5 years ago, I went to see Barenaked Ladies perform in London and I commented that it wasn’t as good as the concert I remembered in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre.
Walking into Massey Hall last night, I wondered if my claim that it’s better to see them in Toronto would be true and Saturday’s show proved that I was right. I loved everything about it, except for the encore because they played 2 covers I didn’t enjoy.
There’s something about the Barenaked Ladies’ music that makes you feel good and it’s even more effective when you get to hear it live. Ed Robertson insisted the audience sing along, adding that you would regret it if you got home, looked in the mirror and locked eyes with yourself, a non participant. No one could argue with that logic. The whole time I was there, I felt like I was at a campfire, except it was way better and there were no bugs.
The band began by playing in front of a drape and then all of a sudden, after playing a few songs from their new album Fake Nudes, the curtain dropped, revealing a cool setup with a huge “Barenaked” sign lit up. They shared a few funny anecdotes in between songs, such as by poking fun at their parents packing an entire loaf of tuna or egg sandwiches when they were starting out.
Their crew coordinated funny moments throughout the show by giving audience members silly objects to throw on stage. For example, during Pinch Me, which has a funny lyric about underwear, people threw bras and underwear. The band then picked up the lingerie and decorated their guitars and microphones it.
Although I thought this show was much better than when I saw them in London, it was kind of similar because they performed another medley of Top 40 hits. This one included That’s What I Like (Bruno Mars), Sorry (Justin Bieber) and Scrubs (TLC). It was super fun and you didn’t know which one they would pick next!
I believe this is the first time I’ve seen the last stop on a tour, which was neat. The Barenaked Ladies are cultural icons in Toronto and they’re very connected to the fans, venue and city. They ended the show on a sweet and festive note by singing Feliz Navidad and wishing everyone Merry Christmas.
A few minutes later, I looked up the band to tag them in my Instagram Stories and noticed they don’t have a verified account yet. Can someone please help them out?!