Steven Page - 2025-04-17 - Orono, ME - Concert review

 

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.

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)

Steven Page - vocals, acoustic guitar, piano

Craig Northey - electric guitar, backing vocals 

Kevin Fox - cello, backing vocals 

Steven Page - 2011-08-27 - Lowell, MA

Steven Page
2011-08-27
Lowell, MA
Audience recording, good quality
mp3 @ 192 kbps

While we are covering the topic of recent Barenaked Ladies shows, how about taking a look (listen) at what former 'Ladie' Steven Page has been up to? In 2009, founding band member vocalist/guitarist/songwriter, after 20 years with the Barenaked Ladies, announced that he was leaving the band to pursue other opportunities (solo projects, theater, etc). From the very beginning of the band, Page had been the primary lead vocalist and songwriter, but as the years went on, guitarist Ed Robertson began taking on more lead and shared vocals with Steve, as well as writing more songs, both with and without Steve as a partner. Later, with the emergence of keyboardist Kevin Hearn and bassist Jim Creegan also starting to contribute songs and singing lead, Page's role and influence was somewhat diminished. Increasingly at odds with the choices and musical direction of the rest of the band, and wanting greater input and a more consistent outlet for his songs and musical vision, it was inevitable that he would part ways with the band at some point, which came in 2009. Although like all BNL fans, I wish that he were still a part of the group, I actually am quite OK with the split. I think it came at just the right time, was needed for both Steve and the remaining BNL to grow as musicians and artists, and was just the right thing for all concerned. They had a great run together as BNL, but it was time for Steve to move on. Of course, the rest of BNL continued on without Steve, and has fared quite well, overcoming some early insecurities as a quartet, and delivering two fine and successful albums (All in Good Time-2010 and Grinning Streak-2013) since the split (and great live shows, too), with each member thriving with their increased roles (yes, the new albums are decidedly different from the 'old' BNL, but still solid albums). Steve, also, has been free to pursue more diverse activities, from writing for the theater (Bartholomew Fair:A Comedy), performing with The Art of Time Ensemble, contributing songs to movies, and releasing a solo album, Page One (2010). Unfortunately, although his solo album is very good, showing off his diversity of influences, styles, and sounds, it did not get a very good reception from the public. While the BNL albums did very well on the charts (both reaching the top 25 in the US and top 10 in Canada), Steve's album was pretty much ignored by the media (no coverage or radio airplay) and public alike (failed to chart in US, and only reached #58 in Canada - where all BNL projects usually do very well). Steve and his music deserve better. Since then, Steve has only released a single ('A Different Sort of Solitude'/'Manchild' - 2012, A-side from the film French Immersion), but hopefully is at work on more songs for another solo album. So, Here is Steve in 2011, touring in support of his Page One album, with a fine audience recording of a very good show. This show features many (7) songs from the Page One album, numerous BNL songs, as well as a few from his previous solo album project (The Vanity Project, 2005, while still with BNL - also a very fine album BTW). So, come check out Steven Page, on his own and doing fine.   

Tracklist
01-lntro
02-A New Shore
03-Jane
04-Toronto To Lowell (talk)
05-lndecision
06-The Old Apartment
07-She's Trying To Save Me
08-Clifton Springs
09-Setting Up The Video (talk)
10-0ver Joy
11-Call And Answer
12-Honeymoon Story (talk)
13-Marry Me
14-School During Summer (talk)
15-What A Good Boy
16-Enid
17-These Wasted Words
18-So Young, So Wrong, So Long
19-0ld Lady Diarrhea (talk)
20-lf You Love Me
21-lt's All Been Done
22-The Chorus Girl
23-Thank You For Sharing
24-lntermittently
25-Brian Wilson

Steven Page_2011-08-27_LowellMA.rar
Link updated 11/8/21