By: Jay Broderick
Toronto, Canada - When you have an opportunity to take in an intimate show from an iconic American country/rock/grassroots singer/songwriter, you jump at it. Or you SHOULD jump at it. This was the case for me once I knew Steve Earle was playing a solo and acoustic gig at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto.
On July 8, I headed downtown. It's typically a nightmare driving anywhere around this city, so I headed down early (in typical fashion), and parked my vehicle with plenty of time to spare. More than usual for me. Since I didn't stop for a quick bite on my way down, I headed next door to tonight's venue, to an Irish Pub called Noonan's. They had literally just opened their doors, so I plopped down at the bar for a pint of Guinness and a chicken caesar salad. In striking up conversation with the bar-keep, I learned that Noonan's has live music 5 times per week, with Tuesdays and Sundays being devoted to traditional Irish Music (*note to self*). I also learned that tonight's opener used to work at the bar, and was instrumental in starting up the open-mic evening at the local watering hole.
After my meal, I headed out to hang around the Danforth Music Hall before doors opening, and immediately, I ran into the man responsible for the open-mic at Noonan's. "They're waiting for you next door" I told him, and he smiled and headed over. There's actually a lot of movement on Danforth Avenue with a stream of city dwellers walking by. Many of them stop to read the marquee to see who's playing. One man asks me if I know where a cannabis store is. The irony here is that since Canada legalized marijuana in 2018, there is literally a store on every corner. We both laughed and agreed "When you want one, there are none around!" And then there was "Nutty". Nutty claimed to be a great friend of Steve Earle and was asking security to tell Steve Earle that "Nutty is here". Yeah... likely story there Nutty!! Security wasn't buying it, but suggested he maybe rap on the tour bus door that is parked in front of the venue. Maybe he's inside. In another ironic moment, Nutty knocks on the door, and YEP, Steve Earle answers, happily acknowledges his buddy's presence, and invites him in. And all of this before the doors to the venue are even open!
Julian Taylor
Julian Taylor is from right here in this very city. Formerly with the band Staggered Crossing, Julian is a musician of great pedigree. Playing music from genres like rock, folk and Americana, he also has a very soulful sound. Extremely proud of his West Indies and Mohawk ancestry, Taylor got the evening under way tonight with a solo, acoustic set of his own.
With his soulful voice, it's easy to see why Julian is the open-mic guru at the bar next-door. Right into the second song, he gets the crowd singing along with him. But these aren't no strangers. A fan calls out "We love you Julian", to which he returns the sentiment. And throughout the set, the crowd is singing along with the music. The full house clearly knows this guy's music, and they clearly really do love him.
With songs about the struggles of life, but still pressing on called "Weighing Down", to the travesties of the mass burial grounds of young indigenous children at Canadian residential schools called "Seeds", Julian's vocal range is astonishing. At one point during seeds, Taylor steps away from the mic, and sings into the crowd without any amplification. The crowd joins, and are clapping the beat. I got chills... literally.
At the end of his set, Julian Taylor gets a standing ovation. What a great act to open the show.
Steve Earle
During the break between acts, I got a visit from a gentleman named Tim, who I met in the social world of Instagram. He happened to be at this show, and popped over to say hello. We had a great chat about music, and concerts we've seen and are soon to see, and it was just a really cool experience. Cheers Tim! Hope to see you out again.
And just as quick as that, Steve Earle appeared on stage. Just him. Long grey hair, long grey beard. Acoustic guitar in hand. He starts into the track "Tennessee Blues". With his fantastic, aged to perfection raspy voice, it's simply perfect for his brand of music. He sounds great.
Usually, a band will play through the first 3 or 4 tracks without a hell of a lot of break to chat with the crowd, but Earle greats the crowd after his opening number. He asks them if they know where the most murders in the home take place. "It's in the kitchen" he explains. "Because that's where all the weapons are!" and he goes straight into "The Devil's Right Hand".
The fans tonight were one of the best I have ever seen. Sadly, I've been to a lot of quieter, acoustic type shows where the paying patrons somehow choose to use the evening to have conversations while the band's are playing. It's completely rude. I simply don't understand the decision. But tonight was the complete opposite. After each track, the fans raucously applauded Steve's performance. They "Wooo'd" at the closing notes of songs like "Goodbye" and at the opening chords of "You're Still Standin' There". And they listened intently to songs "CCKMP" with it's insanely created groove for a performance with just a guitar and vocals.
In addition to the fantastic sounds emanating from the stage, Steve Earle takes a lot of time to tell stories about his life, his career, the people he has met along the way, and his love for Canada. He shares that he has sold more platinum records in Canada than anywhere else. A small caveat to this is that in Canada, a platinum record is 100,000 copies, while in the USA, it's a million. But he makes sure to tell us that the difference is that Canada only has a fraction of the population. We've heard of Canadian bands that just never seem to make it past our borders. A band like Tragically Hip is the first one that comes to my mind. But it's a little odd to hear the opposite. Earle shares that even Bob Dylan would say "Steve Earle sells a lot of tickets in Canada!" So why does Canada love Steve Earle so much? He thinks it's because music is a part of our DNA, and that our country actually funds the arts. I guess we just love great music!
Earlier, I mentioned the "Wooo's" at the start of the track "You're Still Standing' There". Ahead of this one, Earle shares a story about recording a bunch of songs with female singers and he loves to perform the tracks with other female singers whenever he tours. While being in Australia one time (he thinks Australia is more like the USA than anywhere else in the world) he met a young 19 year old woman from Canada. He got to be great friends with her and then asks the audience "Would you please welcome Serena Ryder!!". And right there, from one of the seats in the crowd, Serena Ryder pops up, and runs on stage to perform the duet with Steve Earle. The crowd went absolutely wild at the end of this, and I have to say... it was very cool!
Earle was having a great time playing for the fans, joking and telling stories, but there was definitely a much more somber moment when Earle spoke of his son Justin Townes. At the mention of his name, the crowd applauded. You see, Earle's son passed away due to a drug overdose after taking drugs that were laced with fentanyl. Earle shares that it's hole in his life that he has to carry, but he doesn't want sympathy. Justin's lost life is his legacy and it live on through Steve's pain. He wants to bring awareness to this very scary situation, because even "minor" drugs like marijuana are being laced with fentanyl. Earle does ask for the fans' help by helping him sing his son's song "Harlem River Blues".
Setlist
Tennessee Blues
The Devil's Right Hand
My Old Friend the Blues
Someday
Guitar Town
I Ain't Ever Satisfied
Tom Ames' Prayer
Hometown Blues
Goodbye
Every Part of Me
You're the Best Lover That I Ever Had
South Nashville Blues
CCKMP
Transcendental Blues
Angel Is the Devil
You're Still Standin' There (with Serena Ryder)
Mr. Bojangles (Jerry Jeff Walker cover)
It's About Blood
Harlem River Blues (Justin Townes Earle cover)
Johnny Come Lately
Dominick Street / The Galway Girl
Copperhead Road
Encore
Summer Wages (Ian Tyson cover)
Hard Core Troubadour
Something about a solo, acoustic performance makes it feel so intimate. It's like it's just you and some friends hanging out with Steve Earle. Seriously... how cool is that? The last time through, the singer/songwriter only stopped in Toronto, but this time, he is travelling coast to coast. If you're reading this from anywhere else in Canada, do yourself a solid, and go check out this artist. With a sound that's seemingly impossible to come from just a guitar, a harmonica and a voice, and a set lasting longer than 2 hours, you'll thank yourself that you did.
Concert Photo Gallery
Steve Earle Online
show date: July 8, 2024
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