Reviewed May 28, 2008
Sam Roberts Love At The End Of the World Cd Release Party
by Ron Hollywood

photo credit Ron Hollywood

May 27th 2008
Cabaret Just Pour Rire
Montreal, Qc

Sam Roberts – lead vocals / guitar
Dave Nugent – lead guitar
Eric Fares – keyboard, guitar
James Hall – bass
Josh Trager – drums

Imagine your friend from the West Island invites you to a get together to hear some songs he’s recorded. Well that’s exactly what we got last night at the sold-out Cd release party for Sam Robert’s Love At The End Of The World. The only thing is that this turned out to be a loud, raucous kick-ass house party. Things began with Sam Roberts and band playing Love At The End Of The World in it’s chronological entirety. This is what all Cd launch parties should be. Not just some Cd being played but the actual artist there to perform it and that’s made this night so special.

Sam and his four member band seemed pretty hyped to play all this newer material. And they played it to it’s fullest. That’s what really made this show move was the excellent musicianship of the band. Guitarist Dave Nugent is a perfect sideman for Sam in every aspect from his playing to stage presence. You’ve got the rhythm section of bassist James Hall and drummer Josh Trager resembling The Who’s John Entwistle and Keith Moon in both look and playing. In fact I am going to go as far as to say I don’t think I’ve seen any drummer look and play as much like Keith Moon as Josh Trager. Eric Fares, mostly on keyboards, with some harmonica, tambourine and guitar is the musical backdrop for the band. And of course there’s Sam the man leading them all perfectly as he switched guitars all night long.

Not only was Montreal treated to this new album in it’s entirety but Sam brought out a special female guest vocalist for two songs the excellent Words & Fire and Sundance. It was also neat to hear so may people singing along to new songs like Lions Of Kalahari and Up Sister. As on the album the only song that really doesn’t work ‘live’ and should be removed from the setlist as the real tour commences is the overly long and boring Waking The Dead.

Sam came out for a 6 song encore or more like a second half with older material. I have to give him credit for his setlist which could be truly appreciated by die-hard fans since some big hits were missing (The Gate and Where have All The Good People Gone) and he went for more obscure songs. We knew things were kicking when Sam’s guitar string broke and he never let up the rocking vibe. Sam walked around with the microphone on Brother Down and got a very responsive audience singalong.

The show ended with an extensive 70’s psychedelic guitar trip on Mind Flood from Chemical City. One word to describe this song and how it was played last night: Epic. That one song’s performance was worth the price of admission.

I and many others are looking forward to Sam Robert’s band when they return to do a full proper show and we can only assume things will get even better and there was nothing really wrong with last night at all.

setlist
Love At The End Of the World
Stripmall Religion
Oh Maria
Lions Of The Kalahari
Fixed To Ruin
Them Kids
Words & Fire
Sundance
Up Sister
End Of the Empire
The Pilgrim
Waking The Dead
Detroit 67

encore
Hard Road
Dead End
Brother Down
With A Bullet
Bridge To Nowhere
Mind Flood

Check out this clip of Brother Down from the show itself.

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Previously: Melanie C This Time Tour May 4th 2008
Next: Paul McCartney 400th anniversary of Quebec City

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