Basia Bulat @ Hollywood Theatre -- October 14, 2022

Earlier this year, Basia Bulat released a brand new album, The Garden, which featured songs from her previous five albums, re-recorded with brand new strings arrangements. To celebrate the album, she set off on a cross-Canada tour, wrapping up in BC with a stop in Vancouver at the Hollywood Theatre.

I was running a bit late for the show and only managed to just catch the end of Katie Tupper, who was opening the show. And was almost immediately disappointed I wasn't there earlier. Joined by only her guitarist on stage, her smooth vocals and neo-soul sound had the gathering crowd captivated.
Her personal songs were juxtaposed by her light banter between, joking about about their origins and her hometown Saskatoon (and even the “mood whiplash” of doing so). She closed out the set with the first track off her current EP Towards The End, a sultry tune called ”Live Inside”.

After a short break, Basia Bulat took the stage alone to start off with an acoustic "It Can't Be You", before being joined by her band; Andrew Woods (her partner) on guitar, Joshua Toal on bass, and Matthew Woodley (of Plants & Animals) on drums.

Bulat floated between guitar, keys, and the autoharp throughout, introducing songs and bantering with the crowd with a bubbly excitement, as her incredible voice filled the room for songs spanning her albums, like “Fool”, “Your Girl”, and “If It Rains”, dedicated specifically to Vancouver.

About halfway through the set, she was joined by local violinist Meredith Bates, as the “strings section” to add the lush sound from the versions off The Garden. Highlights including a gorgeous rendition of "Heart of My Own", the emotionally staggering "Infamous" (which is my absolute favourite of hers), and the soaring "Tall Tall Shadows", one of the best showcases of her powerful vocals.

Basia drew the main set to a close with "Love is at the End of the World", starting soft and then exploding into an extended breakdown, where every band member got the time to shine with their own solo. But as the entire band took a bow and started to leave, they weren’t even off the stage before the crowd was calling Bulat for more.
She returned immediately for a couple of songs on her own, fielding requests for deep cuts like "The Pilgriming Vine" and "Before I Knew", both off her debut album Oh, My Darling. Then finally, the band also returned to ask us one last question: "Are You In Love?"

As is the case with a lot of artists I've seen over the last year, Basia Bulat was very happy to be back on stage; not only telling us how much she missed performing to people (and not a cell phone), but you could see the emotion on her face at various points throughout the night. A feeling that was definitely reciprocated by the crowd.

setlist
It Can't Be You
Fool
Your Girl
If It Rains
Book of Rules [The Heptones cover]
The Garden
Heart of My Own
Already Forgiven
Infamous
Good Advice
Tall Tall Shadow
Love is at the End of the World
[encore]
The Pilgriming Vine
Before I Knew
Are You In Love?

Sam Roberts Band & Basia Bulat @ Vancouver Folk Music Festival -- 07/20/19

This year marked the 42nd annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival, though sadly I was only able to make it for one evening this year. But on the positive side, that evening had the two acts I most wanted to see playing back-to-back!

I arrived Saturday evening and walked the grounds a bit (sad that the stand I get a frozen banana from each year seemed to be missing this time around) before heading to the main stage for Basia Bulat. With flower-adorned mic stands, Basia and her backing band -- which included Vancouver's own Colin Cowan -- started off the set with "La La Lie", the lead off track for her most recent album, Good Advice.
From there, she weaved through a set of folky, chamber-pop songs, jumping from keys to her acoustic guitar. Songs ranged from the soaring "Tall Tall Shadow" to the darker and sombre "Someday Soon", with Bulat a ball of energy on stage, even dancing and twirling around when not on mic.
Aside from her own music, she slipped in a couple covers from Canadian legends, "Moonshot" by Buffy Sainte-Marie, as well as Joni Mitchell's "People's Parties". Other highlights included one of my favourites, the amazing intensity of "Infamous", and "Fool", which ended the set as a beautiful spotlight for her incredible voice as the sun set.

Not long after, Canadian Tuxedos filled the stage as Sam Roberts Band made their entrance. I don't know if it was their "festival set", but they started off hot with "Detroit '67" and from there just played a steady stream of hit after hit, giving a good reminder of both the longevity and musical depth of Sam Roberts.
Classics like "Where Have All The Good People Gone?" and "Hard Road" had the crowd joining in on the chorus, while everyone -- including the usually-seated middle section -- danced to ragers "Fixed To Ruin" and "Them Kids".
After a solid hour, they played right up to the 11pm curfew, capping off the night with the breakthrough hit "Brother Down", turning another giant singalong, which even ended with Sam jumping off the stage and into the photo pit to mingle with the crowd while the band jammed out (I think even slipping in other songs, as I'm positive I heard a bit of "Wicked Game" in there). It was the perfect ending not only to the set, but to the evening of the folk festival.

It's been a few years since I last saw Sam Roberts Band play live, and it was a great reminder why they should, if not already, be considered Canadian Rock Royalty.

Basia Bulat setlist
La La Lie
Time
Good Advice
Five, Four
Heart of My Own
Moonshot [Buffy Sainte-Marie cover]
Someday Soon
In The Name Of
People's Parties [Joni Mitchell cover]
[New song]
Tall Tall Shadow
Infamous
Fool

Sam Roberts Band setlist
Detroit '67
Shapeshifters
Fixed to Ruin
Where Have All The Good People Gone?
Metal Skin
If You Want It
Climb Over Me
Hard Road
Them Kids
Brother Down

Weekly Photo Roundup - March 2, 2016

Last week in raincouver, a few beautiful women fronted some badass bands to break up the dreary week. Hamilton's own Basia Bulat, touring her latest album Good Advice, got Fortune Soundclub packed out to the brim. She took us on a wild ride through her upbeat new music and some stripped down classics, of course breaking out the hammer dulcimer to everyone's delight. 

Rococode played an intimate set to celebrate their release of the long-anticipated full length Don't Worry, It Will Be Dark Soon. It was a short and punchy introduction to what will surely be a long listening relationship with the album.

Photos by Jessica Brodeur

Weekly Photo Roundup - July 22, 2015 ft. Chersea, Skye Wallace, Miss Quincy, Folk Fest, Pemby Fest

Weekly Photo Roundup for the week of July 22, 2015

Two huge festivals in British Columbia and a killer all-female show at the Biltmore - and we've got you covered. From Jericho Beach to Pemberton, BC, these are a few of the photos from this week in music.

Photos by Christine McAvoy & Jessica Brodeur