Preview: Grandstand 2025 show aims to replicate the country Opry, with a little adrenaline thrown in
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'It will have all the glamour and high-energy of the Grand Ole Opry, but it will be Calgary style. It will bring elevated country flare to the Stampede's legendary stage, and it's packed with awe-inspiring performances and jaw-dropping stunts,' says Eriksen, who has produced the Grandstand Show for the past five years.
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This is one of the reasons Eriksen wanted country star Carolyn Dawn Johnson to headline Grandstand 2025.
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'Carolyn has performed at the Grand Ole Opry, she's Albertan, and she's earned 17 Canadian Country Music Awards. There is no one better to headline our version of the Grand Ole Opry.'
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Though Johnson has performed at Nashville North, this is her first time with the Grandstand Show. Her dreams of performing at the Stampede go back to when she was a teenager.
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'Back in 1988, a friend of mine and I created a mock duo of the Judds for the Stampede talent contest. We didn't win, but it showed that I always wanted to perform at the Stampede. I've lived in Nashville for quite a while, so it is always a thrill to come back to Alberta, and the Stampede is such a big deal. I've heard about it all my life,' says Johnson.
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Her catalogue of songs stretches some 25 years, and she has plenty of new material, but she says her fans are coming to hear her vintage hits, so that's what she is going to give them in her set early in the show. That means she will be performing songs like Complicated, Die of a Broken Heart and Georgia.
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'I want to do songs that people can sing along to, I want them to sing along to. I don't want them to just sit there and listen. I want them to be on their feet if that's how they want to join in.'
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Johnson will also join the Young Canadians for These Boots Are Made for Walking, which will be accompanied by one of this year's drone extravaganzas.
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'It really is an adrenaline rush to start our show with. Audiences love these daredevils, and this year they are even going to jump a quad. Their number is called Thunder Struck. The audience is going to be sweating in the first few minutes of the show,' promises Eriksen.
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Following the motorcycle act is Wild Wild West, the first number of The Young Canadians in their 57th year with the Grandstand Show.
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Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account And a scientific study is giving credence to those concerns, citing an increase in health issues during the 10-day party. Kelly Hanasyk believes the drinking culture around Stampede contributes to deteriorating mental health. She was on the front lines, having driven from her home in Edmonton to bartend in one of the numerous party tent pop-ups around the city for the full 10-day run. She documented the experience on TikTok, with one video garnering more than 1.9-million views. She said she saw a clear degradation in the public over the course of her time behind a bar. By the second weekend, guests were more aggressive and demanding, and at times outright hostile. 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