The 1990s were marked by significant musical trends, and while the birth of grunge may get most of the headlines, here in Canada, the decade was marked by what became the golden age of alt-rock. The argument that this era stands out is consistently reinforced with the sheer number of artists of that era, including Our Lady Peace, Moist, and the Headstones, that continues to fill the lineups of major Canadian festivals including our very own Bluesfest and CityFolk. And if there are any doubts of the level of interest that continues to fill venues for these bands, look no further than the next few days at the Bronson Centre.
The Tea Party at Bluesfest 2022. Photo by Landon Entwistle/Apt613.
Back in 2019, the Tea Party brought their Black River tour to town, playing Algonquin Commons Theatre to a sold-out crowd. Ticket demand was so high, a second date was added a few weeks later, which also sold out. Given the Black River EP of 2019 turned into the Blood Moon Rising album in 2021 with the addition of the Sunshower EP, the Canadian rock royalty will have even more material to add to their set. At the time, drummer Jeff Burrows vouched: “I’m not an arrogant guy, or a chest-beater by any means, but one thing I’m very confident in is our ability to put on a pretty amazing show for three guys from Windsor who’ve been fortunate enough to do this for thirty years.” Those shows were a testament to that fact, with the trio putting on a blistering set of hits including radio mainstays “Temptation” and “Heaven Coming Down,” as well as new material that hadn’t been released yet. With two more years since their last release, fans can hope to potentially be surprised with new material yet again.
Joining them on this tour are era-mates I Mother Earth, who also have enjoyed their share of demand for shows in the city. While they also made a stop at Algonquin Commons in 2019, their last appearance in Ottawa was last year’s All Four, Once tour. That show at Bronson featured both lead singers, founding member Edwin, and his replacement when he went solo in 1997, Brian Byrne, who featured on the band’s last two albums. With Edwin firmly back in the fold, IME continues to put on one of the best rock shows to be seen. While their early albums already stood out for their levels of complexity, the years of experience has made them even more polished, while still able to meander in their sets through their more expansive songs like “Summertime In The Void” and “So Gently We Go”.
Photo: Landon Entwistle/Apt613.
When we caught up with Chris Tanna before that 2019 show, the drummer foreshadowed what ended up being their current tour: “I was talking to Jeff Martin from the Tea Party last week or something like that. Some of these [’90s Canadian rock] bands stuck around or some just went quiet for a little while, but they’re all still out there, and are still really good, without really slowing down.” And while the band released a few singles in 2015, fans have been waiting for new material since then. That said, with the band writing together again and heading into the studio, we can keep our fingers crossed for new music soon.
This week’s double bill featuring two mainstays of that era was met with clearly unexpected demand. The first date, Saturday’s show, sold out in the blink of an eye, prompting the addition of a second show, a few days earlier on Wednesday. Given what happened with the last Tea Party tour, that might not have been unexpected. But that second show ALSO sold out impressively quick, so yet another show was added on Tuesday. Filling the Bronson Centre three times over might not rival the crowds from their Edgefest era heyday, but it certainly proves that many of us who were there during that time are still around, and with how timeless their music has proven to be as the fanbase has continued to grow.
The Tea Party and I Mother Earth play The Bronson Centre on October 17, 18, and 21. A few tickets were released for each show but are extremely limited.
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