I wasn’t planning to attend Rival Sons show at the Beanfield on Saturday August 26th. I saw them in 2019 on their Feral Roots tour, and I wanted to give someone else a chance to review. So, when I was asked to step in at the last minute, I only took the gig because the supporting act was supposed to be Hannah Wicklund. She really impressed me when she opened for Greta Van Fleet at the Bell Centre so I was looking forward to seeing her in a more intimate venue.
Well, the evening started off on a sour note with the agent at the box office refusing to give me a media pass because my name was not on the list, and then continued with the disappointing news that Hannah had to cancel for health reasons.
I really don’t enjoy giving negative reviews but I found the replacement was not the right fit for a band with the depth and artistry of Rival Sons. Toronto-based singer Aviv had a good voice and a lot of energy, but it was like ordering french fries and getting a boiled potato.
By the time Rival Sons appeared after 9:15, we were all desperate for some real rock. The feeling of anticipation emanating from the crowd was electric, and judging by the warm smiles on the band’s faces we were not the only ones who were excited.
Playing like kids who couldn’t wait to show you their new music for the first time, they opened their set with Mirrors. It’s the first track off their latest and 7th studio album Darkfighter which was released in June. With its slow church organ intro, followed by that solid fuzzy riff by lead guitarist Scott Holiday aka Mr. Fuzzlord it had a Zeppelin-like vibe and was the perfect choice to prepare us to buckle up.
Frontman Jay Buchanan was in fine form from his tousled mane down to his bare feet. Dressed in an understated black vest and trousers, his silver ringed fingers clasping the mic to his face, he sang as though his life depended on it. His vocals weren’t simply strong, they were raw and deeply intense and every single word was delivered with conviction. His performance of Rapture was one of my favourites.
“singing, rapture, rapture
Sing it loud; I do believe
I’m becoming what I meant to be”
He poured his heart out into every single lyric and took his time in between tracks to give us his personal reflections and motivational words of wisdom. Before singing “Where I’ve Been”, Jay gave us the backstory about a soldier friend who fought in the Middle East and returned with PTSD. He also talked about another friend who battled addiction and how he watched her struggle. As he described how we are all affected by pain and failure, he stressed the importance of forgiveness and how sometimes we just need to forgive ourselves. At that special moment, right before the song began, I looked across the theatre and noticed that everyone had the same look in their eyes. Praise be! We had all fallen under the spell of that charismatic rock ‘n’ roll preacher. I believe they performed even better than they did four years ago. And the energy level just kept getting higher, especially during “Nobody Wants To Die.”
I really enjoyed “Sweet Life” with its upbeat tempo. When Jay danced across the stage, shaking his tambourine, looking groovy with his hair flowing, he was the embodiment of all my favourite rock singers Robert Plant, Jim Morrison, Bono. His energy was infectious, and his voice reminded me so much of Paul Rodgers (Bad Company). He could howl and growl with just the right amount of rasp and grit, a voice made for rock.
There were so many highlights that I wish I could watch a recording of the entire show to remember them all. The acoustic guitar intro for Feral Roots was lovely. The crowd went crazy during the drum solo as they did during the countless guitar solos as well. Like everyone else, I got swept away and lost track of time and space. And that’s what great bands do. They take you on a magical journey where you can let loose and escape for a little while. When Jay thanked the audience at the end of the show, he was so genuinely appreciative that we all knew that as much as we enjoyed the performance, Rival Sons equally enjoyed playing for us. As the lights came on, I could see that they were all drenched in sweat and completely spent. They gave us everything they had. The night ended on a sweet note and I am grateful that I got to be there.
Setlist
- Mirrors
- Do Your Worst
- Electric Man
- Rapture
- Bird In the Hand
- Where I’ve Been
- Open My Eyes (Succeeded by Michael Miley’s drum solo)
- Sweet Life
- Pressure and Time
- Horses Breath
- Feral Roots
- Face of Light (Succeeded by Scott Holiday’s guitar solo)
- Shooting Stars
- Dark Side
- Nobody Wants to Die
- Keep On Swinging
Encore
- Manifest Destiny Part 1
- Belle Star
Review & photos – Annette Aghazarian
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