Vance Joy has been an alternative indie/folk trailblazer for nearly a decade.
Supporting the release of latest album, “In Our Own Sweet Time,” Vance Joy made his highly anticipated return to North America for yet another sold-out leg of his international tour. Nearly every show was followed by an additional date, and it was no surprise that Montréal was one of them.
On the first night of two, I was graciously let into the world of Vance Joy.
As I approached one of my favourite venues, MTelus, I could see the crowd of hungry Vance Joy fans waiting to get in from down the block. I could tell this was going to be a special night right away. I thought to myself of the high probability that fans had most likely taken the day off work or school to be there early, which I appreciated. This was only the beginning of the first of two nights, and the thought had only made me more excited for what lay ahead.
As I had finally made my way inside, the cold Montréal air was soon washed away. I was engulfed by the warm energy exhibited by everyone around me, and not just by the sheer body heat of a sold-out venue. There`s something quite unique about the energy of a Vance Joy show that can only be accurately understood by being there. The love in the air is infectious.
Soon the lights dimmed, and Vance Joy had finally taken the stage. He was dressed in jeans and a loose collared button-down shirt, holding his guitar confidently. He exhibited a massive grin from ear to ear, gazing down at his fans, clearly showing he was just as happy to see us as we were to see him.
“The vibes are pretty good; what do you guys think?” Vance Joy said as the audience erupted in applause.
Vance Joy began his set with “Missing Piece,” which is an upbeat traditional folk-pop song off his latest album, “In Our Own Sweet Time.” “Missing Piece” is currently his second most popular song on the charts, surpassing 170,000,000 listens. Vance Joy proves to critics once again that he could never be a one-hit-wonder following “Riptide,” released in 2013.
I noticed a group of fans dancing in a space towards the front of the right stage, and I politely asked if I could join them. They happily welcomed me, and I was overjoyed. The energy of the crowd was simply immaculate, and I was lucky enough to have been able to experience such an inclusive concert environment which is rarer than I would like it to be.
Nobody worried about who was in front of them or how long each other had lined up outside. MTelus had simply become a group of friends who were only just strangers an hour ago. In my opinion, everyone needs to experience a Vance Joy show at least once. The healing energy he executed through his music created an intimate and loving space where concertgoers of all experience levels could feel comfortable together.
The setlist consisted of many hits from his newer albums as well as older ones. Some of my favourites were “Mess Is Mine,” “Georgia”, “Lay It On Me,” and, of course, “Riptide.”
The night was now coming to a close. However, little did I know my favourite moment of the entire show was right around the corner.
Vance Joy shocked us all with his spectacular cover of “Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!” by ABBA. It was unexpected, electrifying, and even more contagious. I left the venue only wanting to hear it again and again, which I could also say about the entire set as well.
Rachel Lynn
Share this :
