Monday Nights in March are Honkytonk Heaven at the Horseshoe ft. Nicholas Campbell and The Metre Cheaters
- Justin Michael Carriere
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
By: Justin Michael Carriere
Toronto, Ontario - If you are in need of a rockabilly fix, look no further than The Horseshoe Tavern Monday nights this month. Nicholas Campbell and The Metre Cheaters bring their throwback sound to the iconic Toronto venue for the bar’s Monday Residency show.
Hailing from Peterborough, and now based out of Toronto, Campbell has three full length albums under his belt, and he shows no signs of slowing down. He’s worked with the likes of Chris Spedding, opened for The Jim Cuddy Band, and continues to forge a path in the local and international music scene. March 9th's concert was a showcase of the musicality and stage presence this young man brings to every one of his performances.
Jamie Oliver
Opening the night, guest artist Jamie Oliver sat in with Campbell himself and the band. A veteran country and western singer and guitar player, Oliver worked his way through several numbers, from original tunes like “Return to Sender – Say it Ain’t So” (Big Tobacco & the Pickers) to covers of Merle Haggard and Floyd Tillman, the latter being a highlight with a wonderful version of “Fraulein”.
Oliver has a grounded energy and a warmth to his voice that makes you want to cozy up around the fire and listen to him play and tell stories for hours. From the chemistry he shared with Campbell and the band it was clear they’d played together before and it was a perfect way to open the door for Campbell and The Metre Cheaters to do their thing. And did they ever!!
Nicholas Campbell & The Metre Cheaters
Backed by Matt Greco on drums, Ian McEwan on bass and Jeanne Truax on the keys, Campbell opened the set with a raucous rendition of “Gonna Have a Ball Tonight” off his second record of the same name. It set the tone for the night that things were gonna get rowdy and they did not disappoint.
Having cleared some of the gear away from the opening set, Campbell had lots of space to let go with his blistering guitar work. Moving deftly from lead to rhythm, he never seemed to miss a note. In the style of Carl Perkins, with nods to the King himself, he commands the stage with authority, and his Orbison-esque baritone voice is clear and concise. Even had I not known the music, the words would have rung through. It’s hard to believe the man is only 21 years old as he possesses a presence that many musicians don’t find until well into their careers, if at all.
Both Greco and McEwen appear to be seasoned rhythm players, and they gave Campbell the room to blast forward or pull back at a moment’s notice. It was reminiscent to me of Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon from SRV’s band Double Trouble, always right there for their front man. Truax more than held her own on the keys and when the spotlight turned to her, she moved effortlessly within the groove and showed flashes of virtuosity herself.
During the set Campbell worked his way through original music from his catalogue with upbeat audience sing alongs like “Hot Rod Daddy” and the catchy “He Said She Said” (which I’ve been humming to myself the last couple of days!). When he moved to the one “slow song” of the evening, “Prisoner”, it was a nod to the traditional country ballad, and it was a joy to watch him and Truax blend their voices seamlessly. Another highlight of the evening (amongst many!) was a Merle Travis instrumental cover blending into Wanda Jackson’s "Funnel of Love", which served as a perfect example to highlight Campbell’s varied influences. He also brought Jamie Oliver back on stage to share vocals on “Flower Shops” which is the latest single off Campbell’s new album. To close the show, the band cranked up all their energy and launched into “Train Done Gone” and brought the house the down.
While that house was modest in size, they were enthusiastic and appreciative and were treated to a hell of a show. While the majority of them stayed sitting, I have no doubts that had this been a Friday or Saturday night the Horseshoe’s checkerboard floor would have been packed with folks moving and grooving!
If you have a free Monday night in March, it will be well worth your time and money to pay a visit to the Horseshoe Tavern and have a rockabilly’ing good time with Nicholas Campbell and The Metre Cheaters!
Review: 5 ripping guitar solos out of 5
Concert Photo Gallery (all photos by: Justin Michael Carriere)
Nicholas Campbell Online
Show Date: March 9, 2026
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