Tag: rock

The joyful sound of Dwayne Gretzky

That’s Dwayne, with a D, and not Wayne, the former hockey great we’re no longer so fond of these days. On February 22, we went to see Dwayne Gretzky in concert at Centre in the Square.

It was not based on much in-depth knowledge about this band. I knew they did covers. I had heard a couple of these covers, probably on CBC Radio, and I’d thought they were good. They were supposed to perform with the KW Symphony as part of their (the symphony’s) ultimately doomed 2023–24 season. I’d been left a bit curious about them ever since.

The show was a party.

It was really well attended, and many of the attendees were pretty well lubricated. Jean and I were sober as judges, but were still infected with the mood. Stand or sit? was the question, as it often is at these “soft seat” venues. Sitting was initially winning out… But not for that long! Soon there was a lot of standing… And dancing… And singing along.

The show was a party.

The Dwayne Gretzky band is… large. I think I counted 16 people? Because they cover lots of instruments—horns and strings and stuff, along with the expected guitars, bass, drums, keyboards—and lots of vocal styles. And these vocal stylings are great, some fantastic voices on display. And great instrumentation as well.

This video gives a pretty decent overview of what the band is like

The covers were largely from my era—1980s, with a side of 1970s and 1990s. So, though I’d never seen this band in concert before, I still knew all the songs. This is the key to the fun, if you’re in the right demographic (as most of the audience appeared to be).

This was the playlist (thank you, Setlist.fm):

  1. Owner of a Lonely Heart (Yes cover)
  2. Dreams (The Cranberries cover)
  3. Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen cover)
  4. You Can Call Me Al (Paul Simon cover): The crowd was definitely starting to rise here
  5. We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) (Tina Turner cover): Though we sat back down for this
  6. Rosanna (Toto cover)
  7. Baba O’Riley (The Who cover)
  8. Walking on Broken Glass (Annie Lennox cover): During intermission, had to Google who did this originally. Still recognized it, though.
  9. Maybe I’m Amazed (Paul McCartney cover)
  10. How Will I Know (Whitney Houston cover): They brought out yet another singer, a guest, to handle these Whitney / Abba / Celine tunes
  11. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) (ABBA cover)
  12. Drive (The Cars cover): A new one in their large repertoire, they said
  13. Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen cover): We were, we were dancing in the dark.

Intermission!

  1. 1999 (Prince cover)
  2. Let’s Go Crazy (Prince cover): At some point, they mentioned how much livelier this crowd was then their previous night’s (so suck it, Peterborough, I guess)
  3. 9 to 5 (Dolly Parton cover)
  4. Crazy (Patsy Cline cover): A vocal virtuosity
  5. I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor cover)
  6. Higher Love (Steve Winwood cover)
  7. It’s All Coming Back to Me Now (Céline Dion cover)
  8. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) (The Proclaimers cover): So much dancing and clapping!
  9. Bang the Drum All Day (Todd Rundgren cover): A youngster joined for this on-stage, very cute
  10. Piece of My Heart (Janis Joplin cover): This singer, man! The rasp! Fantastic.
  11. Bobcaygeon (The Tragically Hip cover): Ah, my heart! So good.
  12. Radio Ga Ga ((Queen cover)): Yes, we did the arms.
  13. Under Pressure (Queen & David Bowie cover)

Encore!

  1. Come and Get Your Love (Redbone cover)
  2. With a Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker cover)

So basically, if you need a lift, if you want a high, quick as the speed of light, a Dwayne Gretzky concert might be the ticket. Especially if you’re GenX-y.

Weekend viewing

In preparation for Tuesday’s concert by one of those Queen tribute bands, I re-watched my Queen Live at Wembley DVD, otherwise know as The Last Concert Ever by the Original Four Members of Queen.

Talk about going out on top. This late in their career, it’s just wall-to-wall hits… so many they can’t include them all, since they also want to include some surprises as well. It’s the end of a long tour, so the set is well-honed; they sound fantastic. The massive crowd is adoring and lively.

Most awe-inspiring: The part where Freddie does these solo gymnastics with his voice, teasing around his highest register, demonstrating why he’s the best rock singer ever. Then followed by Brian May pyrotechnics on guitar. Then “Brighton Rock.”

Most fun: When all four members of the band gather at the front of the stage and swing through a medley of early rock classics: “(You’re so Square) Baby I Don’t Care”, “Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)”, “Tutti Frutti”, and “Gimme Some Lovin’”. Then BoRhap.

Most heartwarming: The crowd singalong during “Love of My Life”. I love the British fans—unlike the North Americans, they know all the Queen songs, not just the greatest hits.

Most chilling: Freddie, the only man in the room with an inkling that this might be the band’s last concert ever (he hadn’t yet told his band mates of his HIV-positive status), explaining how rumors of Queen’s breakup are highly exaggerated, and that the band is going to be together “until we fucking well die—I’m sure of it!” Then launching into “Who Wants to Live Forever?”.

And then for something completely different…

Jean and I watched Lisztomania, director Ken Russel’s 1976 or so film, very loosely based on the life of pianist and composer Franz Liszt. Definitely one of the weirdest movies I’ve ever seen. It starts as a kind musical comedy-romance, then gradually becomes this sort of gothic horror movie with vampires and demons, and then there’s kind of a bit with war and Nazis, and finally there’s a space ship. And some singing.

It’s hard to believe this thing was ever made, because it’s not some B movie thing. It’s a high-budget picture with cinematographers and famous people in it. Must have been some really good drugs in the 1970s. And so, while it’s certainly not a good movie, it’s definitely an interesting failure.

Most awe-inspiring: Awe-inspiring? Geez, I don’t know. When Listz sprouts a giant penis for the four ladies to ride? When Richard Wagner sprouts vampire teeth and drinks Listz’s blood? The demon-worshiping scene with all the naked girls and the candles? So many options…

Most fun: The opening scene really is hoot. Liszt and the contessa’s fun romp to the ever-increasing beat of a metronome is rudely interrupted by her sword-bearing husband, leading to duel featuring chandelier-swinging, banana-eating, and a quickly improvised loin cloth made of sheets.

Most heartwarming: Well, the Chaplinesque scene where Liszt thinks back on his romance with the contessa actually is kind of sweet.

Most chilling: You know, when the dead Wagner rises as a zombie Hitler and starts mowing down the Jews—that really is kind of chilling. Especially as it’s intercut with Liszt being tortured, then killed, by his daughter, wielding voodoo pins on a “tiny daddy” doll.