The Original Five (Blue Rodeo's 20th Anniversary surprise gig), The Real Priscillas @ The Rivoli, Toronto ON

When I first heard about this show, even though it was speculation at the time, I was agonizing about whether or not to go. For one thing, it's a good 2 hour drive to Toronto from where I work and another one and a half hours home. I also have art class on Monday nights... I know, I know, I can blow off art class, right? But I really enjoy it because it's one of those things I look forward to every week. Anyway, it took me a good half hour to finally decide to go. I finally rationalized my decision with, "Well, I won't regret not going to art class, but I *will* regret not going to this show if the rumours are true!"

And boy, am I glad I went!

Even though I was at the Wed night show at Lee's Palace, I don't think this compares. The Lee's Palace show was more of a retrospective with the original five playing through the first few albums almost in their entirety and running through the catalogue to present day with the current lineup (and then some). However, last night's show at the Rivoli was more of a throwback to what a show from "back in the day" might have been like.

The setlist was about as far from typical as you could get. Granted, they opened with Heart Like Mine followed by Rose-Coloured Glasses, and they also did Try and Diamond Mine (an amazing rendition, further illustrating my point that James can no longer touch this song). But that was really it as far as the "standards" go.

The setlist was very Outskirts/Diamond Mine heavy with nothing as recent as the Lost Together album being played (as far as I remember, I could be wrong). The show was split into two sets (10:30 and 12am). Gems included Girl of Mine, Love and Understanding, Underground, Nice Try, Fall in Line, Now and Forever (twice, once in the first set and again in the second set with Ron Sexsmith on vocals).

Some highlights:

1) Bobby Wiseman. I've never been as compelled by watching a musician as I have with this man. I was standing less than 10 ft away from him for most of the show and had a hard time looking away when he was playing.

2) FLORIDA!!! Complete with hilarious Greg back story (similar to the one on JLAV) but now with the epilogue that the woman and his friend got married, moved out west, had two ugly fat kids and were living the life til 3 years ago (Greg: "Three years?" Jim: "Yes, three years!" and holding up three fingers) when she left him for her boss.

3) Jim singing Galveston (KARA! WHERE ARE YOU!?) and watching his brother Loftus in a suit do his best boogie-ing down to this song.

4) Travis Good rocking out the solos on You're Everywhere.

5) Ron Sexsmith getting the wrong lyric cue from Jim for the second verse of Now and Forever.

6) Greg using a cheat sheet to sing God and Country... maybe Jim should take a cue?

7) A fun instrumental twang-out jam at the end of the first set that was just... full of energy and really demonstrated how much these guys enjoy playing together.

8) Being in a venue so small and intimate and yet not crowded that I had enough room to shake my booty whenever I wanted.

Truly, this was one of the best evenings I've had the pleasure of spending with the band. For a while though, we (Su, Bernard and I) were afraid that we weren't even going to be a part of it. When we went to purchase tickets at 8, we were told that the guest list had "sold out" the venue and that we had to come back at 10 to see if there were going to be tickets released later. Obviously, we made it in, but it was tough-going for a couple of hours.

And no, I don't regret missing my art class.

Set #1
1. Heart Like Mine
2. Rose Coloured Glasses
3. How Long
4. Now and Forever
5. Nice Try
6. Love and Understanding
7. Rebel
8. Joker’s Wild
9. Queen Jane (Bob Dylan cover)
10. A Good Year For the Roses (George Jones cover)
11. God and Country
12. Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down (Merle Haggard cover) with Steve Cox of Handsome Ned
13. Galveston (Glen Campbell cover)
14. Sound Check (instrumental)

Set #2
15. Floating
16. Fall In Line
17. Girl of Mine
18. Nerve
19. Outskirts
20. Piranha Pool
21. Underground
22. Dime Store Greaser
23. I Don’t Know Why You Love Me
24. Now and Forever with Ron Sexsmith
25. Rave On (Buddy Holly cover) with Ron Sexsmith
26. Try
27. You’re Everywhere with Travis Good
28. Florida

Encore
29. Fall Apart
30. If You Go
31. Diamond Mine