushed through him as the muscles in his hand contracted locking his grip to the mic. He was knocked to the ground and lost consciousness and but for the fast work of someone on the stage to pull his lead cord out of the amp and saved his life.

When he came to he was rushed to hospital where he was kept and watched closely overnight. He was told that had he been older or had any heart problems the shock he received and the duration he was exposed to it would have killed him. It took him some time to get back to normal. But he was on his game Saturday. One of his songs called going down was inspired by the experience and you can feel it in the music and lyrics.