Oh Bronson Center, how I used to hate thee, and now I just realize that I’ve been watching the wrong concerts within your halls.
Turns out that a balls to the wall rock concert is not my favourite thing to see at the Bronson Center…but a concert like Kathleen Edward’s show last night…it was fantastic.
Flying solo to a concert is just something I have to do once in awhile, but I was very happy to find out that my colleague Dorin was going as well so he invited me along with his friends. We managed to snag an excellent seat in the middle of the floor, right in front of a row reserved for ‘Edwards’. It was interesting to hear some comments coming from behind me during the night as it sounded like there were uncles and aunts of Kathleen sitting there.
Hannah Georgas opened up and she was decent. I didn’t really connect with what she was singing about, but I enjoyed a few of her songs. It was an interesting duo.
The band came out in full force opening with a few tunes from her new Voyageur album. I really enjoy a band like this…electric, acoustic, bass, drums, organ and a backup singer! Fantastic!
The vibe was great inside. Kathleen ranges from some very introspective softer tunes, to some rocking ones. Either way, the crowd was appreciative of an Ottawa local taking the stage and sharing some stories about how she can still remember faces around Ottawa from the times she worked at Starbucks, or how she loves this town and what it gives to her in appreciation each time she returns.
At one point she said she would address the elephant in the room and someone yelled “Where’s Jim?” and she says “Yes! Where is Jim?” Jim Bryson has been with the band for quite a few years but was currently needed elsewhere with his two day old child! But he ended up coming out for a few songs during the night. I must admit that I don’t know much about Jim Bryson other than he is quite widely known throughout Canada from his solo work, his work with the Weakerthans and with Kathleen Edwards. It was great seeing him crank out the lead guitar work and it would have been great to see him tour around with them in the past. However, I must admit that I was equally impressed with Gord Tough on guitar.
A rare second encore of ‘Our Town’ was one of my favourites of the night when she returned with an acoustic guitar and ended the night on a perfect note.
I had a fantastic night at the Bronson Center and I will welcome a nice relaxing night there anytime in the National Capital Region. Kathleen Edwards is one of the better songwriters I’ve been introduced to in the past few years and I’m lucky to have seen her electric stage presence. Special thanks to Dorin, Tannis, Jason, Melissa and Sheila for letting me share in this amazing experience!
Setlist:
Empty Threat
Chameleon/Comedian
Asking For Flowers
Pink Champagne (where she talked about how it was not really a song about a wedding, but more about a time where she drank WAY too much pink champagne)
Goodnight California (one of the more rocking tunes of the night. I was loving the solos.)
In State
Mint
Hockey Skates (with Jim Bryson)
House Full of Empty Rooms (a story about how she fell in love with her house in Hamilton but when moving on with her life had to leave it behind)
Going To Hell (one of my faves off of Voyageur and the live version did not disappoint!)
Sidecar
Back To You (I love the driving rhythm of this song)
A Soft Place to Land
12 Bellevue (with Jim Bryson)
Change the Sheets
Encore:
Six O’clock News (with Jim Bryson)
September Gurls [Big Star] (with Hannah Georgas)
Encore Two:
Our Town [Iris DeMent]