Ruby Waters + Sticky Fingers @ MTelus▪

After 7 years, world-renowned Aussie band Sticky Fingers made their glorious and long-awaited return to Montreal at MTelus on March 22nd. However, before I talk about the immaculate alternative rock vibes Sticky Fingers is known and loved for, I MUST give Ruby Waters her flowers.

Ruby Waters effectively set the tone of the show with her powerful and raspy vocals. Her band’s beautiful instrumentals perfectly complemented her warm tone. Sporting the cutest tutu and t-shirt, she sang “Sour Patch,” “Wet T” (one of her more popular tunes), and “Last Cig” amongst a perfectly curated set of songs.

After such a great start to the show, the audience waited. I would even say the audience was teased! Expecting the lights to dim at 9pm on the DOT… 9:05 rolled around, nothing. 9:10, nothing. By 9:15, everyone was getting antsy, waiting for what seemed like… well, 7 years!

Right as we least expected it, the lights dimmed, and out from the shadows emerged a shirtless man in bright red short shorts: FREDDY CRABS!! The band’s beloved keyboard player was accompanied by a football (soccer ball), which he punted into the crowd soon after his grand entrance!

BOOM! There they are: Sticky Effing Fingers!

Saying the crowd went wild was certainly an understatement! MTelus was filled with roaring applause, cheers, and pure joy!

Sticky Fingers started the set off with Land Of Pleasure, Sad Songs and Outcast. It was so obvious that they were dearly missed. People laughed, cried, sang and danced. The band’s thoughtful lyricism and rock beats relayed the quirks and playfulness of youthful Australian culture that was finally showcased onto the international stage. In the simplest terms one can use to describe the show, it wasn’t only a concert… It was a PARTY!

The light show matched the setlist perfectly. The band danced, shared silly moments with one another and the audience, stage dived (yup), and made jokes and silly remarks throughout the entire show, in classic Aussie fashion.

They continued the set with other crowd favourites like These Girls, Gold Snafu and Rum Rage. Each member energetically showed off their talent and virtuosity. Claude Bailey, the band’s new lead vocalist, demonstrated his commanding vocals, proving many audience members’ worries wrong. Many attendees feared the absence of Dylan Frost would change the well-known Sticky Fingers spirit, but I would say it was quite the opposite! Bailey made an amazing impression and truly set the stage for future Sticky Fingers performances! Paddy Cornwall shredded the most gorgeous bass I’ve ever seen in a black tracksuit, Seamus Coyle ripped the guitar in a sports tee and cowboy hat (iconic combo), Beaker Best stayed impressively cool, calm and collected on the drums (something many can only aspire to do), and Freddy Crabs did what Freddy Crabs does best… tickling ivories, and making all moustache havers incredibly jealous…

The show finished off with Bootleg Rascal, their arguably most popular song, to end the show with a bang…

Oh.. You thought the article was done? Nope!

Sticky Fingers surprised the crowd with an astounding SEVEN-song encore!!! Australia Street, How To Fly, Freddy Crabs (after the one and only) played as fans that started to leave turned back, filled the crowd once more and celebrated as the band sang the last songs of the set. It was a performance filled with surprises, fun, intimate experiences between musicians and fans, and nostalgia. Montreal expected nothing less, and Sticky Fingers delivered.