Blue Rodeo

Legendary rock band kicks off Base31’s music season

The Drill Hall at Base31 was packed to capacity on Saturday night for Blue Rodeo’s kick-off concert to start off the summer season of music. Opening for the headliner was the Hometown Beauts, with duo Jimmy Bowskill—who also plays with Blue Rodeo—and Brittany Brooks accompanied by Ian McKeown on drums and Wayne DeAdder on bass. Their music is a combination of rock, Canadiana folk, country and a bit of bluegrass thrown into the mix. It was a chance for Mr. Bowskill to showcase his guitar virtuosity front and centre—and that was matched by Ms. Brooks when she picked up her electric guitar for the final two songs. Ms. Brooks also shone with her clear and melodious vocals that filled the cavernous space in the Drill Hall.

Blue Rodeo took to the stage amid a warm and sustained welcome. The band celebrated its 40th anniversary last year with a 22-city tour that started on October 1 and ended at Massey Hall in Toronto this past January. Three of the original members— Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor and Bazil Donovan—remain with the band. They have won 12 Juno awards and been named Band of the Year five times. The band has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame and there’s a street named after them in Toronto’s Riverdale neighbourhood. Their music has been part of the Canadian scene for four decades and they have a loyal following.

Many in the audience had been fans from almost day one, with one person there celebrating his 60th birthday with his 20th Blue Rodeo concert.

Blue Rodeo’s music has a sustained longevity in part due to its catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. They tell stories of love, loss, redemption and longing, and the music ranges from driving rock tracks to country ballads to romantic tunes. The band played a selection of hits from across the decades and the audience slipped into it as though it were a favourite and wellworn cardigan that enveloped them. The energy in the room picked up substantially as the band neared the end of the set, and lead Jim Cuddy asked the audience to sing along to Hasn’t Hit Me Yet. “Let’s give ’er,” he said as the chorus began. The band came back on for an encore and invited the other three members of the Hometown Beauts to join them, giving Ms. Brooks a solo verse of their anthemic Try. They ended the evening with the sentimental ballad Lost Together, offering a note of optimism during difficult times.