It
was -30 degrees outside on Stephen Avenue on November 19th, but
inside Flames Central The Tea Party had no issues heating up the packed room
for their first Calgary show in six years.
The band – singer/guitarist Jeff Martin, bassist and keyboardist Stuart
Chatwood, and drummer Jeff Burrows – reunited amidst much fanfare and proved
that despite six years apart, they have not missed a step.
Kicking off with the familiar strains of The River off 1993's Splendor
Solis, the band hit it out of the ballpark early with The Bazaar off
of 1995's The Edges of Twilight and Lullaby off of 2001's The
Interzone Mantras. The powerful Psychopomp received a visceral
response and massive sing along as Calgary embraced the return of the band.
The set mixed Tea Party hits like Heaven Coming Down with lesser known
tracks like Correspondences. A cover of Daniel Lanois' The Messenger
began stripped down with just Martin and his guitar before Chatwood and Burrows
joined in.
Martin was chatted up the audience, promising a new Tea Party album in 2011,
and recalling playing Calgary at Edgefest in 1998, headlining with The Foo
Fighters and Green Day. Green Day had set equipment on fire during their set,
which The Tea Party didn't need to do because "The Fire is in the Head." before
playing the song of the same name. Later he commented on rumors that have been
spread about him, "many of them true" but that he would "never, ever, ever lead
you into Temptation" their smash 1997 hit.
All to soon, the staple show closer of Sister Awake came and at just
slightly over 2 hours, the Tea Party's return to Calgary had come to an end. In
interviews all three band members were honest that there was still work to do
internally in mending fences, on stage the band is as tight as ever. There was
no sign of any rust, it is like they had never left and in some cases were
better then ever. Renowned as one of Canada's best live bands, they lived up to
that reputation on November 19th. Judging by the ovation at Flames
Central, Calgary fans who have waited a long time to hear the Tea Party again
are just as happy.
Martin promised this will not be the last time we will see them in concert, and
it is a promise I look forward to them keeping.
Setlist
The River
The Bazaar
Lullaby
Psychopomp
Correspondences
The Messenger
Fire in the Head
Heaven Coming Down
Walking Wounded
Sun Going Down
The Halycon Days
Save Me
Release
Temptation
Sister Awake