Country singer Dallas Smith winks at Trump's annexation threats with 51-date tour

rural area isaac merrit singer Dallas ian smith isn't looking for to agitate the political pot, but he admits it's no coincidence that his upcoming Canadian concert tour is booked for 51 dates.

In a wink to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of making Canada the 51st state, the British Columbia-born country singer and frontman of rock band Default says he's investing in his homeland with an acoustic tour that rolls through 51 communities starting this fall.

"We were close to that number and then we said let's just make that happen," he said with a laugh in a recent interview.

"It was important for me to come, especially at this time, [with] a lot of Canadian pride. I want to get out there, really go hard, and visit all these places that I haven't been and see the country."

The Dallas Smith & His Band (Unplugged) tour will focus on places he's never toured before and is mostly booked in small theatre venues of several hundred to a thousand seats.

He starts in Fort St. John, B.C. On Oct. 3 and continues to less-travelled communities such as Kitimat, B.C., Enoch, M.B. And Wingham, Ont.

By the time it's over, Smith will have wound through nine of the 10 provinces — skipping Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories — reaching his final stop in Belleville, Ont., on Dec. 14.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Sporting a red-brimmed maple leaf baseball cap emblazoned with "Canada," Smith explained the reasons behind making Canada his main focus for the rest of the year.

"There is a lot going on in the U.S. That goes against my upbringing and what I think is right," he said in a video chat from Nashville, where he was meeting with his management.

"So why not double down and spend the time in a place that I really want to enjoy and be around my people?"

Few Canadian musicians take on the challenge of playing so many small markets. Life on the road can be mighty expensive once accounting for all the people required to carry a tour.

With his band Default, Smith is more familiar with big venues, music festivals and major events, such as the Calgary Stampede, where he's roared through hits like Wasting My Time and Deny.

He intends to revisit some of those older songs on this tour with stripped-back versions, while sharing stories of his upbringing, music career and newer solo tracks, including How Do You Miss Me and Drop. The concept is inspired by the "MTV Unplugged" sessions of the 1990s made famous by Nirvana and Alice In Chains.

Smith said he's been throwing around the idea of exploring the "nooks and crannies" of Canada since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the plan never took shape.

More recently, alongside his management team, he mapped out a budget to make it happen, shedding the lavish perks and complex lighting rigs for something more modest — a single bus, trailer, full band and most of his regular crew.

Together they'll work on a tight schedule that, at times, sees them booked for six consecutive nights in six different cities before they have a break. To make it happen, their stage setup will be minimal.

"We're gonna dial back and allow the beauty of these venues to kind of lead the way and be the backdrop," he added.

Smith's approach might seem counter to the music industry trend of making shows bigger and more social media friendly — think towering digital screens and gimmicky celebrity appearances.

But he said he's often rejected those pressures, and with this tour, he focused on making tickets affordable, within the $60 to $100 range, without impacting the live performance.

"I did not want to sacrifice how these songs would be played," Smith said.

"I love the guys in my band; they're like brothers to me. Playing these songs together, and paying them a full wage where they feel valued ... And balancing that with ticket price, it's a little tricky, but we landed in a good spot where everybody feels really happy."
 

David Friend is a reporter with The Canadian Press.

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