The Sadies roar into Montreal in support of their new live album, In Concert: Volume 1. Folk101 brings you all the furious strummin'-and-a-pickin'.
Those who had previously seen The Sadies live came to their August 18 show in Montreal with high expectations. The Toronto foursome, who play a electrifying mixture of traditional country music, rock, pop, surf, and even punk, have long been known for their lengthy, energetic performances.
The band is currently touring in support of their first live album, In Concert: Volume 1 , which not only does an admirable job of recreating the dynamism of the true "Sadies-experience", but also features an impressive line-up of guests including Neko Case, Blue Rodeo, Heavy Trash and others.
On this night in Montreal, the Sadies did not disappoint. As they took the stage, the tiny venue was crammed full with an audience who ranged in age from university students to retirees. The band immediately acknowledged the impressive turn-out, and in appreciation, treated listeners to a marathon set of rip-roaring, barn-storming music.
Amongst the evening's many highlights was the band's rendition of the traditional gospel song, "Higher Power." The song originally appeared on the group's second album, but tonight the intensity was racketed up to approximately the "break-neck" notch on the dial. Dallas Good's vocals rang through with power and emotion, while his brother Travis' fiddle blazed through the interludes.
The new track "Taller Than the Pines" demonstrated Travis Good's ability to step forward and take over the vocal work from his brother Dallas. The chemistry between these two musicians is unshakeable, and at one point late in the set, they offered astonishing proof of this fact.
During a lengthy solo, the two guitarist moved next to each other on stage and then switch hands so that they were both playing the fingering parts on the neck of the other's guitar. The spectacle received a thunderous roar from the audience.
The show also featured an unexpected appearance by Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor, who was attending the show and then invited to the stage to sing a few songs. The veteran of the Canadian music scene performed admirably and fueled the sense that this particular performance was special-an informal celebration of the band's relationship with the city and their Montreal fans.
By the end of the evening, the Sadies proved once again that, note for note, they are one of the most exciting bands playing today in Canada, and probably in all of North America.
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