Some nights feel written in the stars. A week shy of my 16th birthday, on 23rd November 1999, was one such night; the first time I saw Barenaked Ladies live at Manchester Apollo. That gig was beyond a birthday gift or just a general formative teenage experience. It was transformative. It’s rare we’re lucky enough to bear witness to such events in life.
Once seen never forgotten, much like the recent solar eclipse. Looking around at the heaving crowd’s ecstatic faces at Manchester Albert Hall was all the proof I needed that another such night was in our orbit. And, let me tell you, not even The Sun and Moon combined can rock like the Barenaked Ladies.
Support act Scottish solo artist Callum Beattie opened the show with a likeable style that comfortably lands somewhere between the satisfyingly gravelly tone of Kelly Jones from Stereophonics and lilting melodies akin to Travis in their heyday. He served up a selection of tracks including ‘Heart Stops Beating’, ‘Vandals’ and ‘Home Free’ plus a fun cover of ABBA’s ‘Waterloo’ to commemorate 50 years since their Eurovision win.
The anticipation was electric as Barenaked Ladies (BNL) took to the stage, kicking off with crowd-favourite ‘The Old Apartment’ before launching into a packed set list that showcased fresh tracks from latest album ‘In Flight’ such as ‘Too Old’, ‘Dream Hotel’, ‘Just Wait’ and ‘What Do We Need?’ interspersed with guaranteed crowd-pleasers including ‘If I Had A Million Dollars’, ‘Blame It On Me’, ‘Crazy’, ‘Brian Wilson’, ‘Pinch Me’ and ‘Odds Are’.
Multi-talented four-strong ensemble Ed Robertson (guitar, lead vocals), Kevin Hearn (keyboard/guitar/vocals), Jim Creeggan (bass/vocals) and Tyler Stewart (drummer/vocals) comprise the Barenaked Ladies. Their tongue-in-cheek band name still delights me every time it raises quizzical eyebrows whenever I utter it to the unenlightened that wander this earth.
For any such readers out there, Barenaked Ladies are perhaps best known for their smash hit ‘One Week’, a 90s-defining chart-topping banger that is now 25 years old (Millennials, please insert melting face emoji). Also, in 2007, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ bagged the catchiest theme tune in the history of modern sitcom (OK, give or take Friends’ little known track ‘I’ll Be There For You’).
But Barenaked Ladies’ multi-platinum selling career spans four decades so they are far from the ‘one hit wonders’ some seem to have filed them under in the recesses of their minds. I invite anyone unfamiliar to delve deeper into their back catalogue. 18 stellar albums! A literal gold mine of songs that hit on either a deeply human or deeply silly level.
Consistently, you’ll find signature wry wit married with thought-provoking lyrics. Their songs often simultaneously manage to sucker punch you with a hefty dose of realism and leave you feeling uplifted, buoyed by their infectious positivity and penchant for whimsy.
Put simply, Barenaked Ladies don’t deal in bullshit. Since the late 80s they have been honest, humble and humorous in their approach to making music and fans adore them for it. There’s a line in their almost impossibly upbeat song ‘Lookin’ Up’ (from album ‘Fake Nudes’) that resonates: “Every song I’ve ever known, carried in my bones”. I could write a separate essay on Robertson’s lyrical talents alone, but they always have the power to summarise familiar, relatable feelings most of us cannot hope to convey so succinctly. Barenaked fans hold such songs closer than merely dear to their hearts, these tunes have seeped into their very being. It’s why their loyal audiences come back time and time again to see their favourite Canadians play live.
In Flight, the 2024 tour’s titular album, shines with a mature ‘couldn’t give a f**k’ attitude, never loses grasp of their trademark comical worldview and oozes with a gratitude for life. This might go some way to explain why last night’s gig appeared to have elevated the band’s connection with the crowd beyond the norm, leaving the audience especially elated. Perhaps it’s also owing to the fact this tour is BNL’s first properly post-Covid return to the stage (back in 2022, Kevin and Jim were stricken with the virus and missed some tour dates) but Ed and Tyler refused to cancel Manchester gig, instead performing “half naked” (putting their typically cheerful spin on the situation). Last night, the foursome reflected joyfully on the special moment that the Manchester crowd sang an attempt at Jim’s bass solo during iconic track ‘Brian Wilson’.
And, as a special treat to the Manchester crowd, the encore included ‘It’s All Been Done’. Ed closed the popular number with the words “It’s all been done before… but not like this Manchester. Not like this! Thank you for an incredible night… This is a show we will not forget.”
Closing the gig with new all-time favourite track ‘Lovin’ Life’ the crowd were up on their feet, clapping and champing at the bit for more. Sadly, all good things come to an end but the buoyant feeling in the room gives some insight into why, when I spoke to numerous fans post-gig, I learnt some have been to dozens and dozens of gigs across multiple tours (including one particularly incredible fan, Barbara from Switzerland who has been to 129 BNL gigs to date!). The loyalty speaks to the enduring popularity of this inimitable band, and the generosity of time and talent the band share with their fans.
I managed to grab Ed Robertson after the gig (as you do) and, as it was clear he, Kevin, Jim and Tyler had been visibly moved by the Manchester crowd’s response, I asked him to sum up the gig. He enthusiastically told me that there were only two words I needed to describe the show: “F**KING AWESOME!” As always, Ed, I really couldn’t have put it better myself…
Barenaked Ladies receive a 5 star 🌟 rating!!!
There are just a handful of opportunities left to catch Barenaked Ladies’ 2024 UK tour In Flight – Glasgow tonight, York on Sunday and Edinburgh this Monday.
BNL return to their native Canada with a host of dates planned across the pond. For more information visit www.barenakedladies.com
Set list:
The Old Apartment
Too Old
Adlib (ends with chorus of Shake it Off)
Gonna Walk
Just Wait
Four Seconds
Pinch Me
The Dream Hotel
Odds Are
Lookin’ Up
What Do We Need?
Blame It On Me
Crazy
Keepin’ It Real
Brian Wilson
The Big Bang Theory Theme
Bass Solo
One Week
If I Had $1000000
Vampire / Flowers / As it was / Take On Me / Climb Ev’ry Mountain / So Long, Farewell
Rock of Ages
(Def Leppard cover)
Blister in the Sun
(Violent Femmes cover)
Encore:
It’s All Been Done
Lovin’ Life