Review By Kevin Barrie:
While many great acts, especially Canadian ones, have made their way to the Sanderson Centre in Brantford, not many have played as hard or as powerfully – as LOUDLY – as The Tea Party. The Sanderson Centre is considered one of the best-sounding venues acoustically in Canada, and often features performances of musicals, symphonies, and concert bands. Perhaps not the most obvious choice of venue for a band like the Tea Party, but they are a band whose power does not overwhelm their production values, nor does it mask their precision, both of which were in evidence on Friday, February the 17th.
If anything, the fans seemed hesitant to remain standing and “rock out” in such a sophisticated and well-manicured theatre – Lead singer Jeff Martin firmly (but politely) told the crowd to stand up and sing along at multiple points during the show. But there was no question as to their enjoyment of the show, as the band received multiple standing ovations, and the theatre was over 75% sold-out.
This show, one of many stops in Ontario for the three-piece band, was part of a tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Tea Party’s Transmission album, their third album (or fourth, if their limited-edition demo is included). It was released in 1997, and continued their experimentation with world music influences, but added more electronic elements (e.g. loops, and samples). The band performed the album live in its entirety, but with songs performed in a different sequence. The song Temptation, the single that opens the actual album itself, was used as a closer. Some of the songs from the album had never been played live by the band before.
After a twenty-minute intermission, the band returned to play a few more numbers, including fan favourites such as The Bazaar and Save Me, as well as their most well-known song, the hit single Heaven Coming Down. The tour continues with stops throughout Ontario, the United States, and ends with performances in Australia, that will feature the Sydney Youth Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
All photos by Paul Barrie
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