What: The Glorious Sons with Black Pistol Fire
Where: Royal Theatre
When: Friday
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Guitar-heavy, radio-friendly rock ’n’ roll — the brand you only see in fits and starts in 2020 — filled the Royal Theatre to capacity with a boisterous crowd on Friday, the ideal spot on the calendar for a party with a group like the Glorious Sons.
The six-piece hit maximum overdrive with a big band/small swagger that was created by the somewhat unusual theatre booking; the Kingston, Ont. crew played the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre during their last Victoria appearance, and this show had been sold out for weeks in advance. Big sound system/room busting at the seams was the result, which suited those with ear plugs just fine but probably left some of the 1,400 bodies up front a little worse for the wear.
It was all in good fun. The Juno Award winners, one of Canada’s biggest rock bands at the moment, don’t take themselves too seriously, and are enjoying a breakout run that has made them loose.
The run of success began in 2018 and continued last year with the arrival of another hit album, A War On Everything, which established the band on both sides of the border. The winning streak has continued into 2020: The Glorious Sons came to Victoria after a string of shows that included strong showings in New York and Los Angeles, and an album release show in their hometown that drew 14,000 fans.
What did they deliver in Victoria? A spirited, professional set with no shortage of hits, including two impressive acoustic sing-alongs (Gordie and One Church Town) and a show-opening right hook that was S.O.S., which spent 64 weeks on the rock radio charts in Canada. No shame in any of that game whatsoever.
The night was opened by Toronto-bred, Texas-based Black Pistol Fire, a torrential two-piece that provided a heavy dose of bluesy fuzz.
The group (drummer Eric Owen and singer-guitarist Kevin McKeown) have played several buzzed-about shows on Vancouver Island in the past, last year’s Laketown Rock being a particular highlight, and their set played to their strengths. Covers of Childish Gambino and the Tragically Hip kept things interesting, and McKeown’s multiple ventures from the stage into the audience were crowd pleasing highlights. An excellent opening set that made this more of a double-bill than some would have expected.
The Glorious Sons (who were led by a star-in-waiting, singer Brett Emmons) had the benefit of bigger sound and production, which they put to good use on My Poor Heart near the close of their set. Though young, this is a band growing in confidence and industry clout. They know where they’ve been and seem sure of where they are headed. Their show in Victoria was one of several in recent months that will ensure they get there with their conscience intact.
So far so good.
