SPILL LIVE REVIEW: BARENAKED LADIES w/ SAM ROBERTS BAND & KT TUNSTALL @ SOBEYS STADIUM, TORONTO

BARENAKED LADIES w/ SAM ROBERTS BAND & KT TUNSTALL

@ SOBEYS STADIUM, TORONTO

JUNE 27, 2024

Barenaked Ladies along with their pals KT Tunstall and Sam Roberts Band were invited to kick-off the summer concert season dubbed “Live At The Bowl” for the newly rebranded Sobeys Stadium last night in Toronto. An unknown venue to many, the open-air Sobeys Stadium near York University served as a surprisingly excellent location for a Thursday night rock show.

Scottish born singer-songwriter KT Tunstall started the show after Barenaked Ladies member Ed Robertson introduced her, noting ‘It’s not just a sausage party!’. Despite the modest sized crowd who showed up early to catch her set, KT was clearly delighted to be performing for a Canadian audience. Engaging the crowd with sing-a-longs and anecdotes, she played her way through original tunes like “Suddenly I See” as well as popular covers such as Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” while utilizing an impressive loop station to create a very full sounding one woman show.

As the audience filled in, it was time for Sam Roberts Band to take the stage, opening their set with the 2003 hit “Hard Road”. Sam Roberts made a point of expressing the importance of having quality local venues, noting Sobeys Stadium’s support of Canadian artists. The band’s hour long set highlighted songs from their latest album The Adventures of Ben Blank and later “Brother Down” which was a clear fan favourite.

Barenaked Ladies took to the stage just as the sun was setting, the wind making it a rather chilly summer night. Never short on energy, Barenaked Ladies opened with the upbeat tune “Lovin’ Life” from last year’s In Flight and then went straight into the classic hit “Old Apartment”. In typical BNL style, there were a number of stories told and improvised raps interspersed throughout the evening. Ed Robertson explained that he had now come full circle performing at York University, the school he had in fact dropped out of over three decades ago to pursue music when the band got a record deal.

KT Tunstall returned to the stage to join in on an enthusiastic performance of “Brian Wilson” while acclaimed Canadian fiddle player Kendel Carson was a surprise special guest lending her talents to songs “For You” and of course, the classic we all know and love, “If I Had a Million Dollars”.

While Ed Robertson takes care of a majority of the lead vocals, each band member was spotlighted with a song of their own. Bassist Jim Creegan grooved to “Just Wait” while Kevin Hearn sang his quirky, fun, clap along song “Big Backyard”. Perhaps the biggest surprise to those unfamiliar with a Barenaked Ladies show was when drummer Tyler Stewart stepped out from behind the kit towards the end of the night to perform an epic rendition of Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages” to a very pumped-up crowd.

The two-song encore included “Grade 9” from the band’s 1992 album Gordon and their now beloved cover of Bruce Cockburn’s “Lovers in a Dangerous Time”. It was apparent as they took their final bows that playing to a hometown crowd is always special for Barenaked Ladies as they noticeably took extra time to wave and give shoutouts to familiar faces in the audience.

Humour and entertainment value have always been at the forefront of the Barenaked Ladies live show experience, and tonight was no exception. It is also, however, important not to overlook the incredible musicianship and professionalism that has allowed them to carry on doing their thing for more than 35 years. Whether a long-time fan or someone who only knows the hits from the radio, you won’t be disappointed by a Barenaked Ladies performance.

(Photography by Devina Browning­)

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