AJ Croce performed last Tuesday night at MTelus for the first time since the early ’90s. “Last time I was in Montreal was 32 years ago,” he muttered in a voice that was somehow both gravelly and soft. “It’s great to be back.”
Born in 1971 to the legendary Jim Croce, AJ spent his teenage years performing regularly at clubs in San Diego before launching his own record label in 2003. Having grown up inspired by the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Van Morrison, his music has developed into something of a folksy and bluesy fusion. I first heard of his coming to Montreal when I saw an ad that read, “Croce Plays Croce,” and I was eager to see him perform his father’s covers while also hearing his own unique musical style.
Upon arriving, I immediately noticed that the venue was set up differently than usual. Tables and chairs were placed all over the front of house, marking a more relaxed ambience than what I’m used to at MTelus. Not a single person was standing, and a colourful drawing of both Croces, face to face, shown casually smoking a cigarette, was projected on an enormous monitor as we waited. When the time came, a home video of Jim introducing his son (a toddler at the time) played as AJ and his six-piece band walked on stage to roaring applause.
AJ spent the next two hours blending cover songs and original material with his band. His electric guitarist and bassist played some absolutely skillful solos, while a duo of female backup singers highlighted the songs with heavenly harmonies. AJ himself was switching deftly between electric, acoustic, and percussive instruments. After his introduction, he performed “Rolling On,” on a flamboyant, diamond-studded keyboard before grabbing his acoustic guitar to perform his father’s classic “Operator.”
Every set was presented with a short story about his life—his childhood memories, his father’s odd jobs, or his prolific music career. He had no shortage of funny stories, humourously describing when his father recounted to him how Floyd Dixon and Sam Cooke tried to make Ray Charles drive after a few drinks (a story that Charles himself allegedly confirmed was true). Another anecdote recounted how his father’s classic “Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues” was originally titled “The Steadily Depressin’, Low Down Mind-Messin’ Car Wash Blues” before ABC Records convinced him to go with a less unwieldy title.
All of his songs were accompanied by clips that played on stage, always relating to the song at hand. Some were humourous, such as an animated retelling of “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” and some were more sentimental, like a compilation of videos highlighting the vintage style of 1970s New York or Los Angeles.
A big treat was listening to his original songs and getting to know the musical style he’s crafted for himself. “So Much Fun” was one of those songs, clearly inspired by his musical idols but original in itself. As he (once again) humourously recounted, the song was written during the post-COVID socialization boom, when he had excitedly invited a bunch of his friends over after a full year of isolation, only to realize not too long after that everyone had overstayed their welcome.
As the night came to a close, he ended his set with the classic “I’ve Got a Name,” playing against the large photo of him and his father from the start of the night. “This is gonna be our last song,” he growled. “Unless you guys want an encore.”
And they did. A final performance of “Time in a Bottle,” accompanied by nostalgic clips of AJ’s childhood, was the perfect end to the night.
Review & photos – Alex Distaulo
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