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“This is a good time for good people to say good things, a time for strong people to stay strong.”

That was the sentiment that set the tone for an evening with Hawksley Workman at Massey Hall on Friday night. To witness a Hawksley show makes you want to hug a stranger; his uplifting songs and endearing personality put you at ease with your troubles and will leave you with a smile that lasts the weekend.

A guitar virtuoso with a voice that soars like an eagle strapped to a Boeing 747, Workman is far from becoming a rock star cliche. During crowd-pleaser Autumn’s Here, he points out the inspiration behind the lyric “Find a sweater and you’ll be better” - he’s just a “corny guy.”

Immediately afterwards, he invites his father onstage to play drums on Safe and Sound. Dad gets a standing ovation and immediately exits stage right; modesty runs in the family.

Hawksley follows up with the knockout combo of When You Gonna Flower, Jealous of Your Cigarette, and Striptease. Perhaps spent from the sexual innuendo, the PA system abruptly requests a timeout. The unplugged version of Anger As Beauty that follows (while sound techs scramble to recover) is unquestionably the highlight of the evening.

What the set lacked in fan favourites (Tarantulove, Smoke Baby, No Sissies) was made up for with gems from Workman’s latest album Los Manlicious. The new material is a notable return to form for the Ontario native, who spent two previous albums exploring his gentler side.

Openers Hey Rosetta! were no less impressive, their lush alt-rock sounds a fitting match to the headliner. The St. John’s sextet is making waves, thanks in large part to Workman (he produced their album Into Your Lungs) who invited the band onstage for the encore and called them “one of Canada’s greatest.”

Setlist:
Almost A Full Moon
Ilfrocombe
All Of Us Kids
The City Is A Drag / Karma Chameleon / We Built This City
Kissing Girls (You Shouldn’t Kiss)
Is This What You Call Love?
Girls on Crutches
Prettier Face
Autumn’s Here
Safe and Sound
When You Gonna Flower?
Jealous of Your Cigarette / Won’t Get Fooled Again
Striptease
Anger As Beauty
Pomegranate Daffodil
Addicted

Encore:
Your Beauty Must Be Rubbing Off

Posted on Monday, December 1st, 2008 at 5:09 pm by Dan Carruthers and is filed under Concerts & Events.

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