The Tea Party, Headstones & Finger Eleven Rock Montreal’s MTelus [Photos]

The history of Canadian rock music is filled with memorable characters. Top of the list would probably be the great Gord Downie. The singer of The Tragically Hip sadly passed eight years ago now. Everyone felt his spirit last week. The MTelus in Montreal hosted a trio of Canadian bands, all of whom paid tribute to the late singer at one point.

Speaking of great Canadian musical characters, near the top of the list resides ‘The Captain.’ That is the nickname of the very mystical Jeff Martin. He guided the good ship Tea Party into town to headline the show. Along with his trusted first mates, Stuart Chatwood and Jeff Burrows, they sold out the building. With Finger Eleven and Headstones also on the bill, the fans were lined up early.

The evening got off to a rocking start as Finger Eleven hit that stage. I was glad to see them live as they had fallen off my radar. This live performance served as a great reminder of how much they rock and of all the great songs in their catalogue. The band opened with “Above” before transitioning into “Adrenaline,” the first song from their most recent album. The diehards were already singing along, even though Last Night On Earth was released only a month ago.

“One Thing” brought out the cell phone lights as well as a few lighters from a time gone by. The one-two punch of “Good Times” and “Paralyzer,” complete with a “Back In Black” middle interlude, had the whole crowd going crazy. They had a mission to get a crowd going. Mission accomplished.

Up next were veteran Canadian punk rockers, Headstones. Singer Hugh Dillon hit the stage with his middle finger cocked, locked, and ready to rock. The band opened with “Tweeter And The Monkey Man.” The classic Travelling Wilburys track never sounded more aggressive. Dillon made his first trip into the crowd during “Leave It All Behind.” By the end of the set, he had made a return visit among the sweaty masses, who loved every moment of it.

Several times, Dillion made mention of Gord Downie and The Hip. The Headstones worked two of their songs, “Blow at High Dough” and “New Orleans Is Sinking,” into a couple of mid-set medleys. The tall gentleman who was wearing a Hip hockey jersey to the show especially enjoyed this. The Headstones finished with their classic track “Smile And Wave,” with a little bit of “Eve of Destruction” thrown in for good measure. After this high-energy performance, the crowd welcomed the stage change break.

Our headliners arrived to a massive Montreal roar. The Tea Party have been huge here since the very beginning. As a matter of fact, “The Captain” is pretty much an honorary citizen of the city by now. His loyal fans lined the front of the barrier, erupted into a deafening roar as the band opened with “Writing’s On The Wall.” Afterwards, this was followed by the Middle Eastern sounds of “The Bazaar” before “Psychopomp” unleashed some wild guitar solos on the crowd.

The Gord Downie love continued as The Tea Party paid homage to the late singer and worked some of “Bobcaygeon” into a medley with “The Messenger.” The cell phone lights and lighters returned for “Heaven Coming Down.” When followed by “Temptation,” the volume and energy immediately went past ten. “Sister Awake,” with a little “Painted Black” thrown in to the mix, brought the evening to an unquestionably loud and unforgettable end.

There is no such thing as a bad Tea Party show. It just isn’t a possibility. Their incredible music is just as great today as it was back in the 1990s. In the long run, they will continue to be great. Couple with Finger Eleven and Headstones makes this a show you do not want to miss.