Niagara Falls, April 21st, 2022
ETA Steve Michaels with SB Mag editor, Carolyn MacArthur at the 2022 NFEF.
The four day Niagara Falls Elvis Festival got off to a fabulous start Thursday afternoon with a matinee featuring headliner Steve Michaels as Elvis in the Concert Years and Joe Passion paying tribute to Barry Manilow.
I had not seen Steve Michaels since his Return to Grace show at the Avalon Theatre, Fallsview Casino, in September 2019, so I was looking forward to seeing him perform again. For those of you who many not know, Steve was my first ETA; and he was, in part, the inspiration for my first SB Mag article, Keeping his Memory Alive, September 2017.
Scarf time…my favourite time of the show! Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
In the seven years since I first saw Steve perform, he has not changed. He still looks as handsome as ever on stage; and if his matinee performance is any indication, his dedication to paying the perfect tribute it Elvis is as outstanding as ever.
With permission from Hailey’s mom, Christine Denise Nickolson, I am pleased to post this photo of Steve Michaels chatting with Hailey that I took at the 2022 NFEF. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur, editor, SIDEBURNS Magazine..
Filling in for Bill Cherry, who could not make it, Steve came to conquer, and he did just that! Looking great in his powder blue jumpsuit, there was not one inch of stage that Steve did not cover during his energetic performance. Steve is rightfully very comfortable on the Greg Frewin Theatre stage, since he performed at the GFT regularly before his career led to biennial appearances at Fallsview, shows in other venues in Canada, and international tours.
A master of repartee, Steve engaged the audience in friendly and humorous banter, and in a touching moment, chatted with fan, Hailey Nickolson.
One of the things I missed at the Fallsview shows was the lack of accessibility to take photos with Steve after his performances. At the Greg Frewin Theatre, patrons were given the option to buy a ticket to a private meet and greet, and unless you were party to this event, photo opts were left to chance meetings with your favourite ETAs who were entering or leaving the building.
I had just arrived at the NFEF, and feeling a bit fatigued and anxious, it was reassuring to see my friend and award winning ETA, Sylvain Leduc.
As media, I was fortunate in being present at the meet and greet and got a few photos. I tried whenever possible to take photos of fans with their favourite ETAs. Kudos to headliner Sylvain Leduc who was visibly present throughout the day (and not just in the meet and greet room). Sylvain, winner of the 2019 NFEF, graciously chatted with fans and posed for photos.
Steve made a surprise appearance on Friday night, but more about that in Album Two, coming up shortly. Cheers, everyone! C.M.
〰️Thank you to everyone who made my 2022 visit to the Niagara Falls Elvis Festival such an enjoyable experience.
〰️Thank you to everyone who made my 2022 visit to the Niagara Falls Elvis Festival such an enjoyable experience.
It takes a lot of people to put on a big event like the Niagara Falls Elvis Festival. From the reception area to the kitchen, from the stage to the office, from the on-stage talent to those who work tirelessly behind the scenes, every individual contributes to the success of the Niagara Falls Elvis Festival—an event that has risen to stellar heights in just four years. Congratulations, everyone! Thank you for including me. Best regards, Carolyn M.