Steven Lee Olsen shines with dynamic set at Algonquin College
Steven Lee Olsen, a Grammy-nominated country artist from Newmarket, Ont., came to the Algonquin Commons Theatre on Feb. 22 as part of his Country Night in Canada tour.
Jim Browne, a 19-year-old life-long fan of Olsen, was thrilled to hear him play live at the college.
“Life changing,” said Browne on the performance.
“I’ve been listening to him since I was nine.”
Browne brought his friend Aaron Sarsfield to the concert for his 20th birthday. Sarsfield, a country fan who didn’t know he was going to the concert until days before, was glowing after seeing Olsen live.
“Best birthday of my life,” said Sarsfield.
Olsen played one of the wildest sets in country music, kicking things off with classic hits like Raised by a Good Time. He then transitioned into songs he had written for other artists, like Keith Urban’s Grammy-nominated Blue Ain’t Your Colour, which is one of Urban’s biggest and his most streamed songs on Spotify.
Then, in the blink of an eye…
“Let’s kick it up a notch!” Olsen shouted to the crowd, urging them to get fired up.
Olsen’s set also featured a rock portion. The artist, having fun with his band, covered portions of songs like My Hero by the Foo Fighters and Use Somebody by Kings of Leon.
The opening performance by Jojo Mason, a British Columbia native, left no one disappointed and energized the crowd before Olsen took the stage.
Eli Ferguson, a 27-year-old Algonquin alumnus, was surprised by how good Jojo Mason was.
“Opener Jojo Mason played some really good radio hits,” said Ferguson.
Mason awed the audience in more ways than one. At the beginning of his set, Mason FaceTimed his child at home and even propped his phone up so his child could watch the show from home.
For Jada Ostapyk, an 18-year-old South Carleton High School student, it was her second concert ever. She was shocked by how nice the venue was and how good Jojo Mason was.
“Haven’t heard the opener before, but I liked it a lot,” said Ostapyk
“I’m excited to be in the theatre.”
