Dallas Smith and Default reunite to headline Shake the Lake

Fans at Regina’s Shake the Lake are getting more than just a rock show this weekend; they’re getting a full reunion of Dallas Smith and Default.

Smith, one of Canada’s most decorated country artists, will headline Friday night at the outdoor festival.

But instead of choosing between country or rock, he’s bringing both. The set will include his solo country hits alongside a performance with Default, the band that first put him on the map in the early 2000s.

“When I look to my left and right …. whether it’s my country band or the guys from Default, there are a lot of memories flowing back,” Smith said on the Greg Morgan Morning Show. “They’re like my brothers. We travelled the world together in our 20s. It was a really great, exciting.”

Listen to the full interview here:

Default’s breakout single, Wasting My Time, became an international hit in 2001, earning heavy radio play across North America and beyond. More than two decades later, Smith is still struck by the generational reach of that song.

“There’s like three or four generations of people singing that song back to me… it just blows my mind,” he said.

While Default fans will get their nostalgia fix, country fans won’t be left out. Smith’s Timeless record launched multiple hits that he continues to play live.

“I still play every song of that record… even some of the ones that weren’t,” Smith said. “It was a real game changer.”

Read more:

• Saskatchewan Jazz Festival loses SaskTel as title sponsor
• Time for Saskatchewan to get spotlight, says pop star Chappell Roan
• PHOTOS, VIDEO: Shake the Lake wraps up, and it was ‘Bad to the Bone’

For Smith, the Shake the Lake appearance is also about reconnecting with Canadian audiences as part of his 51-date “Dallas Smith and Band Unplugged” tour. He says the tour name is fitting.

“I’m a really proud Canadian. I’m gonna stay up here and play some shows… going to see these new towns I’ve never been to.”

The pairing of Dallas Smith’s solo work with a full Default set is a rare opportunity for fans to see both eras of his career in one night. From acoustic country ballads to the hard-driving riffs, Smith says audiences can expect an evening of memories and surprises.

Shake the Lake kicks off Friday night at Regina’s Conexus Art Centre, with Dallas Smith and Default anchoring the lineup as one of the biggest draws of the summer festival.