Toronto-based tribute performer and show producer Pete Paquette has frequently visited B.C. over the past 10-plus years, and he's back this month.
Paquette is a lifelong Elvis Presley tribute singer who built Paquette Productions for an increasing number and variety of tribute shows that tour across Canada.
This week he brings (the music of Presley and Roy Orbison) to B.C. theatres including Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey, Chilliwack Cultural Centre, Nanaimo's Port Theatre, Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River and others.
Weeks later, starting March 5, will tour to Maple Ridge, Surrey, West Van, Victoria, Nanaimo, Chilliwack, Kelowna and other B.C. cities.
Other current Paquette-produced or presented shows are Zachary Stevenson's Tribute to Buddy Holly, The Australian Bee Gees, Australia's Thunder From Down Under male revue, Pink Floyd Experience, LoveU2, Motown Soul and more.
As an entertainer on stage, Paquette sticks to singing the songs of "The King," a performer he first impersonated as a kid.
"I was maybe like 10 years old, and I became a fan at that young age," Paquette said. "It was just my world for so many years. The very first Elvis performer I met when I first started in my teen years, competing, was Jesse Aron, who's doing the Roy Orbison at the Legends Show (on tour). We've been friends ever since, and we'd competed in the same festivals many times. After I ended my time in the competition world, I started to work with Jesse, and it's quite surreal how we're still performing together after 20 years of knowing each other."
The Legends Show is a two-hour tribute concert with some dialogue, while Walk Right Back is "almost a different breed of show altogether," Paquette explained. "It used to be a play that was converted into a concert play, and it's 100 per cent scripted. There's a lot more storytelling and segments of the show that follow a timeline of the Everly Brothers and their career."
Newer shows presented by Paquette Productions are Pink Floyd and U2 tributes, from the U.K. and Quebec, respectively.
"The Pink Floyd is a really strong show musically, and the visuals are awesome as well," Paquette revealed.
"LoveU2, they are just raw entertainers and want to tour, want to get out there," he added. "They do have an extremely good product, and I would say that it's just a matter of time that I tour them in our regular venues in B.C., Alberta. We finally have some dates coming up in May, and that's just a start, it's just a matter of time and schedules."
More touring tribute productions are planned, keeping Paquette busy as both performer and producer.
"I'd say adding maybe three to five new shows that will do the circuit, and then I think we will have completed a good roster, a variety of shows for people," he said, hinting at a female version of Thunder From Down Under and a dinosaur-themed show for kids.
"With entertainment you have to be selective, very particular, and we're trying to bring the very best products to Canada, whether it's Canadian, whether it's from overseas, or from our neighbours, it just has to be presented right."
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