Photographs by Dawn Hamilton.
At moments, the Toronto audience was so quiet you might have thought there was a mannequin challenge at play. This silence however, was rooted in something exceptional. For Chantal Kreviazuk’s latest tour, the chanteuse has carefully mixed up a potion of performance magic. Its parts are: talent, storytelling, sincerity, passion, humour and memory. The ingredients are simple, but must be in perfect balance to connect and pull in the audience. Kreviazuk was touring in support of her new record, Hard Sail, her first album in seven years. She has not been sitting idle all this time however; she was busy being a wife, mother to 3 young boys, activist, and songwriter.
Comfortably seated at her piano and accompanied by drums, violin and cello, Kreviazuk sounded marvellous. It should be noted that cellist Kevin Fox did double duty, acting as band member and opening act. As opener, he was on stage all by himself with a cello, guitar and loop pedal, but his songs filled the venue. His unique brand of loop cello-pop was captivating and beautiful.
Kreviazuk gave the audience a select few gems from her back catalogue, but most of the show at the Danforth Music Hall was dedicated to songs from the new record. She set the songs up compellingly, telling rambling stories that offered insight into both the songs and her life. Kreviazuk spoke to her audience as though they were friends sitting at her kitchen table. There was an honesty and ease about the way she framed each song. Before singing I Will Be, she explained how she came to write it, offer it to Pink (who took it) and then ask for it back for Hard Sail. Before singing I Love You, she spoke of her beloved dog that died after 17 years. And before covering Radiohead’s Daydreaming she told the room about how her journey as a humanitarian/activist took her to Peru with her eldest son where they fit 50 people with hearing aids. Offering life lessons, Kreviazuk stated her belief that the path to wellness is good citizenship. She teared up a few times, her honest emotions right near the surface.
The encore came with a came with a quick costume change – a small diva moment, joked the singer. A three song closing followed. Kreviazuk started with a slowed down version of her hit Surrounded. The song has been with her since her 1996 debut album; it’s intensely personal and can still elicit goosebumps. All night, the crowd showed their devotion with their focussed, almost reverential attention –it was well-deserved.
