Friday was a good night to be a 90s bitch. The Arkells snuck in a cover of Icona Pop’s I Love It, and their opener Cailin Russo returned to the stage for the anthem featuring Charli XCX. This was definitely a highlight and somehow more exciting than seeing the Arkells perform Robyn’s Dancing On My Own with Tegan and Sara in 2024. But it couldn’t trump the surprise of their throwback to ABBA’s Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) at Scotiabank Arena in 2022.
I can’t believe how long it’s been since I wrote a concert review. I was impressed by Pink’s Vegas-style show in 2019, so I had to go back! This time, I celebrated my mom’s birthday and we saw the first North American stop on Pink’s Summer Carnival tour. Fans of all ages attended and I feel old thinking about how I’ve been listening to Pink for 20 years.
According to an Orchestra London poster, the Barenaked Ladies’ show at Centennial Hall on Friday night was supposed to be the “hottest ticket in London,” but the famous foursome didn’t entirely live up to such high expectations.
Beginning the show with hits including “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” and “Another Postcard,” the band garnered the most excitement when they played “Big Bang Theory Theme,” which they made for CBS’ sitcom. Other songs performed on Friday included “Pinch Me” and “One Week,” until they closed with “If I Had $1,000,000,” the latter of which featured an excellent violin solo from an orchestra member.
When forty-something lead singer Ed Robertson joked about his old age, this fazed neither the middle-aged couples cozy in the balcony’s plush seats, nor the other patrons enjoying pitchers of beer while sitting around tables in the mezzanine. The band joked about the unusual seating arrangement by announcing “the next number is B9,” as if they were bingo callers.
Among the many jokes cracked throughout was Ed’s suggestion that they pass around a wireless microphone to each member of the orchestra, so they can say what an honour it is to play with the Barenaked Ladies. Albeit a poor testament to the band’s comedic expertise, the crowd seemed amused.
With O-Week festivities over, I eagerly wanted to find something fun to do with my long weekend (thanks to Fridays off all school year long). The Arkells’ free show on Thursday night at Western Fair inspired me to take the roommate and leave the bubble bordered by Masonville to the north and the VIA Rail station to the south.
I have yet to try Elephant Ears or a Colossal Onion, but exploring the fair grounds and midway made for a great evening, especially because I didn’t make it to The Ex this summer. Ferris wheel: awesome. Mini roller coaster: awesome. Fun at Western Fair: priceless.
