Steven Page, Live, Collins Center for the Arts, University of Maine, Orono, ME, April 17, 2025
Last week I got the chance to see Steven Page (formerly of Barenaked Ladies) perform at the Collins Center for the Arts in Orono, Maine. It was a great show. Steven performed with his trio, with Craig Northey (The Odds) on guitar and backing vocals, and Kevin Fox on cello and backing vocals. Although cello may seem like an odd instrument for a pop-rock group, it actually was quite a nice touch, as it was able to fill in the bass parts as well as provide backing strings and flowing counterpoint lines, really filling out the sound for a trio. Steven was in fine voice and the show was a great mix of classic Barenaked Ladies songs and selections from Steven's stellar solo work. As would be expected from Steven, there was also much humor and banter among the performers (who have been friends and performing together for many years), providing a very entertaining evening. The show lasted nearly 2 hours with 19 songs (and between song banter). The setlist (detailed below) provided something for everyone, with the beginning and end of the show dominated by Barenaked Ladies favorites, and the middle highlighting some excellent songs from his albums Page One (2010), Heal Thyself Part I: Instinct (2016), Discipline: Heal Thyself Part II (2018), and his most recent, Excelsior (2022), which is a wonderful underappreciated album (the album was released in a small Canadian label and didn't get much attention, but is a great album that deserves to be sought out), and the three songs from Excelsior played here (Golden Age of Doubling Down, Something About Me, and How Much is Enough?) exemplify the strength of the album. I recorded just a few songs from the show to post here (and on Youtube), with the first being The Golden Age of Doubling Down, a delightful, insightful, and applicable song for our times.
The Golden Age of Doubling Down
Steven closed the main part of the show with the BNL classic Brian Wilson.
The encore consisted of Enid and Call and Answer, with Steven starting out on piano.
Call and Answer
All in all a wonderful show that highlighted Steven's excellent songwriting skills, feel for great pop melodies and song structure, and vocal prowess throughout his career, and the performance by the trio provided the perfect accompaniment to the songs. And the Collins Center was a great venue to see this act, with its smaller size and more intimate setting, and great acoustics, providing a wonderful experience. Steven also gave a short interview session prior to the concert, where he talked about his music, upbringing, and experiences over the years. A great time.
Setlist: Steven Page, 2025-04-17, Collins Center for the Arts, Orono, ME
1. It's All Been Done (BNL)
2. A New Shore
3. Jane (BNL)
4. Alternative Girlfriend (BNL)
5. The Golden Age of Doubling Down (N)
6. What a Good Boy (BNL)
7. Gravity
8. The Feelgood Strum
9. Linda Ronstadt in the 70s/Someone Who's Cool (Craig)
10. Something About Me
11. No Song Left to Save Me
12. Where Do You Stand?
13. Tonight Is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel (BNL)
14. How Much Is Enough?
15. Bull in a China Shop (BNL)
16. The Old Apartment (BNL)
17. Brian Wilson (BNL)
Encores:
18. Enid (BNL)
19. Call and Answer (BNL)
1 comment:
Thanks for this great post.
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