Jesse Rivest's Blog

I had the great fortune of seeing Xavier Rudd perform, with Jeremy Fisher opening, in Banff on Friday and in Calgary on Saturday. I am so very grateful to Kerri, Ming, and Andrea for providing me these opportunities! I am still very charged from this weekend, in fact it's a bit depressing now that it is over.

[All photos are courtesy of Kyle the Kiwi. They are from the Saturday show at Mac Hall in Calgary. Also, Kyle does a mean Haka.]



At this time I wish that I was a more profound writer - I know that my words here cannot possibly convey what I felt this past weekend. I am passionate about Xavier Rudd's music and messages, and these two shows far surpassed my expectations. Where do I begin?

Ming and Andrea brought me to the Banff show on Friday night. Andrea's parents have a very accomodating condominium in Canmore, where we spent the night. We had a big breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon and strawberries for breakfast, then went for a walk along the Bow River before returning to Calgary. Then Kerri, Tara, Kyle, Heather and I danced it up for Xavier at Mac Hall on Sat night!

Jeremy Fisher warmed the crowd at the Eric Harvie Theatre; wow is he great at this! He writes great songs, has a great voice, and a great sense of humor. At one point he asked the stage crew to find his mobile phone in his jacket pocket, backstage. He then called up a friend who wanted to hear High School, and talked with her casually for a bit while we waited (which was hilarious as he had just finished discussing how people have conversations on their phones in ridiculous places and situations), then gave his phone to a front-row audience member (with his friend on the line) while he performed the song! Jeremy also got the audience to sing an outro chorus on a great new song (can't recall the name), and finished his set with Fall for Anything, which I feel compelled to cover in the near future.

I traded my CD (Seventeen Oh-Two Oh-Six) for Jeremy's Back Porch Spirituals, which I've listened to twice now - it's great! It holds a lot of great guitar and song style. He's super cool to meet, so don't be a stranger if you go see one of his shows! Now, on to Xavier...

I don't know what to say about Xavier. Have you heard his recorded music? I love his style, his words, his messages, his spirit, his energy, all from simply hearing his recorded music over the past two years. His live show made my eyes leak - good tears, though, for happiness and for being in a wonderful moment. His voice was strong and clear. The sound system, from his stage mics to the PA system, were strong and crystal clear. His guitar playing was wicked. His rhythm was tribal, from his foot stomping to his amazingly percussive didj playing. Everything was beautiful.






Before playing, Xavier introduced an Australian Aboriginal friend, whose name I could not capture with my mind. This fellow was dressed in only a loin cloth. His black beard was as long, thick and curly as his hair, and he was caked in white mud. He introduced the didjeridu to the audience and explained how he made some common sounds. It was wicked!

Xavier dances while playing percussive instrumental pieces, it is so cool to watch. Both his feet are stomping rhythms, his arms are drumming the bells, cymbals, and drums that he surrounds himself with, and his eyes are glazed forward while he blows amazing beats and sounds through a didj. During all of this, his shoulders are dancing with his arms - if he wasn't seated he'd dance right into the crowd, if only the instruments could continue without him! His rhythms are so tribal and infectious. All the theatre seats were empty for most of his show, we all had to stand, and only the stillest of rock-like people were not moving with him.





If Xavier Rudd is performing somewhere near you, you MUST GO SEE HIM. It's an unforgettable experience. His Canadian fanbase has multiplied a ridiculous factor in the past year or two - his live show is getting very big (1000+ attendance). I couldn't see him in Australia, but I imagine his largest fan base is there... although I lived in some rural Aussie towns where people hadn't yet heard of him.






I'm hesitant to provide you with this link; although it is similar to the shows I saw this weekend, it simply fails to capture what I saw and felt at his shows. I guess that's how it often is between live and recorded music. However, you can go here to listen; Chant was one of my favorite moments in the shows. He also played a new song, the Land Rights Song, that I hope to hear again.




I can recommend this link to an older show, the recording quality is excellent and so is the energy. I love all of his recorded studio albums, Food in the Belly has really grown on me over the past four months, while Solace is my old favorite.

Remember, a great way to give an artist your support is to buy their merchandise at their live shows. If you've had a wonderful experience, if you loved the music and the performance, if you feel charged, and you are thinking about buying a CD, a shirt, or a DVD... do it! Don't put it off and buy it from a store some other time. The artist receives more money when you purchase from them directly. It's economically similar to shopping at a farmer's market!

At the Calgary show, Xavier was introduced by some Canadian Aboriginal leaders.





It will be a while before I see Kyle the Kiwi and Tara again, they are great people, they have been wonderful friends, and I will miss them!




[All photos are courtesy of Kyle the Kiwi. They are from the Saturday show at Mac Hall in Calgary. Also, Kyle does a mean Haka.]

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