Walking out onto the stage and telling the audience that your first song you’re about to play was written the night Leonard Cohen passed away is a bold move. Cohen was Montreal’s golden son – and for those outside the city confines, we have not one but two massive murals permanently painted in the sides of buildings – one so big that it is visible from the peek of the mountain upon which the city is named.
It had to be a great song to not only start off a set but to do so in such a way in this city – and it was. Leeroy Stagger comes from the other side of Canada, from British Columbia, but tonight he earned the hearts of Montreal. Well, those who took the time to listen to him anyway.
A small fringe minority, it seemed, would rather talk loudly above the musician on stage, to the point that other members of the audience would hash the rowdy, selfish jerks to little avail. You’ve come out to an acoustic show, where the people around you have shelled out hard-earned money to attend, and you’re going to act like little spoiled, self-important little brats. Shameful. There’s a bar with a lounge attached to the venue – why not go run your gobs out there and let those who want to hear the musicians on stage do so?
Rant over.
Stagger spoke about having trouble sleeping of late and how he would wake at the exact same time every night – 2:33 am. Waking up in a panic about not having a future or any assets set away, which is this social mess of a Trudeau government, we can all sadly relate to as we watch our nation wash away down the drain.
One morning, he woke up and was unable to fall back asleep, so he decided to get to work and write some music. Prior to doing that, he put on his headphones, and the first song to play was one that seemed to offer him all the answers to his worries – so he played it here tonight: That song was Bank Robber by the mighty The Clash.
He ended his set with Search Light after explaining how he got into folk and roots music twenty-two years ago – thanks to his friend Karen who was in the crowd tonight and had introduced Stagger to the music of Steve Earle after a Super Suckers show. Stagger, at that time, was a punk rocker, but his world was about to change.
Fast-forward to tonight, and here he is, touring and opening for Steve Earle. Funny how things work out. Like awakening at the same odd hour every night and Googling the significance of 2:33 am to find that is the Devil’s hour. Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.
Tonight Steve Earle stepped on stage on his onesie. Alone. A solo set from a legend. With a guitar in hand, Earle stood there, centre stage, plugged in and right to work without so much as a hello. Strumming right into Tennessee Blues and the room erupted in cheers and whistling.
Suddenly all the loudmouth gobshites had silenced, keeping their noise to hootin’ and hollerin’ between songs. Suddenly respectful to those around them and the man on stage. Joining in with everyone else that sang along.
Following a brilliant rendition of I Ain’t Ever Satisfied, which followed on from The Devil’s Right Hand, My Old Friend The Blues, Someday and Guitar Town, Earle took to the microphone to chat to the sold-out crowd. He spoke about bringing his guitar to parties from as young as 14, and although he knew Bob Dylan and Rolling Stones songs, he never played them because Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards “scared the shit out of 14-year-old girls” – so he learned to play Donovan songs. Has based a lot of songs on that and states that he isn’t above reusing songs for different girls, as they are his intellectual property and all.
“This song goes out to what’s her name wherever the hell she is.”
“OK, same girl,” laughs Earle and, in turn, generates a raucous round of laughter from the crowd, too. “Some girls are just better for songs than others,” he says before playing Goodbye. Following that, Earle had a few more words before moving into Sparkle And Shine. “I’ve heard a few girls argue over what songs are about them, and I don’t have the heart to tell them they’re all about me.” Again, the room is ripe with laughter as Earle showed off his funny side.
The tone of the show then turned a little as Earle played Cocaine Can’t Kill My Pain, which is a tune that comes from an awfully painful part of Earle’s life, where he lost his son. A song about drug addiction and perhaps Earle’s most direct and earnest narratives in a career that has gloriously revelled in using song as story.
“It seems this is leaning more and more towards the blues. In my experience, which is considerable, there ain’t fuck all you can do about that,” said Earle, to the cheer of the crowd.
You’d think, given Earle’s career – its longevity and volume- that the night would consist of Earle’s hits and perhaps a deep cut or two. Yet that was far from the truth. Sure, there were the usual tracks that his fans would expect and dare I say, be disappointed not to hear, but also jammed on a few cover tracks from artists he has known at some point in his life, and before each track, he had a few words about either the artist, the time or the song itself and that really held his audiences attention. Captivating them with his stories before performing the song – there’s something special about that.
He played Mr. Bojangles by Jerry Jeff Walker, Harlem River Blues by Justin Townes Earle and Summer Wages by Ian Tyson. The latter coming right before the final song of the night, Hard-Core Troubadour.
As Galloway Girl blends into Copperhead Road, the atmosphere in the building reaches its peak for the night, as hands are clapping and feet are stomping along with perhaps Earle’s best-known track. Deep cuts and covers aside, there’s just not a chance Earle doesn’t break out Copperhead Road – and still, all these years later, doing so with just an acoustic guitar in hand and without any of the usual cast of characters that usually back him on stage, tonight’s rendition of this classic tune sounds somehow fresh and new. Still as good as ever, but with a twist.
Earle exited the stage to a standing ovation from the seated crowd, and let me tell you, it was a well-earned and deserved ovation.
Review & photos – Kieron Yates
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