Our Lady Peace, the astonishingly popular Canadian juggernaut, tore into an unhinged crowd of 9,000 at the Canadian Airlines Saddledome last night after a rollicking opening set by California's Everclear.
Iconic Our Lady Peace singer Raine Maida's glam-tinged voice captivated the frighteningly enthusiastic young crowd from opening power chord to last.
The band should now be considered one of the flag-bearers of grunge after the demises of Nirvana and Soundgarden, but their take on the Seattle sound is a more populist one, with a sense of community among listeners lacking from most late-'90s rock shows.
The opening notes of Naveed elicited a reaction from the crowd unlike any in recent memory, and the ensuing performance was tremendously emotional.
Through a catalogue of hits ranging from Starseed to Superman's Dead, Our Lady Peace put on a show that probably worked better in expanse of a stadium than in the confines of a small club.
Maida was masterful at handling the large crowd, at times climbing in among them to sing.
Everclear also impressed beyond expectations.
Frontman Art Alexakis delivered a raw assault worthy of the furious Elvis Costello performances of the late '70s.
And somewhere amid the performance was a hint Alexakis had a vision that might save him from becoming the latest casualty in a line of overly sincere white male rockers infecting North America since Kurt Cobain's death.
By Ryan DeGama - The Calgary Sun
