IN CONCERT
Joe Walsh with Kim Mitchell
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m. (gates at 5: 30)
Where: Bullen Park, Esquimalt (1151 Esquimalt Rd.)
Tickets: $69.50 (general admission) or $95.50 (VIP) at hightideconcerts.net, Esquimalt Recreation Centre, Lyle's Place, Ditch Records, and the McPherson Box Office
Note: Children 10 and under are free
His most famous fashion acoutrement - a black Ontario Provincial Police hat - is long gone. His mane of hair, for that matter, is no longer evident, either.
But within seconds of talking to Sarnia, Ont., rocker Kim Mitchell, it's clear those are the only aspects of his performing personality that have disappeared.
Mitchell, 60, remains every bit the aw-shucks rocker when reached Wednesday at his Toronto home. Fresh off a gig the night before in Peterborough, Ont., Mitchell sounds fresh and full of energy, which he credits to not being a big drinker.
"I had my rock 'n' roll days," Mitchell said. "I'll have a glass of wine now and then, but that's about it."
Despite his healthminded ways, Mitchell has no difficulty in channelling his infamous party persona - the lanky, long-haired beer machine that was behind solo hits like I Am a Wild Party and Lager & Ale and the songs Hangover and The Party, by his former band Max Webster.
Though he doesn't rabble-rouse like he did back in the 1970s and '80s, Mitchell loves playing the hits that made him famous in sa国际传媒.
"I'm about customer service," Mitchell said. "I'm not a guy who is going to go, 'Here's my new record and we're going to shove it down your throat whether you like it or not.' I'm happy to do them all."
Mitchell doesn't have a new record to speak of, but that's hardly an issue. Fans across the country are still eager to see him perform, especially during outdoor concerts such as the one he's playing Tuesday in front of Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh.
"I love playing outdoors. But we had some good nights in stinky, smelly bars, too."
He is currently employed as the afternoon drive host on Q107 FM, a classic rock station in Toronto. That's how he pays his bills. Touring, on the other hand, is how he does his rock 'n' roll duty.
Over the course of his 35-year career, Mitchell has tinkered with new arrangements in an effort to keep the songs fresh. "If we did them the exact same every night, I might seem like a tribute act on some nights," he said with a laugh.
"Slowly, they keep morphing. A good example is Patio Lanterns. For a long time there, I was doing a 'farm rock' version, with mostly acoustic guitar strumming, like if Blue Rodeo did the tune. I went over for a little bit, but we're back on a more traditional approach now."
Mitchell has a surprisingly varied catalogue of songs to draw from in concert. For every '80s anthem like Go For a Soda or Rock 'n' Roll Duty, there's a ballad counterpoint, such as All We Are or Easy to Tame.
The latter song, which appears on Shakin' Like a Human Being, which won the Juno Award in 1987 for Album of the Year, remains a source of endless fascination for Mitchell. When it was written, the singer-guitarist thought it would alienate some of his fans. Over time, it has become one of his most enduring hits - a valuable reminder to performers, Mitchell admits, to never underestimate your audience.
"I covered all the bases somehow," he said of his songs. "It wasn't a conscious thing. Just let it happen and don't edit yourself."
When his current radio contract winds down - Mitchell just signed on for another five years, which would make him 65 at the time of his free agency - he's fairly certain a move to Victoria is in the cards. He has two longtime friends who live in the Garden City, and has always enjoyed playing shows in the market.
Above and beyond that, Mitchell believes he'll fit in with the locals when he's able to collect his old-age security pension.
"By the time I'll get there I'll be one of the nearly dead," he joked. "But right now, I just feel nearly dead on some nights."
