Toronto, Ontario - Canada's east coast is ripe with musical talent. The country's furthest reaching eastern province of Newfoundland and Labrador is almost a country on its own. What I mean by this, is culturally, the people here are unlike anywhere else in Canada. With their history, way of life, and true, down to earth friendliness, you will be hard pressed to find anything like it. And that may very well hold true for the world, and not just here in Canada.
Another thing that sets this province apart from the rest is their music. It is rich with musical talent, and some big names in music like Alan Doyle (of Great Big Sea) have come out of here. On any given Saturday evening, you will find gatherings of family and friends, sitting around the kitchen, having a few drinks, and sharing a few laughs. It is guaranteed that by the end of the evening, the guitars, spoons, accordions, and ugly sticks will be busted out, and a sing along (proudly known to locals as "The Kitchen Party") will ensue. And the music is the province's own style of folk music, that is so wonderfully pleasing, your feet will be tapping instantly!
There is a plethora of local artists and bands that are massively popular on the island, drawing large crowds at the local watering holes. One of these acts is a duo out of the province's capital city of St. John's, consisting of guitarist/banjoist and lead singer Josh Sandu, and guitarist, vocalist Andrew Laite. The pair formed the band Rube & Rake 10 years ago, and they have consistently played their local circuit, in addition to taking their unique style of contemporary folk on the road.
On October 27, 2023, the Newfoundlanders kicked off a 14 date tour in Halifax, NS, which eventually brought them through Quebec, and into Ontario. On November 7, the band rolled into Toronto for a stop at The Cameron House, a super cool, Queen Street live music venue that features 2 stages. The boys of Rube & Rake would play "The Back Room", for an even more intimate experience, bringing along friend Len O'Neill whom Sandu & Laite picked up in Ottawa on the band's road trip to Toronto.
Len O'Neill
Len O'Neill kicked off the evening with his guitar strapped around his neck, and his clean, clear and easy vocals. Right off the hop, O'Neill has some fans in the house as some of the faithful join in singing the opening track's lyrics. One of life's little nuances I love, is listening to stories. It may very well be one of the things that connects me to this genre of music. In between each track, O'Neill shares a story about the origins of his music and with a little joke hear and there thrown in for good measure, the young man does a great job of setting up the expectations for the headliners. So much so, that some of his fans calls for an encore after the all too brief opening set.
Rube & Rake
As the guys head on up to the stage, the lefty Laite flanks stage right, while Sandu appears opposite. With one microphone to share between the 2 friends, they kick off their set with "Coat of Paint", and we're immediately immersed into the band's style. Josh Sandu's baritone voice is accompanied by fantastic harmonies from Andrew Laite and you can hear a pin drop in the small venue as the crowd soaks it in.
Like their mate's opening set, we get our first tale from Sandu ahead of the band's second track "Some of Mine". You see, Sandu is actually originally from BC, and he tells his story about his journey to Newfoundland, and shares that the track is about his loser kid sister, which brings a laugh from the crowd. It's another quiet number, and then the band picks things up with "Somewhere" which is the lead track on their most recent album Leaving With Nothing. The finger plucking from Laite on this track is simply amazing, and at its conclusion, the guitarist tells the audience not to get used to the faster tempo, in another example of the looseness, and fun that the band is having.
These guys are tight. There is a real cohesion with the duo, both in their music, and their friendship. The melodies emanating from the 2 guitars is wonderful. With a single mic that the 2 share, along with the smiles on their faces, you can see the closeness of the 2, and it's not hard to tell that these guys are loving their craft. And their fans that have come out on this Tuesday evening are loving their craft as well. So too, is the photographer who has finally made it out to see this act, despite them being on his radar for years.
The band's 5th track of the evening is something that personally brings me some sadness, and a smile. "Canned Goods" is about a grandmother making jams and other foods, putting them all in jars. While this isn't specifically a Newfoundland thing, it's definitely something that has been performed in this province for centuries. The track makes me think of my mother, whom I lost a mere 3 months ago (hard to believe it's been that long actually). While my mother was not specifically a "canner", she was a proud Newfoundlander, and the song makes me miss her deeply. It also makes me smile, knowing that she was my mother. And it's here I must divulge, that Andrew Laite is a relative on my mother's side of the family. It makes the evening that much more special for me personally.
To close out the evening, Laite and Sandu perform the A Capella number "Wilder Than Me". The fans and I are in awe at the vocal abilities of these 2 young men, and it's such a great ending to a super chill, mellow night of folk music. Despite the band only playing a short 1 hour set, it was well worth the wait for me, in my quest to see this duo live.
Concert Photo Gallery
Show Date: November 7, 2023
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