Anticipation built an hour before the show, as country fans lined up to the end of the sidewalk outside the Beanfield Theatre in Montreal, QC. They paid no mind to the cold, as they patiently waited to see Ben Chase & Brett Kissel perform live as part of The Compass Tour.
Blue & pink lighting cast over the entire theatre, as country fans in plaid, jeans, western-styled boots and cowboy hats began filling the smoky room. Country songs from Jade Eagleson to Charlie Worsham played through the stage speakers. Concert-goers were happily singing and dancing along with their friends as they waited for the show to commence. Despite it being the middle of the work week, they came to party and they weren’t wasting a minute to do so (many pre-show beers were passed around).
Around 8 pm, Ben Chase took to the Beanfield stage. For those who are unfamiliar with the PEI transplant and now Nashville resident, he has earned more than 2 million global streams and received ongoing support from editorial playlists across major streaming platforms. His most recent single “Somebody’s Summer” also has surpassed 200K+ streams in under 2 weeks, breaking a personal record for the rapidly rising artist. In addition, the high-energy entertainer has previously opened for star-studded country acts such as Zach Bryan and Dan + Shay at notable Canadian country music festivals.
As Kissel’s opener, he performed a 3-song set including the 1M+ streamed Apple Music hit “Call Me Drunk” (written by Andrew Peebles, Ben Chase, David Borys), “In My Truck Girl” (written by David Lee Murphy, Jeremy Stover, Justin Moore) and “Saltwater Cowboy” (written by Ben Chase, Drew Gregory, Lawrence Maxwell). All of these tracks are featured on his debut album, “That Was Then, This Is Now,” which was released last September.
Between songs, Ben turned to storytelling to add a deeper layer of meaning to each of the tracks for the new fans in the audience. Ben did a great job of warming up the crowd for Kissel and keeping them engaged. Not to mention, he was respectful of the headlining act and of his time on stage (no encores, under a half hour).
Towards the end of the evening, Ben returned to stage one final time for a surprise cover performance of Bruce Springsteen’s “Cadillac Ranch” alongside Brett Kissel and his band. The crowd was already quite enthusiastic and lively for Wednesday night, but that energy didn’t wane through the full 2 hours.
The most impressive part of his entire performance throughout the whole concert was his ability to play harmonica and guitar simultaneously– which isn’t an easy feat. Not to mention, Ben had only been playing the harmonica for a few weeks prior to the show. Another remarkable aspect of Ben’s live performances is that they are sonically on par with his in-studio/post-production sound– you make it out to a Ben Chase show and you will not be disappointed.
Overall, he’s a well-rounded artist who can hold his ground both on his own with nothing but his voice and guitar and with a full band supporting him. Equally, he’s a solid entertainer who can command an audience with wit and charm. Most importantly, he’s authentically himself with an impressive dedication to his craft. Evidently, he has all the necessary skills and components needed to succeed as a country artist and take him to the next level in his career. All that said, there’s no doubt in my mind that Ben would excel as a headlining act with his full band in Montreal– Which I am certain will happen in the near future.
Chase, Ben. @thebenchase. “Done deal! 🙌 Heading out on tour NEXT WEEK opening for Brett Kissel on his Compass tour across Ontario and even into Montreal!” Instagram. Jan 30 2024,<https://www.instagram.com/p/C2vZg1jPfjF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==>.
Ben Chase. “Somebody’s Summer.” Spotify, AMG Records. June 7 2024. <https://open.spotify.com/track/2XK5pRFfwdj5Sioq1kGEhE?si=74c6a9e4225a4e63>.
Kissel, Brett. @brettkissel. “MONTREAL!!! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… NO ONE PARTIES LIKE A MONTREAL CROWD!!!” Instagram. Feb 22 2024, <https://www.instagram.com/p/C3qYaDuP4CZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==>.
Greenhill, Samuel. “Featured: Country artist & entertainer, Ben Chase. PC: Samuel Greenhill.” Courtesy of management team. Accessed June 22 2024.
