Richard Dollarhide
As a concert venue, The Ordway is one of the most underrated places to see a show. Its beauty and tradition of bringing the best performances from around the world while showcasing top-notch service draw you at the moment you enter its doors. It truly makes you feel that you are part of an experience, rather than just attending a concert, and last night was no different.
As part of the Ordway’s concert series, they welcomed Toronto based Classic Albums Live. Craig Martin founded Classic Album Live in 2003, which features many of Canada’s top musicians performing classic rock albums in their entirety, note for note.
Having never attended one of these performances, I did not know what to expect. I was wondering if it was going to be a cover band atmosphere or more of a musical recital. I just knew that I was going to see my favorite album of all time performed in its entirety.
Pink Floyd’s The Wall is one of the most influential recordings of all time. With its sound effects, themes, and music, it is what some would call one of the best “headphone” listens of all time. The story was written 40 years ago and features loss, the rise of symbolized fascism, paranoia, narcissism, and suicidal isolationism, all of which still resonate with today’s American political environment.
The night’s performing musicians were Rob Phillips (vocals & guitar), Mark Stewartson (vocals & guitar), Ryan Granville-Martin ( vocals, sound design & percussion) Roy Feener (drums), Will Hare (vocals & keyboards), Alex McMaster (vocals & cello), Maya Killtron (vocals & violin), and Brendan McMillan (vocals & bass).
As the night’s musicians took the stage and the house lights dimmed, they immediately went right into the classic into of an iconic album. They presented the entire album note for note while passionately performing the sound effects, banters, and screams. I was blown away by the performance and its precisely placed results. They even included local children singing their parts on “Another Brick in The Wall.”
As the performance ended, I was left s little confused by what I just witnessed. It’s hard to say whether it was a concert, a recital, or a dramatic performance. All I know for sure is that what I saw was powerful, precise, artistically executed, and it left me in reverence.
Classic Albums Live performs many classic rock albums and, from what I observed, they go above and beyond any expectations. I’m hoping The Ordway continues this series for years to come. You feel like you are listening to your favorite recording along with a thousand of people who feel the same about music as you do.
Complete list of Classic Albums performed around the country
The Beatles‘ catalog
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin IV
Houses of the Holy
Physical Graffiti
In Through the Out Door
Meddle
The Dark Side of the Moon
Animals
Wish You Were Here
A Night at the Opera
Who’s Next
Are You Experienced
Boston
Crime of the Century
Breakfast in America
The Last Waltz
Rust Never Sleeps
Harvest
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
OK Computer
Ten
Nevermind
Regatta de Blanc
Outlandos d’Amour
The Joshua Tree
London Calling
Band on the Run
Texas Flood
Let It Bleed
Sticky Fingers
Some Girls
Exile on Main St.
Appetite for Destruction
Highway to Hell
Back in Black
Born to Run
Hotel California
Rumors
The Doors
L.A. Woman
Legend
Pearl
Paranoid
Van Halen
Thriller
Purple Rain
Nothing’s Shocking
Woodstock
2112
Saturday Night Fever
A Very Lennon Christmas
Elton John Greatest Hits
Damn the Torpedoes
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