My thoughts heading into the Beanfield Theatre on this night were that Theory of a Deadman have some rather massive cojones. Having Jeff Martin, lead singer of Canadian power trio the Tea Party, open for you in a venue he’s sold out countless times, in a city he lived in for a decade, was a bold move. Giving him only a 45-minute timeslot was an odd one though, especially with his propensity to tell stories.
He has an innate ability to connect to the crowd with banter and had the crowd screaming with his “bonjour Montreal.” My suspicions there would be a lot of Tea Party fans in the crowd were confirmed when he opened with “Coming Home,” a deep track from 28 years ago, and the crowd was audibly singing along to every word.
It was a heavily Tea Party-centric set with classics like “The Bazaar,” and “Heaven Coming Down,” which the crowd especially ate up. He did dip into his solo material for the hauntingly beautiful “The Kingdom,” which he asked the crowd to sing the chorus as if we were all a church choir. In the middle of the song, he spliced in the John Lennon classic “Imagine.” He got a big reaction by singing “you may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope someday you will join us Mr. Trump, and the world lives as one.”
He announced that “Sister Awake,” would be his last song to a chorus of boos. With his crooked pirate smile, he told the crowd to calm down and pumped up the main act. He said while he appreciated the love, he encouraged everyone to stick around, saying the boys in Theory of a Deadman put on a fantastic show; it seemed people leaving might’ve been a problem.
I did see a decent amount of people leave at the intermission, but it’s safe to say the place was still full for the main event. The stage was decorated like the basement from That 70s Show with wood panelling, vintage furniture, and beer signs. The band came down a staircase that descended into the basement.
The evening kicked off with “Gentleman,” a track that was both powerful and soulful in its acoustic rendition. The transition to “Lowlife,” kept the energy high, as lead singer Tyler Connolly ran around the stage trying to connect with everyone in the crowd. “World Keeps Spinning,” followed, reminding the crowd of the band’s knack for introspective lyrics wrapped in catchy melodies.
The setlist struck a perfect balance of hits and fan favourites. I have to say for a high-energy radio rock band, the acoustic setting translated very well. “Two of Us (Stuck),” felt particularly apt to the vibe, and “Blow,” had the audience swaying along. “Livin’ My Life Like a Country Song,” was a crowd-pleaser, showcasing the band’s versatility and ability to experiment with different genres.
The atmosphere hit a pitch with “Better Off,” and “All or Nothing,” two songs that gained even more depth in their acoustic versions. “Angel,” was a standout, with the soft strumming and heartfelt vocals really hitting the crowd.
In a surprising twist, “Bitch Came Back,” was given a fun and playful spin with a “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and “Jump,” interlude, which had the crowd singing and then dancing, respectively. The set concluded with “Santa Monica,” and “Hate My Life,” bringing the crowd to its feet before the encore.
After the obligatory olés from the Montreal crowd, the band came back to “Rx (Medicate),” and their breakthrough hit, “Bad Girlfriend,” which didn’t lose intensity on the acoustics and left the crowd shuffling their feet on the way to the exits.
Overall, it was a fun night with a good mix of styles. I will say though, if you’re bringing Jeff Martin to Montreal, give the man at least an hour though.
Review – Richard Brunette
Photos – Eric Brisson
