Jesse Roper w/ Jarrod Dickenson

Jesse Roper is a modern-day troubadour; a Canadian artist defined by his authenticity and adventurous spirit; guitar in hand and a grin on his face. 

Jesse, along with long-time bandmates the Pretty Good Band, has spent much of the last few years travelling the highways, byways and backroads of North America, bringing his own brand of modern, indie-infused Americana blues to fervent audiences across the continent. Known for his powerhouse live performances, Jesse is truly electrifying on stage –  his soulful vocals expanding across silky guitars and hard-hitting grooves. You’d never guess that this soldier of the six string – all mischief, mayhem and virtuoso guitar playing – experienced crippling stage-fright long into his 20s. Today, the stage is his home and he’s inviting you in, cold one in hand, for one helluva good time.

Of course, he’s more than a magnetising stage presence and great hair –  Jesse has the goods to back this up. A master at connecting his personal experiences to his songwriting, he crafts wildly entertaining narratives of the challenges and eccentricities of life, pulling inspiration from all that surrounds him. His musings on love (both won and lost), the call of the road and the promise of what’s round the corner draw similarities to JJ Cale, Leon Bridges, and Alabama Shakes. His innate musical talent and flexibility of style have seen him play with soul icon Booker T. Jones, rock veteran Colin James, blues belter Beth Hart, and Canadian legend Burton Cummings. Across streaming platforms, he’s racked up over  500,000 monthly listeners and millions of streams.

While based in Victoria BC, Jesse is back on the road with the Pretty Good Band throughout 2026. All seasoned musicians themselves, the band is Matt Reid (bass), Chris Van Sickle (keys), East Coast Pete (guitar) and Brent Norman (drums).  “Each one of these guys on their own is funnier and smarter than I am, but somehow I’m the band leader,” Jesse laughs. “I’m a lucky lead guy to have these cats in my band.  They’re Pretty Good.”

JARROD DICKENSON

If Jarrod Dickenson’s third studio album, BIG TALK sounds like a mighty roar of defiance, that’s not a design choice or a marketing decision. The big Texan is settling scores all over town and he means every f*cking word.   

It’s been something of a journey for Dickenson in the years since his last album, Ready The Horses drew the appreciation of listeners, press and radio alike and yielded invitations to tour with such legendary figures as Bonnie Raitt and Don McLean. Q Magazine noted how “…his songs carry an independent spirit and grit… a hard-bitten, yet romantic eye that seems bred into Lone Star Songwriters”, while American Songwriter observed that “…his deep, emotional, often luxurious voice envelops songs of love and loss, enticing you into these stories.” Uncut came right out and called him “a smokey-toned Texan with a smooth line in Country-Soul…” and on the evidence of the album’s more mellifluous moments, it would be hard to disagree with this snapshot of Dickenson as something akin to the Otis Redding of Americana, a Sinatra of The South.