On Thursday night my buddies Hurl, Buzzard and I made our way to the Mercury Room here in Edmonton to catch Victoria roots rocker Leeroy Stagger who is now based out of Lethbridge, Alberta in concert. This was my ninth time seeing Leeroy Stagger in concert and my first time seeing a show at the new live venue Mercury Room, which is a great place to see a show by the way. Sadly we missed opener Calgary musician Mariel Buckley.
What surprised me about this show when I got to the venue was how few people were in attendance, I would guess maybe forty people. Which is very disappointing considering how good Leeroy is live and also that the last time he played here which was at the Artery and was to a full house. Why Leeroy can't draw a decent crowd here is beyond me. He just can't catch a break here in Edmonton. Having said that, it sure doesn't stop Leeroy and his band from putting on a stellar show as he did once again on this evening.
Leeroy is out on tour this summer touring across Canada in support of his tenth studio album Dreaming It All Away which is an awesome album, and the new songs sound even better in a live setting. His new album is available through itunes, his bandcamp page and of course at his shows. I highly recommend picking it up.
Leeroy and his excellent back up band played an hour and a half playing lots of new stuff, opening with two new songs Dream and Happy Too, he didn't forget his back catalog though either playing such songs as I Believe In Love from his album Little Victories as well as Stormy and a song that makes me tear up called Brothers from the Everything Is Real album and a couple from his Radiant Land album including the title song and a rocking version of Dirty Windshields. he also dug deep to a couple of older songs from his album Depression River again the title song and a tune called Saskatoon also from that album. Other new songs he did were Something Beautiful which has been getting a lot of airplay on CKUA radio in which his album is at the number one spot right now, as well as Living In America in which opener Mariel Buckley did back up vocals, the song New Music Biz Blues which has a real Bob Dylan sound to it, and another rocker called Angry Young Man. When Leeroy and his band get rocking it reminds me off Neil Young & Crazy Horse at times, great stuff. Leeroy also did a couple of covers on this night, doing a version of the Mavis Staples song You're Not Alone and Heart Of Gold by Neil Young.
Speaking of the Neil song, this song is available from Leeroy by purchasing one of his tour posters which are available at his shows, on the back of the said poster is a download code to get his Dream It All Away Tour EP which is an album of eight cover songs, well worth checking out. I won't ruin the surprise of what he covers, but this something you really need to get.
All and all this was am amazing show to a small but appreciative audience. Good times!!!
Leeroy Stagger at the Mercury Room.
Poster that comes with download code for the Dreaming It All Away Tour EP.
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