Quintessential ’90s Canadian alt-rock band Barenaked Ladies returned to Victoria’s Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for an intimate concert. The Barenaked Ladies have had long and storied career, but this tour is monumental. The Silverball tour marks their 27th year together as a band.
Kicking off the evening was another legendary voice of Canadian alternative rock, Alan Doyle. You may know him as the front man of Great Big Sea.
Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Gypsies brought that East Coast sound that he is known for. His set was a retrospective of his career in music industry. He performed classic Great Big Sea singles “Ordinary Day” and “When I’m Up (I Can’t Get Down)” as well as several songs off his solo albums.
A noteworthy addition to the Beautiful Gypsies was Victoria’s own Kendel Carson on fiddle. The hometown stop must have been extra special for her, although I think she would have received a bigger cheer from the crowd if Alan hadn’t said she was currently living in Vancouver.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Ed Robertson joined Alan Doyle on stage for his last song “1, 2, 3, 4” a sign of good things to come with the upcoming Barenaked Ladies set.
The night was filled with familiar tunes like “Brian Wilson,” “Pinch Me,” “One Week,” and, of course “If I Had A Million Dollars,” all of which were sung at the top of the lungs of every audience member, because BNL (yes, they deserve a shorthand) is a religion to their fans. It was during these songs that you really noticed that there is something missing from the band . . . Steven Page.
Most of the crowd also knew plenty of the band’s new material off their latest effort, Silverball.
Highlights of the evening included the four piece’s signature seamless harmonies honed over the last twenty-seven years, being joined by Alan Doyle for their cover Bruce Cockburn’s “Lovers in a Dangerous Time (Kick at the Darkness),” and Ed Robertson’s improvisation.
During their encore, BNL changed things up with drummer Tyler Stewart taking on the role of lead singer while Ed Robertson wailed quite proficiently on the drums. Their cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” was literally a show stopper. It was a fantastic endcap to an amazing concert from the Canadian rock legends.
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A big thank you to Victoria Buzz for having us cover the event for them.