by Kerry Nobbs

Created on: October 07, 2008

Better than excellent concert kick-off at Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena, in Beautiful Victoria BC. Had the people dancing and toe tapping, waving their arms and singing in their seats and on their feet. Usually bugs me when there is too much jumping around but the clarity was really good and she filled your soul. The first night of her concert tour was enjoyed by nearly everyone I spoke with later.

She came out onto the stage in the dark and was lit up in front of a large projected image on a black screen behind her. A vocally riveting solo "God Bless This Mess" with her guitar quietened the crowd immediately from their clapping and cheering. This lasted for about 10 or 15 seconds and then a unanimous cheer broke out and then quiet again as they listened to the low sultry beauty of her vocals.

After the solo the black screen folded up and her band was on stage behind her and they opened up to the crowd with a resounding explosion of music and light that brought the crowd to its feet dancing and singing with her. This lasted for most of the night. Music played from old to her new CD "Detours".

She continued with a slow to fast pace throughout the night. She shared and placed into our hearts her personal problems with love, breast cancer and her joy in adoption of her son, allowing the crowd to see her as a person. Then she raised the bar with "Change Would Do You Good" shaking the house and everyone's hips. .

The 8 piece band was really good; the drummer and base guitarist pumped us to the bone. Her two female backup singers were vocally right on the money and (quote from the lady behind me) "they (backup singers) impressed the hell out of me, so so good. Beautiful concert. Love her. Great Band."

Couple of small problems we encountered, if you are going to dance in front of several hundred people please take some lessons, when you are terrible you are more distracting than being a good dancer. And please don't come so stoned you think you are dancing really well but actually look like a drunken monkey running from some imaginary predator. The girls across the aisle from me banged so much coke (bragged about it) their heads were not working in conjunction with the rest of their bodies and the one kept trying to dance sexy but her butt was attached to her feet with no legs in between. Her brain I think was outside somewhere floating in a warm breeze of their own concocting. Turning around and looking at your backend and giggling, then a few seconds later everyone around you gags, kinda gives it away. Distracting for everyone to enjoy an other wise nice evening.

Loved the show really good and well worth seeing. She is another artist in a class by herself. Folksey, blues, rock, pop, into a beatnik Celtic flare, what ever her music it was just great.

Side note on Sheryl Crow. I have liked most of her duets but heard her duet with Pavarotti for the first time from a local radio station and wow, knew she had pipes but that was impressive. Her range was incredible. I had to listen to it several times.

The Jim Cuddy Band opened for her and was a crowd pleasing, excellent start to her show. Very good choice to start.

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