Mendalla
25 years of Blue Rodeo
Posted on: 11/09/2012 23:16
Back in 1987. a new Canadian band appeared on the scene that caught my attention from their very first single, Outskirts of Life. Subsequent singles from that debut album and its successor confirmed the band as one of my favorites and, perhaps, as one of the great Canadian bands of my lifetime. The band was, and is, Blue Rodeo, fronted by singer-songwriters Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy. I don't think I've heard a really bad song from these two. The remainder of the band has changed over the years and, while I do miss some of the members who've gone on to other things (original keyboard player Bob Wiseman, for instance) that strong core of Keelor and Cuddy has kept the band strong through all the changes in the backing lineup. Even with Jim and Greg developing increasingly successful solo careers, they both seem dedicated to keep Blue Rodeo a going concern.
Perhaps one of the most amazing things is that they've achieved their success without border-hopping. Blue Rodeo does have fans outside Canada, but has remained very much a Canadian band, based here and with their focus quite squarely on the Canadian music scene. They're even helping develop their successors by producing and promoting new Canadian artists (e.g. Greg produced Cuff the Duke's last album and took them as the opening act on one of his solo tours).
Recently, the CBC hosted a 25th anniversary gig for Blue Rodeo at the Glenn Gould studio in Toronto. They pulled together a great line-up of performers to play with the band and basically ran through all of Blue Rodeo's classics. There's video of several of the performances on Youtube, each beginning with Jim and Greg reminiscing about the writing of or story behind each song.
Some Youtube clips of favorites from the show (though the whole show, which you can listen on CBC Music here, is great):
"Try" - Blue Rodeo themselves perform their first big hit.
"Rose-coloured glasses" - two of my favorite Canadian bands - Blue Rodeo and Great Big Sea - team up on another early BR hit.
"Bad Timing" - amazing cover of a Jim Cuddy tune by singer-songwriter Oh Susanna backed by Jim and Greg
"Till I am Myself Again" - another great Cuddy song sung by his son Devin, a chip off the old block if there ever was one
"Hasn't Hit Me Yet" - the Skydiggers join Blue Rodeo
"Lost Together" - the entire ensemble doing one of my favorite Blue Rodeo tunes with Greg Keelor, Cuff the Duke lead singer Wayne Petti, and singer-songwriter Melissa McLelland of the duo Whitehorse taking turns on lead vocals.
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Comments
ab penny
Posted on: 11/09/2012 23:41
Agreed, Mendalla!
chansen
Posted on: 11/10/2012 00:11
For my wife and I, Lost Together has always been "our song". We've only seen them live once, actually the same night Joe Carter hit his World Series winning home run. They played the game on a projector screen in the McMaster University gymnasium, and after the home run and a quick celebration, Greg Keelor came out and said, "I'm glad they won, or else this gig would have sucked." Or words to that effect.
Thanks for posting.
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 11/10/2012 00:18
You can't go wrong with Blue Rodeo! Gotta love all the Canadiana on that show!
InannaWhimsey
Posted on: 11/10/2012 01:44
wonderfully simple British colony music
Canadians should be proud :3
trishcuit
Posted on: 11/23/2012 15:34
Looove Blue Rodeo. They played at the IPE once. (the local fall fair). Couldn't get in to see them so hubby and I sat outside the fairgrounds. The only thing blocking our view was the grandstands but we got to hear them loud and clear. Fabulous. Then we had to go as my parents were watching the kids so I never got to hear "Try".
I have however seen Colin James twice. Once was in a bar in town so I saw him quite close. Also a great Canadian artist.
Mendalla
Posted on: 11/23/2012 15:58
Looove Blue Rodeo. They played at the IPE once. (the local fall fair). Couldn't get in to see them so hubby and I sat outside the fairgrounds. The only thing blocking our view was the grandstands but we got to hear them loud and clear. Fabulous. Then we had to go as my parents were watching the kids so I never got to hear "Try".
I have however seen Colin James twice. Once was in a bar in town so I saw him quite close. Also a great Canadian artist.
Colin's another Canadian artist of about the same vintage as Blue Rodeo that I love. He's one of those guys who doesn't just play guitar, he can make it sing (or scream in the case of "Voodoo Thing").
Mendalla
InannaWhimsey
Posted on: 11/23/2012 16:59
i'll never forget this bit
"show me your dreams
lay your head on my pillow
show me the things that you hide away:
your pain, your pleasure, your sorrow..."
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 11/24/2012 03:37
Colin James was part of one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Picture this... the afternoon starts with a fly over by the Snowbirds and then Dal Richards and his orchestra start to play. They are followed by Colin James, Burton Cummings, Sarah McLachlan and Feist. Oh - and the whole event was free!
Mendalla
Posted on: 11/24/2012 10:55
Nice bill, esp. for free. Sarah and Feist alone would get me there. Colin would be icing on the cake. Burton ... depends. I'm not a big fan of his solo stuff but when he's doing Guess Who material or pairing up with Randy Bachman, I'm there.
Mendalla
ab penny
Posted on: 11/24/2012 12:50
Colin James is another favorite of mine and the snowbirds! Lucky girl!
Mendalla
Posted on: 11/27/2012 15:13
Wow. CBC's Youtube channel is on a roll (at least from the standpoint of my taste in music). After that great Blue Rodeo anniversary show, this week's new posts are highlights from a concert by Serena Ryder at the The Mod Club in Toronto to launch her new album, which is out today, but also includes some older material. Serena is an amazing singer-songwriter and not half-bad on guitar, either.
http://www.youtube.com/cbcmusic
Mendalla
Panentheism
Posted on: 12/23/2012 10:38
Add Blackie and the rodeo kings to this list. Saw them the other night in a room that held 80 people. This just after seeing them at nac. Great shows. We have some great current canadian talent. The 7pm show on cbc 2 carries them all in concert.
Mendalla
Posted on: 12/23/2012 10:57
Add Blackie and the rodeo kings to this list. Saw them the other night in a room that held 80 people. This just after seeing them at nac. Great shows. We have some great current canadian talent. The 7pm show on cbc 2 carries them all in concert.
And, since this follows a post about Serena Ryder, here's Blackie and the Rodeo Kings with Serena Ryder. Their album "Kings and Queens" featured the band performing with various female singers, including Serena. This is a live performance they did for the CBC (which I remember listening to on Canada Live earlier in the year).
Mendalla
Panentheism
Posted on: 12/23/2012 11:04
They did kings and queens without those on the record - which is great and the show was great.
Panentheism
Posted on: 12/23/2012 11:04
I have new Serena Ryder and I think it is her best work
Mendalla
Posted on: 12/23/2012 21:50
I have new Serena Ryder and I think it is her best work
Loved what I heard of it in that concert though I don't think any of the new songs grabbed me the way that "Little Bit of Red" did when I first heard it (that's the song that first got me interested in her). Looks like this album may be her breakthrough into a more mainstream success. I hear that Stompa, the first single, is actually getting commercial airplay which is something she hasn't really had much of yet.
Mendalla