OTTAWA -- Once you can fake sincerity you've got it made. Fortunately, it's not such an easy thing to fake, making the real deal feel so refreshing.
Which is why any qualms over the Osmond-like downhome hokeyness of family group the Wilkinsons disappeared as soon as they hit the Civic Centre stage last night.
Of course, it also helps that dad Steve has produced in Amanda, 17, and Tyler, 15, a couple of vocal prodigies rivaling LeAnn Rimes and that middle Hanson kid in teenage talent.
But despite their voices, they actually seemed like real teens. Amanda was pretty without falling back on on the ubersexual stylings of, say, Britney Spears, and Tyler bounced around in an effort to combat boredom whenever he wasn't singing.
The only strange thing about them was how well a family with two teens seemed to get along, the kids teasing each other on stage and gazing at dad almost as much as the audience.
The former southern Ontarians -- the family is now firmly ensconced in Nashville -- considered this a homecoming show and brought family and friends along, which may have contributed to the campfire feel of the performance.
While the music itself was not particularly unique, it chugged along in pleasant enough manner and provided a backing for the trio's harmonies and Amanda's smoky lead vocals on tracks like Boy oh Boy and Nothin' But Love (Standing In the Way).
Amanda's voice took on an even greater poignancy on her father's favourite song, Williamstown, a forlorn teenage girl's ode to a boy from the wrong side of the tracks.
The highlight of the show, however, came when the band took a break and the three Wilkinsons gathered together to harmonize on a Corrs cover and some new tunes for the upcoming record.
Accompanied only by dad's guitar, Tyler took the lead on Oil and Water, showing off both his impressive range and the Tennessee accent he's picking up. Steve picked up some slack on The Only Rose, a somewhat cliche but seemingly sincere post-Columbine ode to being different.
All that was left to do was roll out their career-making hit, 26cents, and pocket all the change that the young fans kept handing to Amanda.
Since the Wilkinsons had sincerity to spare, they should have lent some to opening act Lace, a brand-new trio featuring Canadian country star Beverley Mahood, her Irish friend Giselle and Texan Corbi Dyann.
Tarted up Shania-style in front of an all-male band, the three harmonized sugary pop ditties -- nominally dressed in Western trappings like steel guitar and vocal twangs -- that wouldn't have sounded out of place on an '80s Top 40 chart next to Taylor Dane.
It's hardly surprising their soon-to-be-unavoidable debut album was produced by Celine Dion svengali David Foster.
JAM! Rating: 3.5 out of 5
