You wouldn’t think these Canadian post-punk rockers known for anthemic tunes Like “One Gun” and “Ocean Pearl” would cross over into a soft seat venue, but the crowd at the second sold-out show at the Raven’s Cry Theatre March 18 was brought to their feet twice.
Reaching back over the band’s 37 years and reworking some of their best material from 14 albums, Canadian Music Hall of Famers 54-40 pulled all the right strings. It’s a testament to the strength of the songwriting that their music so easily translates into an acoustic format.
Singer and guitarist Neil Osborne was in his glory regaling the crowd with tales of touring, managing mishaps and brushes with celebrity. He and bassist Brad Merritt gave glimpses of their years of brotherly familiarity, gently chiding each other onstage. Merritt’s understated bass playing is a signature of the band’s sound and it was even more apparent here.
Then Osborne and guitarist Dave Genn gave the audience some insight into how the shared grief of both their fathers’ passings became the genesis of “Crossing a Canyon,” one of the more moving moments of the evening. Genn is a consummate musician, moving easily between guitar, piano and mandolin and providing a solid harmony to Osborne’s flighty vocal stylings. Unmistakably 54-40.
Matt Johnson is a standup drummer, literally standing up behind a truncated drum kit and laying down the backbeat for the entire evening. And when surprise guest Daniel Lapp wasn’t peeling out soaring violin or horn solos, his thoughtful accompaniment cradled the songs beautifully.
The crowd was enthralled, contributing some fun and gentle heckling in this intimate setting, but more often than not, happily singing along to their favourite songs by this iconic Canadian band. Osborne was gracious in his thanks and emphasized how important it is that we all continue to support live music. Being there, it is hard to argue – the happiness of the audience members themselves proves the point.
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