The Barr Brothers @ MTelus▪

After postponing their November show (to support Mumford & Sons on their North American tour), The Barr Brothers finally made it home to Montreal (February 28) to play for a very warm and welcoming crowd at MTelus.

This was my 6th time seeing them since they closed the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2015. I can’t believe that it’s been over 11 years since one of my favourite albums, Sleeping Operator, was released, and I couldn’t wait to hear them perform songs from their latest album Let It Hiss.

I got to the venue early, but unfortunately missed the supporting band Land of Talk because there was a misunderstanding with my media pass. I was beyond disappointed because I could hear them as I waited until things got sorted out. And they sounded great.

The Barr Brothers calmly walked onto the dimly lit stage around 8:00. Encircled by tall bubble glass lamps, bass player on the left, harpist Éveline Grégoire-Rousseau on the right, drummer Andrew Barr in the back, and Brad Barr front and centre. Wearing a bedazzled black blazer with silver sequins, a vintage Gibson acoustic guitar in one hand and long red threads in the other (IYKYK), Brad slowly pulled us into his mystical musical world. Opening with Static Orphans, which seamlessly transitioned into Love Ain’t Enough (the first two tracks from Sleeping Operator), was a pleasant surprise. I expected them to start with songs from their latest album, but they were steadily building an exquisite sense of anticipation. So when Take It From Me began (my favourite track on Let It Hiss), everyone began cheering even louder than before.

I have been to enough of their shows to know that Barr Brothers fans seem to be so much kinder and gentler than others. They don’t only know all the words to all the songs but seem to feel them on a deeply personal level. Which, of course, is due to great songwriting as well. The energy at MTelus was noticeably positive and the band was definitely feeling the love and sending it right back.

Also feeling the love was an assortment of very special and very surprising guests. Beginning with Andrew and Brad’s two sons on drums and trombone for a super fun version of She Doesn’t Sleep With The Covers On. And then Klô Pelgag appeared to lend her sweet vocals on Moonbeam, and it sounded even better than the record.

The biggest surprise of all was Patrick Watson popping by to sing along to one of my all-time favourites, Come In The Water. He had the lyrics on a sheet of paper that he kept looking at, and Brad teased him about not knowing the song. The way they laughed and sang together spoke volumes about their appreciation for each other. I think we all felt it.

Andrew had also stepped up front during that song to lend his voice, as he did for Burn Card, which gave him a break from behind the drum kit. He definitely played hard, especially on Kompromat and Hideous Glorious. The crowd went wild when he appeared, and he simply grinned humbly in his plain white T-shirt and blue toque, shrugging his shoulders, stunned at all the adoration. As though it was only pure luck that Mumford & Sons chose him as their touring drummer.

I was a little disappointed that they didn’t play Half Crazy or Upsetter, but it wasn’t that kind of show. Each song was chosen specifically and performed with great intention. There was a new layer of maturity and control that I hadn’t experienced in previous shows. Then again, a lot can happen in 11 years.

When Brad returned for the encore, he did a bluesy solo cover of Lean On Me. It took a couple of seconds until everyone began singing.

“Lean on me, when you’re not strong and I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on.”

As I looked into the crowd, I saw smiling faces of hope. In that moment, through his fingers, from the strings to our hearts, we were all connected and we all felt the healing power of music.