I was 17 in the summer of 1992. While visiting family in Shediac. New Brunswick, my cousin and I decided to go to the Bryan Adams Waking Up The Nation tour that was happening at Parlee Beach August 16, 1992. No disrespect to Bryan Adams but we were only really interested in seeing The Steve Miller Band. One of the bands scheduled to play the festival wasn’t able to perform (I think it was Arc Angels). As fate would have have it, an up and coming band from Halifax would fill in. Newly signed to Geffen Records, Sloan was about to take the world by storm.
Fast forward 30 years…
Toronto’s Concert Hall at 888 Yonge St. reverberated with energy on a crisp November evening as the Canadian rock veterans Sloan took the stage for the first of two nostalgic shows. For those who have been following Sloan’s career since their early days in the 90s, the concert felt like both a homecoming and a victory lap, as the band delved into some of their earliest recordings. Most of these songs they haven’t played since those formative years. Performing their debut album Smeared front to back as well as the Peppermint EP in it’s entirety and other rare B-sides, it was a grungy trip down memory lane.
The band, made up of Chris Murphy, Jay Ferguson, Patrick Pentland, and Andrew Scott, seemed to relish every moment on stage. Chris, Jay and Patrick all front men in their own right alternated vocals throughout the night while Andrew punished the pots and pans with ferocity. Murphy, with his charismatic stage presence, engaged the crowd between songs, referencing the legacy of bands from the Halifax scene. Fans cheered when Jale alumnist Jennifer Pierce joined the band onstage for I Am The Cancer, Marcus Said, Torn and a cover of Jale’s own song Promise. The band also performed rare covers of Eric’s Trip songs Stove and Smother which they recorded for the DGC Rarities Vol. 1 compilation.
I’ve seen Sloan numerous times but was delighted to hear songs I’ve never heard them do live. I especially enjoyed Pretty Voice and Lucky For Me. More than three decades into their career, the band’s magic is as strong as ever. During the encore the crowd had a chance to sing along to fan favourite Coax Me. The joy was evident throughout the crowd, Sloan reminded everyone in the room why they are one of Canada’s most beloved music exports.
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Be sure to check out Collective Concerts to see what other great acts they will be bringing to Toronto this year.
