The ‘good time’ band

By Lyndsie Kiebert
Reader Staff Writer

Country music as a genre can be polarizing — most people either love it or hate it.

Sandpoint country artist Devon Wade knows this, so when people tell him he and his band play a kind of country everyone can love, he doesn’t take it for granted.

The Devon Wade Band plays live at The Knitting Factory in Spokane when they opened for Kip Moore. Photo by Gary Peterson Photography.

“Probably the biggest compliment we get when we play is people say, ‘Well, I don’t really like country music, but I like it when you guys play it.’ That’s a big thing to me,” Wade said. “We put our own flair and taste on it.”

The Devon Wade Band, which Wade said has been in its current form for about two years, will celebrate the release of their first album this Friday at MickDuff’s Beer Hall from 6:30-9:30 p.m. The album, which is self-titled, has been a long time in the making, Wade said. Other members of the band include Patrick McDonald on drums, Thomas Kitchen on bass and David Calhoun and Dean Roberts, both on lead guitar.

While their favorite compliment is that they help non-country-lovers get into the genre, Wade acknowledges that the band stays true to some of the well-established tropes of country music.

“Our songs are feel good. They’re about shooting guns and being a redneck,” Wade said with a laugh, noting the band’s music also delves into more emotional territory sometimes. “It’s always been about, ‘What would we want to dance to? What would we want to drink and party to?’ We want to be the good time band. We want to have fun.”

Wade said the Devon Wade Band album is a pretty complete taste of their style, from party songs to some soft acoustic sounds. Wade said songs like “Beer Me” and “Show Me The Cash” tend to be fan favorites when they play them live.

Wade said that even though the band is just a local act, people in the community make them “feel like a big deal.” And some would argue they are a big deal, based on recent events. After opening for country singer Kip Moore — known for hits like “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck” and “Hey Pretty Girl” — at the Spokane Knitting Factory in August, they were invited to open for Moore again in Seattle. Both shows were sold out.

“Playing in Seattle was probably one of the best experiences ever — just walking out and seeing 3,000 people out there in the crowd. The bass player looked at me and he was kind of nervous. I looked at him like, ‘Just roll with it,’” Wade said with a laugh.

Albums will be available for purchase at the Beer Hall Friday night, as well as some other Devon Wade Band merchandise. Cover charge is $5 and the first 50 tickets sold will be entered into a grand-prize drawing announced during the show.

Catch the show as part of MickDuff’s Beer Hall’s Oktoberfest activities on Friday, Sept. 29 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.