The Sheepdogs Light Up Massey Hall With Righteous Rustic Rock (3/2/18)
On Friday, March 2, I had the pleasure of seeing the Sheepdogs at Massey Hall, which turned out to be one of the best concerts I have ever experienced. It was as if Massey Hall was made for the Sheepdogs rustic sound. The acoustics inside of Massey Hall are second to none and I could not contain my excitement for how they were going to sound, after hearing the opening band Sam Coffey and the Iron Lungs. After one hell of an opening act, The Sheepdogs took the stage.
They began the set by rocking one of their hits off their new album “I’ve Got A Hole Where My Heart Should Be”, setting the blues like rock vibe for the crowd.
They then rolled into some of their classic hits, such as “Who” and “Bad Lieutenant”. Lead singer and guitarist Ewan Currie, addressed the crowd following these songs to say hello and welcome everyone to the show. Bass player Ryan Gullen, reflected on the fact that Massey Hall had always seemed too far out of reach for the band from Saskatoon. Their appreciation for this opportunity flowed through their music, and made the audience feel included in the special moment.
In a bit of a hilarious moment, Currie ensued a roaring boo from the crowd as he explained that when the band was first starting off they thought that “making it” meant living in the United States. Currie responded, “settle down guys, there are some cool people down there”. He then fired up the crowed by playing “Up in Canada”.
The Sheepdogs showed their versatility by busting out the fiddle, trombone and pedal steel guitar for such tracks as “I Ain’t Cool” , “Let It Roll” and “Help us All”.
The Sheepdogs finished off the show by playing their mega hits, including ” How Late How Long”, “Feeling Good”, “Nobody” and ” I Don’t Know”. They left to a deafening standing ovation that did not stop for a solid 5 minutes.
The Sheepdogs were forced to come back on stage for their encore. Where they dropped “Downtown” and “The Way It Is”. And finally, the last song of the night was a cover of The Allman Brothers Band’s “Ramblin’ Man”, which tore the house down. Currie quoted the great Neil Young and said “rock and roll will never die, thank you and goodnight!” They took a bow and left the stage leaving the audience wanting more.
The show was amazing and had so many different parts to show just how talented the boys from the Praries are. If you have any chance to go see them live, I would highly recommend it. Their unique mix of blues, country and rock n’ roll, comparable to Chris Stapleton and the Black Keys, appeals to many crowds. Amazing show, amazing venue, amazing night. 10/10.
Chris Rooke
Content Director-Producer-Writer