Fresh off being snubbed for Lumberjack Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” award for the 30th year in a row, Chuck Ragan brought his raspy vocal cords to Montreal’s iconic Foufounes Électriques. This was as packed as I’ve seen our beloved Foofs in a long time—and it genuinely made me wonder, “What does it take for this place to open the balcony anymore?” As Chuck was tuning up, there were people in the bar area craning to watch through the side grate. Good thing Montrealers generally like each other and practice basic hygiene.
Chuck opened with Nothing Left to Prove, and the crowd had something to prove too—mainly that they could sing louder than Foofs’ sound system. Ragan’s gravelly voice and thick neck veins had a few women swooning from the first note—maybe even made a few guys question themselves. He’s basically a musical Ron Swanson. For just a man and an acoustic guitar, he belts with such intensity that everything north of his collarbone goes visibly red.
We were treated to a few tracks from the new album Love & Lore. While it’s a more introspective record, the songs translated beautifully live. Not everyone knew the words yet, so those moments were a bit quieter—but I have a feeling a lot of folks are going to spend the rest of the week looping that album.
I always like to compare setlists with other cities after a show—see if we got anything special for being louder and sweatier than the Toronto crowd. Every show this tour, Chuck’s been tossing in at least one Hot Water Music song for the fans. Well, we must’ve screamed extra loud because after one of them he said, “Wow, maybe I should play a few more?” The answer, obviously, was yes—and he launched into State of Grace and the monster anthem Drag My Body. That one nearly took the roof off. For a few minutes there, I don’t think anyone in the room felt remotely human.
Ragan then said he was pulling out a song he hadn’t played in a long time—someone had made a special request. As he started into Do You Pray, I was already wondering how a tune like that ever gets dropped from rotation. But just as the song was about to hit its emotional peak, he stopped, stepped back from the mic and said, “Johnny, I believe this is your part.”
The crowd looked around, puzzled—until a little circle opened up near the stage. One guy, presumably Johnny, was down on one knee. The girl beside him was visibly crying. She nodded yes, and the whole place erupted.
Call me crazy, but I think those kids are gonna make it.
“She said yes!” Chuck yelled, grinning as he jumped back into the song.
The set closed out with the emotional gut-punch The Boat and the all-out sing-along banger Meet You in the Middle. If you had any voice left, that’s where you left it.
But damn, was it good to be alive upstairs at Foofs on a Tuesday night. Chuck left us with his usual humble smile. We left full of heart. We laughed, we sang, some cried—and some got engaged.
The newly engaged couple high-fived half the crowd on the way out. That’s what you call a night.
Review – Richard Brunette
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