03 Apr 2013

Let me start explaining that I don’t get out much. For someone who helps run a live music listing website, I get to very few shows as a result of being a mom and working too much. But last time Yukon Blonde rolled through town I missed them and I’ve been cursing myself ever since. I first heard Yukon Blonde on CBC2’s morning show. Radio host Tom Power boasted the band as one of the best acts he has seen in a long time. I bought both full length albums off of emusic.com and have been listening to them pretty much non-stop.

So this time, there was no way I was going to miss the show. March 21st, I headed downtown for solo dinner at the Cornerstone on a rather bluster-y and cold evening. I had completely forgotten/ran out of time to buy my ticket before hand, so I wandered over to the eBar early to make sure I got a ticket as there were a limited number at the door. Let me tell you, I have learned my lesson. Buy your tickets ahead of time, people. It was a long, cold wait in the sleet, but one well worth it in the long run.

Inside the eBar, Grounders were just wrapping up their set. Missing them sucked: a lot of people in line were there specifically to see the Toronto band. The last song or two that I caught was really catchy and definitely set the mood for the evening.

I headed over the merch table and happily bought a shirt from guitarist Brandon Scott, grabbed a pint, and headed over to the stage to find a nice seat for the show. One of the best things about going to a concert on your own is that it’s easy to slip through the crowd, and even easier to find a great place to squeeze into to get a good view of the stage. From my perch on the top of a bench, I got to see Lucy Rose and her band.

Small in size, but mighty in voice and stage presence, Lucy Rose was awesome to see perform. Her whole band was great and you could tell that they really enjoy playing music together. The rest of the crowd could definitely feel the vibe as there were a number of people dancing, grooving, and generally enjoying the show. Lucy’s chat between songs confirmed her super cute appearance – soft spoken and smiling, she is definitely an artist I would love to see again, either solo or with Bombay Bicycle Club if she returns to that band.

I saved my seat as it was really starting to fill up by the time Yukon Blonde was ready to start playing. Each member of the band hugged each other before they went on, which to me is a sure fire way to show the fans that you love what you’re doing. And man does it show. Tom Power was not lying – Yukon Blonde came out of the gate with an explosion of energy in their first track and maintained the same level of excitement throughout the whole set.

The band played a great mix of their material from the self titled album released in 2010 and their new album, Tiger Talk, released last year. Singer Jeff Innes did an amazing job entertaining the crowd, and his energy radiated through the band and fans. They even followed up with two encore songs, which made me very late getting home, but very happy on the long cold walk!