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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe |
February 12 2013 – Rival Sons are a band that regular readers of T-Mak World ought to be very aware of. The band’s latest album entitled Head Down claimed our number 5 spot on The Top 10 Albums of 2012, and their latest tour stop at Toronto’s Lee Palace this coming Friday February 15th was named as one of our Must See Gigs of 2013. That show is sold out now as expected so you either got tickets and will have a musical experience of a lifetime or you can drop your chin down in shame.
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Robin Everhart and Jay Buchanan |
My two favorite bands of all time have been Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, and for many years I have been searching for new bands that would carry on the musical spirit of those two. My Morning Jacket has become my new Pink Floyd as of a few years now, and finally I have a new Led Zeppelin in Rival Sons. By “new” I simply mean bands in the last decade or two that are active and producing incredible music that have the potential of approaching the eternal appeal of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. Of course these newer bands are in a much tougher musical landscape littered with the mass commercialism of reality TV shows and “musicians” whose biggest talents are their looks and dance moves. However, the time is right for rock to make a commercial and mainstream comeback as evidenced by the recent success of the Foo Fighters and The Black Keys.
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe |
Well we can do social media and we can do cameras!
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – The Stage |
The buzz in the rock industry over Rival Sons is phenomenal, they have been called “the saviours of American (classic) rock”, and in Jimmy Page‘s Rolling Stone Magazine interview a couple of months ago he was praising the band. Artistically there is no doubt they are incredible (truly that’s an understatement) but more importantly they seem to be the media’s darlings as well as the music industry’s next big thing. All indications are pointing clearly to the fact that Rival Sons will be selling out arenas very soon, and will be the next big thing in rock in the vein of the previously mentioned Foo Fighters and Black Keys. Hype aside they are damn good musically (if you are unfamiliar just go to YouTube right now and search for Manifest Destiny Part 1 and listen) so having the opportunity to see them at an intimate and interactive show was an unexpected bonus for us.
Rival Sons are composed of Jay Buchanan on vocals, Scott Holiday on guitar, Robin Everhart on bass and Michael Miley on drums. They are from Los Angeles but their recent musical success is much greater in Europe and Canada – where they now enjoy the number 1 rock song in the country for the third straight week. Obviously Europeans and Canadians have better musical taste than our neighbors down south ;-)
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Robin Everhart and Jay Buchanan |
About 200 people were able to get into upstairs Hard Rock and although there was a lineup to get in, things went pretty much according to schedule. The band was introduced and we were told they would perform three acoustic songs with some Q&A in between. It was really no surprise that they kicked it off with Canada’s current #1 rock song – Keep On Swinging. Singer Jay Buchanan was really into the intimate part of the performance as he performed with no shoes and no socks, but within 3 seconds of hearing his voice everyone in attendance was mesmerized. Part Jim Morrison of The Doors, and part Chris Robinson from The Black Crowes, this is all Jay Buchanan of Rival Sons.
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Michael Miley and Scott Holiday |
The first question involved Buchanan recounting how he joined the band as their new singer – a gig that his roommate and buddy had initially wanted. The second question involved Jimmy Page who went to see Rival Sons recently in London – “I like Jimmy Page” states Scott Holiday as he recounts the Page experience. Buchanan adds that it didn’t really register, “he was just a guy, he was old, he was gray” at the time of the meeting and it was something to file away to attempt to process later on.
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Robin Everhart |
Buchanan introduces the second song as a song that he dedicates to his son at home, who he clearly misses while on the road. Face of Light from the Pressure & Time is played with Holiday and Buchanan kicking it off and Everhart on bass and Miley on drums joining in. Very emotional and powerful song.
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Robin Everhart and Jay Buchanan |
The next question involved “20 days” – which Buchanan explains that’s how long it took them to write and record Head Down. They basically locked themselves up in the studio and wrote and recorded one of the greatest rock albums of the last decade. Truly incredible.
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Scott Holiday |
Next question – how did the band get its name. Holiday jumps in with a very funny story about climbing a mountain to meet a very wise old man who told him to “save fucking rock and roll” and presented him a scroll with two words on it ….”Timmy Hortons”. The Canadiana reference brought cheers from the audience. If you are reading this story and not from Canada, just move on ;-)
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Robin Everhart and Jay Buchanan |
The last song is one of the best songs from Head Down and one that Buchanan dedicates to his sister in Calgary. Jordan is played and everyone in the room is hypnotized with the sweet melody of the song. As the band gets up to leave they decide right then and there that they want to do one more song and get back in place to rock out an acoustic Burn Down Los Angeles. Exit Stage Left.
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Michael Miley and Scott Holiday |
Verdict: An experience of a lifetime and truly a magical one. The emotional connection that the four guys from Rival Sons delivered to the lucky ones in attendance was euphoric. Thank you very much to 94.9 for putting this show on, and thank you to Rival Sons for making rock that sounds the way it is supposed to sound.
The full video of the event can be viewed here and we have a ton more pictures here.
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| 94.9 Presents Rival Sons at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe – Michael Miley and Scott Holiday |
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All your comments are dead on. They are really great and if we the fans support them. They will be the LZ of their generation. They will be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame someday.
I know exactly how the the reviewer feels.
I saw Rival Sons last January at Cherry Cola's Rock a Rolla Cabaret and Lounge which is a VERY small club on Bathurst St. I knew that night I was watching a band that could possibly revive classic rock, the show was absolutely incredible. Jay Buchanan is a remarkable singer and his vocals are complimented by an excellent band. I can't wait to see them tonight!!
I just discovered this fantastic band on YouTube about a month ago and stop listening I ‘m in a loop. I can’t believe there is a band this good today everything about them is great their depth of song writing their playing and way they mix old rockabilly styles with heavy blues rock and vocals off the charts. Not Led Zepplin but I’d bet LZ would take their hats off to them!!