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The show must go on, and it will.
The lead singer of the Co-Dependents has fallen ill, but the Medicine Hat Folk Club has decided not to cancel their upcoming concert.
Instead, the Calgary band will appear with another member in a show that promises to be equally enjoyable for Hat audiences.
“From our perspective, these guys are going to be just as good,” says Les Pearson, chairperson of the Medicine Folk Music Club, who voted on Tuesday evening to proceed with the concert without vocalist Billy Cowsill.
“There will be a good dance floor and the music will be great. It will be amazing opening for our concert series.”
Co-Dependents bass play Tim Leacock says Cowsill has had two back surgeries, and is now facing a hip replacement that has forced him to drop out of the concert scene for a while.
“He was trying to soldier through for several months, but he met with an orthopedic surgeon who said he can’t do that anymore,” Leacock said. “He’s housebound and practically bed ridden, so he’s not available.”
Cowsill will be replaced by Kit Johnson, who Leacock promises is “a formidable player and writer and a very talented guy.”
Johnson plays regularly with Leacock and the other member of The Co-Dependents, Steve Pineo and Ross Watson, in other bands.
Pearson says the musical talent and experience of all the players ensures Cowsill’s absence won’t detract from the show.
“These are all top-quality musicians. They all play in other groups and together they’re kind of like a Calgary supergroup regardless of whether Billy comes or not,” he says.
The group will still play a number of Co-Dependents songs, while adding other songs to their set as well.
Since the Co-Dependents have never played Cowsill’s songs from the 1960s and ‘70s – hits such as Hair for which he is best known – Leacock says the average listener won’t enjoy the concert any less.
“Billy doesn’t do any of his songs from his childhood career with the Cowsills. We don’t do any of that material and never have, so people won’t miss it,” he said.
“We’ll be doing a lot of the Co-Dependents stuff and putting on a rocking-good party. We’ll be getting people up dancing, and throwing caution and care to the wind.
“What’s better than a bit of rock and roll on a Friday night?”
The show takes place Sept. 26th at the Moose. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
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