I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: May 9, 2018] Sloan

I have been a fan of Sloan for years.  I had never seen them live until about a year and a half ago.  And it was an excellent show.

So how great was it that they were coming back so soon and with a brand new (and fantastic) album called 12.

This time Sarah said she wanted to come with me, which was super fun. She had never been to Boot & Saddle before and she loved it as much as I do.

There was some construction on the highway so we wound up arriving just a few minutes before the band went on, but it was enough time to get a secure spot not too far back.

At the previous show, I was in front of Jay Ferguson (guitar, vocals and sometimes bass).  This time we were in front of Patrick Pentland (Guitars and vocals).  As last time, Chris Murphy (bass, vocals and drums) was front and center and Andrew Scott was on drums in the back and vocals and guitar (in the front).

The last show was a 20th anniversary of One Chord to Another, but this show was all about the new album (they played 10 of 12 songs) with 26 songs in total spread across two sets.

Sarah enjoyed the show a lot–she appreciated how much fun it was to just rock out.  But even more exciting, the band walked literally right past us –we were able to high-five a couple of the guys as they walked by–the coolness of the tiny Boot and Saddle.

As they were setting up, since the album is called 12, they played The Electric Company’s Counting Song

They opened with two songs from 12 “Spin Our Wheels” (sung by Chris) and “Have Faith” (sung by Patrick).  They followed that with a song from Jay, an older awesome sing along called “Who Taught You to Live Like That?”  A great song if ever there was one.

And then they went off the set list by playing “Fading Into Obscurity” (Chris) (“Carried Away” was supposed to be next).  It was great to hear this, an obscurish song to be sure, and it set the town for the night.  Patrick got one more older song “It’s In Your Eyes,” and it reminded me yet again that I will never be able to determine whose songs I like best.

Chris joked about going off set list and then said that he loved playing a small show like this with devoted fans because it meant they could play b-sides, like “Step On It , Jean” which was a huge surprise.

Then came the change up.  Andrew came from behind the kit, grabbed the guitar and sang lead.  Chris went back to the drums and Jay switched to bass.

I was sure that Andrew sang three songs, but I only see proof of two: “Gone For Good” and “People of the Sky” (ba ba bah dah daaaah).

I noticed that Chris took off his leather jacket to play drums, then put it back on for singing lead.

I love their album Between the Bridges, so it was great to hear “Losing Californoa (Patrick).  And then it was back to the new album with what should be a huge hit, “Right to Roam” (Jay). They ended the first set with a wild rendition of Chris’ “Follow the Leader.”

And then they walked out the way they came, high fives to Chris as he walked past, pretty much bumping into us on the way out.

Set Two brought us the first of two songs with the sentiment if it feels good do it.  First there was Chris’ new song
“Don’t Stop (If It Feels Good Do It)”

Then back to Double Cross for Jay’s “Beverly Terrace.”  And then another great new song (this new album is really terrific), Patrick’s “Day Will Be Mine.”

Then they played the song they skipped earlier “Carried Away” (Chris)–this time it was switched out with “The Other Man” (which they played last time as was great, but it’s always fun to hear different songs.

It’s hard to pick a favorite song on the new album but Jays “Essential Services” is certainly close.  Then came another rocker from Patrick, “Live On” (Patrick)

Andrew came back out for the second set and played two new songs, the catchy “Year Zero” & the complex and really enjoyable “44 Teenagers.”

The setlist said “Underwhelmed” next (which Sarah informed me she forgot they sang and would have loved to hear but since she hadn’t thought of it she wasn’t disappointed to miss it.  Instead of “Underwhelmed,” they played “Gimme That” (Chris) from Action Pact, which is the album Sarah knows best so that was a good swap.

But they did play a song from their debut, this time Patrick’s “Sugartune” followed by another great Jay song from Bridges “Take Good Car of the Poor Boy.”

Before I forget I need to acknowledge keyboardist and backing vocalist Greg McDonald, who added so much with his vocals.  He also had a funny moment where he drank a bottle of water and the crowd started chanting “chug Chg Chug,” which lead to Murphy trying to do the same, Chug chug chug).

The final new song of the night was the undeniably catchy “Wish Upon a Satellite” (Patrick).  Seriously, why isn’t this album huge?

They ended the set with the other anthemic song about feeling good and doing it: Patrick’s “If It Feels Good Do It” (he wrote his first).  During the song, Chris led us in the quintessential Sloan chant of Slooooan.

They joked about how they weren’t really going to do an encore break (there is no room for an encore in Boot & Saddle, so they kind of huddled together and then “came back” to play one of Sarah and my favorite song “The Rest of My Life” (Chris) “I know that I’ll be living it in Canada!

And the show ended with the supremely catchy “Good in everyone.” (Patrick).

I will never understand why Sloan aren’t bigger.  Their songs are so catchy with great harmonies and fun lyrics.  Their lack of US success is mystery and if you can see them live do so because they are super great.

After the show Chris Murphy was hanging around.  We talked to him for a bit and he signed my (bitchin’ orange) vinyl.

So between the two shows there were 54 songs and only 5 repeats among the batch.  That’s pretty awesome.

 

May 9, 2018	October 15, 2016
Set 1	Set 1 (One Chord to Another)
Spin Our Wheels [12]	The Good in Everyone [OCTA]
Have Faith [12]	Nothing Left to Make Me Want to Stay [OCTA]
Who Taught You To Live Like That? [Never]	Autobiography [OCTA]
Fading Into Obscurity [Never]	Junior Panthers [OCTA]
It’s In Your Eyes [Pretty]	G Turns to D [OCTA]
Step On It, Jean [Pact]	A Side Wins [OCTA]
Gone for Good [12]	Everything You’ve Done Wrong [OCTA]
People of the Sky [Twice]	Anyone Who’s Anyone [OCTA]
Losing California [Bridges]	The Lines You Amend [OCTA]
Right to Roam [12]	Take the Bench [OCTA]
Follow the Leader [XX]	Can’t Face Up [OCTA]
Set 2	400 Metres [OCTA]
Don’t Stop (If It Feels Good Do It) [12]	Set 2
Beverley Terrace [XX]	Underwhelmed [Smeared]
The Day Will be Mine [12]	C’mon C’mon (We’re Gonna Get It Started) [Navy]
Carried Away [Comm]	Money City Maniacs [Navy]
Essential Services [12]	So Far So Good [Comm]
Live On [Pact]	Worried Now  [Twice]
Year Zero [12]	Who Taught You to Live Like That? [Never]
44 Teenagers [12]	Sinking Ships [Navy]
Gimme That [Pact]	People of the Sky [Twice]
Sugartune [Smeared]	Don’t You Believe a Word [Bridges]
Take Good Care of the Poor Boy [Bridges]	I’m Not a Kid Anymore [Parallel]
Wish Upon a Satellite [12]	Unkind [XX]
If It Feels Good Do It [Pretty]	Snowsuit Sound [Twice]
encore	The Other Man [Pretty]
The Rest of My Life [Pact]	Losing California [Bridges]
The Good in Everyone [OCTA]	encore
	The Marquee and the Moon [Bridges]
	If It Feels Good Do It [Pretty]