Brian Neale spends six months of the year entertaining folks during happy hour in the British Virgin Islands, and the other six months recreating that same Carribean vibe in venues around North America. He’s the real deal, every bit as much of a beach troubadour as the man he emulates, Jimmy Buffett.
“Most of the songs I sing either have something to do with boats, with some kind of drinking, or with laying in the sun,” says Neale. “You can’t really go wrong with that.”
On Saturday, June 2, for the second year in a row, Neale will bring his band, Northern Harbour, to the Creemore Arena for a beach party bonanza. Entitled “Margaritas in the Valley,” the event is being organized by the Creemore Nitetis Lodge #444, with proceeds going to Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario.
A longtime musician and fan of Jimmy Buffett, Neale didn’t start performing covers of his hero’s music until he won a contest to perform a song onstage with Buffett at a Molson Amphitheatre concert in the late 1990s. The moment was captured on video and can be seen on the Northern Harbour website (www.northernharbour.com). It’s clear from the footage that the two men share a common attitude, and not long after the concert Neale was contacted by one of the 18,000 “parrotheads” in the audience, who suggested he should form a Buffett tribute band.
Fast forward 15 years and Northern Harbour has perfected the Hawaiian shirt and barefoot look, travelling all over Ontario and farther afield to give audiences a taste of the good life. They play a lot of Buffett songs, and throw in some Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond and others as well.
“Come to our shows and you’ll hear a bit of country, a bit of rock’n’roll, a bit of salsa… the main thing is that it`s all fun,” says Neale.
Northern Harbour’s biggest gig is in Midland, where their annual “Party on the Dock” draws thousands and has raised more than $700,000 for various causes in that community over the past seven years.
It’s that kind of model that the local Masons would like to imitate, and you can expect the Creemore Arena to be decked out in full Caribbean style, complete with palm trees, tiki huts and a margarita bar. Expect to dance and go home with a smile on your face.
Tickets for “Margaritas in the Valley” are $20, available at Creemore Foodland.
