The Sheepdogs in Toronto
Rock band 'The Sheepdogs' take over Toronto
Canadian rock band, The Sheepdogs brought their ‘Out All Night’ Tour to Toronto, where they played one of their largest solo shows to date in the city. History was not entirely prepared for the evening to come. Clad in their denim and shades, they tore the night up with their unique combination of rock and roll and blues. They were joined for this leg of the tour by Surf Hat, a rock / folk band out of Squamish BC who brought their personalities on stage with them, goofy but still rock enough to make you blush, they energized the night from start to finish.
Surf hat brings the west coast vibes
A truly Canadian band in every sense of the word, from their canadian tuxedo’s to the slowed down surf energy that screams west coast. They brought that same energy and flare for performing to Toronto, and the city–far from their usual scene–welcomed them openly. They danced across the stage to hits like ‘Automatic Years’, the rasp and cadence of their songs commanding all the attention. The snap of guitar strings like punctuation at the end of a sentence, a hip check to the left, as they grooved through their set.
As ‘On a roll’ played, the crowd, already lost in the moment, seemed to get a bit looser still. The lights rolled over the audience, past dancers with their eyes shut and smiles plastered on their lips as they moved in time. Shades of blue and yellow and a distinctly beachy sounding guitar riff evoked visions of a 70’s coming of age movie and a cross country trip looking for freedom. It would be hard to imagine a better opener for a concert of this caliber, with both artists perfectly aligned in vision and style.
The Sheepdogs rock out in 70's flair
If you have a hankering for transporting back in time to bell bottoms, denim jumpsuits, and the big hair that hung around the 70’s like a cloud of hairspray, you need to see the Sheepdogs live. With their slogan being “rock and rollers from Saskatoon” they definitely live up to that with their classic rich sound. Their music could mingle with the greats in your favorite classic rock playlist, alongside the likes of the Doobie Brothers, the Eagles, or Bruce Springsteen with their catchy vocals and retro sound that’s infectious as it is well done.
The lights in History roved over the crowd in bursts of shining white as their ‘The Sheepdogs’ sign flashed in the background, painting the night neon. With dramatic instrumentals and flourishes clearly honed from years of perfecting their craft, their guitarists danced back and forth across the stage, the fans reflecting in their shades. Ewan Currie looked out over the room, taking a moment to drink it in, hand raised to the crowd, watching as everyone cheered for them. It was picturesque, a rockstar and their fans, the people who had been with them from the beginning, the ones who had supported them to the Juno’s and across world tours. When the encore finally came around, and the beginning cords of ‘Scarborough Street Fight’ started, the crowd screamed louder. The night ended in a blaze, with people left speaking in scratchy voices and band tees draped over shoulders.
Closing
There are times when artists struggle to find their style, their artistic vision, but neither band on this bill seem to have that problem. They have crafted a style so uniquely fitted to them, it would take something drastic to change that. If you haven’t seen either Surf Hat or The Sheepdogs and they happen to be playing local to you, you should go. Definitely go, you will not be sad to spend your evening rocking out with these hip bands.
