Canada’s Juno giants rock Hamilton Place for two solid hours of huge hits, along with opening act Strumbellas
Blue Rodeo had fans on their feet all night
It’s hard not to dance at a Blue Rodeo show. Really hard. The staff at Hamilton Place learned that lesson Friday night when the Canadian country rock band played the first of two sold-out concerts in Hamilton.
Couples slow-danced in the side aisles and had to be reseated by ushers. Front row ticket-holders (one in particular) were approached (again and again) by weary security guards. It was a losing battle, especially after lead singer Jim Cuddy leaned into the microphone and gestured to a woman in the front row.
“Time to give this poor lovely lady her wish,” he said. Then he launched into “’Til I am Myself Again,” a song that brought everyone to their feet for the remainder of the two-hour show.
It was a night that started at 8 p.m., with a 40-minute set from Toronto band The Strumbellas.
Even at that early hour, the venue was packed, and those there seemed to know the opening band. No surprise — the Juno-winning six-piece played the Nielsen’s preGrammy party on Sunday night. In March, they’ll appear on The Jimmy Kimmel Show.
It was clear they were as excited to be there as the crowd.
“They’re icons to us,” said Strumbellas lead singer Simon Ward, joking that his band considered playing a set of Blue Rodeo covers instead of their own music. “They’re legends.”
Hamiltonians Margaret Klanjscek and Sam Cracchiolo were attending what they estimate was their 15th Blue Rodeo show.
“We go every year,” said Cracchiolo.
Both said they were hooked the first time they heard Blue Rodeo’s debut record, Outskirts. According to Cracchiolo, the band doesn’t make the kind of record where there’s one or two good songs. On a Blue Rodeo record, he said, every song is great. And the live shows are even better.
“You can feel the music inside you,” he said, noting the band members pour their hearts into each song, something that translates to the audience. You can tell everyone is feeling the same thing.”
In between songs from all over their catalogue, which dates back to 1987, Blue Rodeo played a handful of new songs, including the bouncy, energetic “Superstar” and the prog-y, organ heavy “The Flame.”
As soon as Cuddy lifted a har- monica to his lips and played the first few notes of “Five Days in May,” the venue went crazy, and kept the energy up throughout.
The band also delivered f an f avourites including “Try,” “Diamond Mine” and “Rose-Coloured Glasses.” For 1993’s “Dark Angel,” guitarist Greg Keelor played, bathed in a red light, accompanied only by piano.
The slow, sombre tune was followed by the upbeat “Candice” and a performance of “Disappear” that had the crowd clapping.
When Cuddy sat down with Hamilton-born guitarist Colin Cripps for the quiet acoustic “One Light Left in Heaven,” he mentioned it was nice to have two days to spend in a city, especially when it was Cripps’ hometown.
When the encore came after 11 p.m., it included Blue Rodeo’s cover of “’Til I Can Gain Control Again” (originally performed by Emmylou Harris in the ’70s), a singalong rendition of “Hasn’t Hit Me Yet,” and “Lost Together,” featuring additional vocals from The Strumbellas.
By then, even some of the ushers were tapping their toes in the aisles. As Cracchiolo put it, you could tell everyone was feeling the same.