Dead Horse Hill will be performing at the CN Centre this Saturday, opening for Chilliwack and Doug and the Slugs. (Image Credit: Matt Matthews)
Dead Horse Hill

Burns Lake band to perform at CN Centre

Jun 3, 2026 | 5:52 PM


PRINCE GEORGE – Dead Horse Hill, a band from Burns Lake, is preparing to rock the CN Centre on June 6. Opening for Chilliwack and Doug and the Slugs, Dead Horse Hill will be joining the fun and getting the crowd ready for an excellent night of B.C. music, with Dead Horse Hill providing a Northern B.C. touch.

“It’s monumental, I mean, words can’t even put how I’m feeling about it. It’s monumental for sure, and very exciting. I know for all the guys, this whole thing has kind of stoked the fire, if you will,” said Matt Matthews, Dead Horse Hill vocalist and guitarist.

All four band members are from Burns Lake, with Matthews adding he plays alongside his brother, so that family connection is going to make it extra special to perform at Northern B.C.’s biggest venue.

“I got my parents to thank, for sure. I think my mom had threatened my brother to ground him if he didn’t play drums for me,” he said jokingly.

“I’ve got a ton of family coming from out of town, and this is just a very exciting moment,” he continued.

Dead Horse Hill earned this opportunity through the 99.3 Rewind Radio “Rock Off” contest, a battle of the bands event where the winner would open for the June 6 concert.

“Every local band was absolutely incredible. North of Stoner, YXS, Heyday, they all did a phenomenal job. I wish we could have given it to all of them, honestly, they all did brilliant, but Dead Horse Hill just had an absolutely phenomenal set, and I’m sure they’ll absolutely crush it,” said Cody Malbeuf, 99.3 Rewind Radio’s Program Director.

“At the end of the day, that’s what radio is all about: local, local, local. To be able to give a local band an opportunity like this, someone from Northern B.C. to get this kind of a gig, absolutely incredible for us to be able to do this,” Malbeuf continued.

The show is just days away, and while Dead Horse Hill is hard at work preparing, Matthews says it still doesn’t feel real.

“Walking around the halls in here and looking at everyone who’s played here, like, it’s a surreal moment. But coming in here (the CN Centre), looking around, it’s starting to get a bit real now,” he said.

As for what to expect, Matthews promises to deliver high energy and a good time.

“You like some groovy rock and roll, and you like to dance and have a good time. Well, we try and bring that with every performance we do, for sure. It’s all about having fun and making sure the people that are watching us are having fun too,” he said.

As for the name Dead Horse Hill, Matthews explained it comes from childhood memories of travelling to a family cabin and passing a hill of the same name. However, the hill itself has a surprisingly simple origin.

“I remember asking my dad what the story is behind it and expecting some elaborate story. And he goes, ‘I don’t know. I think they found a dead horse up there.’ So yeah, it’s pretty cut and dry sometimes,” he explained.

Tickets are still available, and can be purchased HERE.