Early in his February 20th concert, Tom Cochrane touched on how very Canadian it is to tour in the winter, but noted that he is always greeted by a chinook in Calgary. The mild temperatures outside were nothing compared to the wave of adoration for Cochrane inside on his Take It Home tour.
Fans packed the events’ centre at the Grey Eagle Casino which, if you have not been in yet, is an amazing venue with fantastic sound and screens on each side of the stage, so even those at the back could see all the details. I am looking forward to seeing many more shows there.
Cochrane and his band, which included several members of Red Rider, had the near sold-out crowd in the palm of their hands the moment they stepped on stage performing "Boy Inside The Man". Songs from his fantastic new album Take It Home came out early with "Can’t Stay Here" and "Sunday Afternoon Hang" – the latter he referred to as a ‘summer barbecue song’. It was easy to imagine sitting out at the cottage, singing along to the song, and made you long for the summer to arrive. The classics came quickly – "Sinking Like a Sunset" and "Big League" brought back memories to those in the audience that have heard the songs repeatedly played on the radio. Lengthy jam sessions on the guitar and harmonica highlighted several songs, and Cochrane had a grin on his face the entire time.
Cochrane has long been recognized as a stellar songwriter and storyteller, and this shone through during a stripped down acoustic set that included "Avenue A", "Ocean Blues" (Emotion Blue) and "I Wish You Well". "No Regrets" finally brought the audience to its feet to sing and dance along, and the iconic song "Life Is A Highway" wrapped up the main set. The band took turns singing "Victory Day", then "White Hot", and "Lunatic Fringe" kept the high energy going. The band left the stage and Cochrane rapped the evening up with just a piano as accompaniment for "Another Year".
Tom Cochrane turns 62 in May, yet performs with the same youthful energy and stage presence that made him a star in the 1980s. His voice remains strong, and he can still carry 30-year-old songs with ease. Watching him play harmonica and perform is a treat. Cochrane has said that Take It Home may be his final album. Hopefully we get to see him tour for a few more years, as he remains one of Canada’s best.
