William Prince at Massey Hall

The audience at Massey Hall showered William Prince with respect and adoration. They clung on every word – spoken or sung – and it was beautiful.

Prince brought his Stand in the Joy tour to Toronto on Wednesday night and offered some insight into what he means by “stand in joy”. Think of it as gratitude, mindfulness or just slowing down long enough to take a deep breath – however you do it, Prince’s songs remind listeners to focus on the good and appreciate how lucky we are to be here.

A day earlier, Prince received a couple of Juno nominations and as he and his band made their way through the set, there was no doubt that he is deserving of the recognition. The set showcased every song from the new record, Stand in the Joy. The new tunes were balanced with a few older favourites and some fun cover songs that brought humour to the night. Whether interpreting John Prine or the Backstreet Boys, there’s a playfulness evident in Prince’s delivery. 

The music itself sounded rich and mellifluous with Prince’s gorgeous baritone voice being held in place by the sturdy support of his excellent band.  Midway through the show, Prince called upon friend and sometimes collaborator Serena Ryder to join him on stage for a sweet rendition of Sing Me a Song. Throughout the night Prince tipped his hat to the people who supported and inspired him – from Willie Nelson to show openers Kacy & Clayton, Prince acknowledged that no one gets through life without the love and support of others. 

The rest of the night brought tunes, old and new – including one so new it was just written mere days before! Prince repeatedly said out loud how grateful he is for his life’s blessings. A proud member of the Peguis First Nation in Manitoba, he taps into simple, universal truths and ancient wisdom. The crowd was transfixed, and when he sang songs like Wasted or When You Miss Someone, his fans were all in. 

The full band returned to the stage for a short encore starting with a little Elvis before slipping into Breathless and Take a Look Around.  Then it was over, Prince took a moment to soak in the love and applause from a room full of people standing in joy.