Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
From singing about putting Dijon ketchup on his Kraft Dinner to offering his take on the racial issues of the world, Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Steven Page has never shied away from exploring any topic in his song writing.
The former Barenaked Ladies front man will be showcasing that wide range of topics when his trio comes to Tamworth’s Abbott Hall on May 11 as part of the Tamworth-Erinsville Community Development Committee Concert Series. Tickets for the show sold out quickly.
Those lucky enough to secure a ticket will see Page joined on stage by Craig Northley and Kevin Fox.
“Greg and I have been working together for a long time, co-writing and co-producing my records,” said Page. “Kevin I’ve been working with since I went solo 10 years ago. So we’re a well-oiled machine. We play everything from the first Barenaked Ladies album all the way up to the latest studio album.”
Released last September, Page’s latest offering is titled Discipline: Heal Thyself Part II and showcases Page’s more serious side. Although those who have followed his career will note that even when he was singing light-hearted songs about Yoko Ono or receiving anonymous postcards with chimpanzees on them, there would be several thought-provoking songs on any given album as well.
“Back then that was something we as BNL used to struggle with, when we’d write songs that were funny and light, but then we would also write songs that were darker and heavier,” said Page. “On the first record (Gordon, released in 1992) there’s a song called ‘The Flag,’ that’s about domestic violence or even a song like ‘Brian Wilson,’ which still has a lot of strength today and people remember the song well, but at the core of it, it’s about depression and the value of music to help people get through the difficult times. That balance between light and dark at that point we didn’t quite know how to present. It was there in the music, but it often got overlooked and that was okay. I’ll always believe people can listen to music for whatever purpose or result they’re looking for. If they want pure entertainment out of it I am always happy to provide that.”
White Noise, the first single from Discipline: Heal Thyself Part II doesn’t mince words, offering Page’s perspective as a Jewish-Canadian living in the U.S., exploring gun laws, deportation and the divide caused by different political views.
Page’s trademark humour and more upbeat songs will also be mixed into the set list he says, promising audiences won’t be ‘bogged down in seriousness.’
With over 30 years in the music business and having penned some of the Canada’s most famous songs, Page says it’s taken a bit of time to adjust to that aspect of his life.
“When you’re young and making music and having success with it, it’s really hard to imagine a time when that may not be,” said Page. “We had so many ups and downs in our career in Barenaked Ladies and myself solo as well, you realize not to take that for granted. If I’m in the grocery store and my songs come on the P.A. I used to get embarrassed, but the fact is these songs do have some legs and a life. You look at the audience and see sometimes three generations of a family out there, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Having played to sold -out arenas around the world, Page says he relishes an intimate setting like the one he’ll play at the Tamworth Legion just as much. He’s always been comfortable playing in venues of all sizes, from that first ground-breaking appearance on Much Music’s Speaker’s Corner to two years ago when he made a pop up performance at the Belleville Via Rail station.
“I realized at the Via Station that it could easily look like ‘oh that’s kind of pathetic,” recalled Page. “I think if you shrink from it you kind of embrace that negative feeling. Instead you look at it as you’re offering the audience something special and something they wouldn’t normally expect and something that is kind of exciting and of interest to them, then it doesn’t feel like that. It feels like that we had a really cool, unique, intimate experience.”
It’s that kind of experience he’ll look to create as his trio tours across Canada next month. Those unable to secure tickets to the Tamworth show can still get tickets to his May 2 show at Peterborough’s Market Hall or his May 8 show at Belleville’s Empire Theatre. For a complete tour list visit www.stevenpage.com.