Downchild To Rock With Blues Brothers' Dan Aykroyd

04-25-2019

Downchild, the band said to have inspired the Blues Brothers, will be joined by Dan Aykroyd for their appearance at the Rochester International Jazz Festival.

The festival appearance will be taking place on June 21st and is part of the veteran band's 50th anniversary tour across North America that will launch with a sold out show on June 19th at Grossman's Tavern in Toronto, ON.

"I was pretty lucky to get a hit record just a few years after starting the band," remembers founding member Donnie "Mr. Downchild" Walsh. "As I like to say, if you have a hit record, the rest is geography. You just get in the van and go, and that's what we did. For the longest time, we played 250 to 300 dates a year."

Downchild came to international prominence as the inspiration for "Saturday Night Live" television stars Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi's hit film, The Blues Brothers. In fact, two Downchild songs, "Shotgun Blues" and "(I Got Everything I Need) Almost" were even covered on The Blues Brothers' 1978 multi-platinum album, Briefcase Full of Blues.

The current lineup of Downchild features some of the most well-respected musicians in Canada, who have performed together for over 25 years: lead singer and harmonica player Chuck Jackson; Pat Carey on tenor sax; Mike Fitzpatrick on drums; Gary Kendall on bass; and former American super-group rocker, Michael Fonfara (of Rhinoceros/Lou Reed fame) on keyboards.

50TH Anniversary Tour Dates
06/19 Grossman's Tavern (SOLD OUT) Toronto, ON
06/21 Rochester International Jazz Festival Rochester, NY*
07/20 Porquis Rock N Blues Festival Porquis Junction, ON
08/17 Chenango Blues Festival Norwich, NY
08/29 Charles W. Stockey Centre Parry Sound, ON
09/28 Regent Theatre Oshawa, ON
10/18 McPherson Playhouse Victoria, BC
10/19 Sid Williams Theatre Courtenay, BC
10/20 The Port Theatre Nanaimo, BC
10/22 Tidemark Theatre Campbell River, BC
10/24 Kelowna Community Theatre Kelowna, BC
10/25 Charles Bailey Theatre Trail, BC
10/26 Key City Theatre Cranbrook, BC
10/30 Memorial Centre Theatre Red Deer, AB
11/01 Festival Place Sherwood Park, AB
11/05 Vic Juba Theatre Lloydminster, AB
11/08 Bella Concert Hall Calgary, AB
11/09 Esplanade Theatre Medicine Hat, AB**
11/12 Lyric Theatre Swift Current, SK
11/16 E.A. Rawlinson Centre Prince Albert, SK
11/21 FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre St. Catharines, ON
11/22 Showplace Performance Centre Peterborough, ON
11/23 Orillia Opera House Orillia, ON
03/27/20 River Run Centre Guelph, ON
04/23/20 Capitol Theatre Moncton, NB
05/07/20 Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre Richmond Hill, ON

* Featuring Dan Aykroyd
** Featuring Colin James