The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Almost two years to the date country star Aaron Pritchett graced the stage at the Flin Flon Community Hall, heÕs coming back. With songs like ÒHold My BeerÓ and ÒBig WheelÓ on the docket, Pritchett says heÕs excited to be returning to the area. ÒItÕs funny, my band and I were talking about Flin Flon a couple weeks ago,Ó he says in a phone interview. When Pritchett and his group traveled to the city the last time, they had arrived after playing the MTS Centre in Winnipeg. ÒIt was so cool to come up the day after the MTS Centre. ItÕs a great story,Ó he added. ÒWe played for 12,000 people and then came to Flin Flon and played for 500.Ó Although to some may see that as a come-down, Pritchett doesnÕt see it that way. ÒItÕs more exciting in places like Flin Flon where there is more interaction with people,Ó he says. ÒYou play one big stage and then play a small town.Ó At the show in 2006, Pritchett and his band pulled in some 500 fans and he hopes to be able to see the same this year. ÒWe sold out our first and we would love to be able to see that kind of crowd again for sure,Ósays the Vancouver-born singer. Although there similarities between playing the MTS Centre and the Flin Flon Community Hall, Pritchett says there are some perks to being in a smaller venue. ÒYou arenÕt just closer to the artist, but you can hear better,Ó he says. Those perks aside, Pritchett says he likes being able to see different areas. ÒI like coming to small towns and checking them out the first time and look forward to coming back to them,Óhe says. And heÕs not picky where he plays. ÒA big venue is a great feeling, but I still love playing for small crowds. ItÕs more interactive. ÒIÕll play anywhere that anyone will listen,Ó he says. With that being said, Pritchett says heÕs been asked to play in some less than normal conditions. ÒIn Manitoba actually, I was asked to play at a Mennonite barbecue and I was asked to take pictures with these six-month-old twins. ÒIt was strange. They were really nice people, but it was strange.Ó It doesnÕt seem to matter where the band plays as Pritchett says his favourite thing to see is people singing along. ÒFirst and foremost, my favourite thing is being able to play and to see fans singing back to me. ÒWhen you write a song and they not only want to listen to it, but they want to sing along to it as well Ð itÕs just mind-boggling, Ò he says. With performing comes a lot of hours on the road. Pritchett says, it makes it easier having a bus. ÒItÕs really nice,Ó he says. ÒThe beauty of the bus is that you play a show and do the autograph singing and then leave after the show. ÒYou donÕt have to go to a hotel for a couple hours and catch a plane, the bus driver drives throughout the night. ItÕs the perfect way to travel,Ó he says. Although Pritchett and his band arenÕt home every night, he says it took some adjustments, but everyone is used to it now. ÒWe were struggling at first to make everyone happy,Ó he says. ÒEveryone gets what we do,Ó he says referring to the musiciansÕ families, Òbut we get lots of time off.Ó But time off doesnÕt really mean time off for Pritchett and his crew. When the band isnÕt traveling the country, they are rehearsing and recording. ÒThereÕs lots of technical things to do,Ó says Pritchett. Although born in Vancouver, the singer was raised in Kitimat, B.C., which is a small town of about 10,000 people. ÒI guess coming from a small town I thrive to play the small towns,Ó he says. ÒBut IÕll play anywhere.Ó Growing up, Pritchett was like anyone else. He had his role models and influences. ÒMusic wise, it was Elvis Presley and Stevie Wonder,Ó he says, Òbut it was Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakum and Clint Black ...who made me want to become an artist.Ó The Community Hall will be taken over on Monday, April 28 by Pritchett and his band for their second performance in the city. Even with the show being on a Monday rather than a weekend, the singer says it doesnÕt really seem to matter. ÒPeople are usually turning out to see the show no matter what,Ó he says. The country star says when he hit a club to play the age range varies from 18 to people in their 60s, but when itÕs on a full stage, itÕs a family event. ÒItÕs amazing,Ó he says, referring to the children who are two and three years old. ÒSometimes if the mood is right...I pick out a kid to help play the drums, not that our drummer needs any help,Ó he says, adding in jest, Òwell maybe sometimes.Ó PritchettÕs album ÒAfter The RainÓ will be hitting the shelves in September, and his new single ÒLets Get RowdyÓ will be hitting the airwaves at the end of the month. For more information check out PritchettÕs website, www.aaronpritchett.com.
