In partnership with Google Music, City & Colour’s Dallas Green came to Toronto’s The Great Hall on Thursday night. Playing a small venue like this, to a group of lucky fans who managed to win tickets it was sure to be a special night. Drawing from a set list that included all three of his albums, with several songs from his acclaimed first record “Sometimes” like “Coming Home” and “Like Knives”.
Green remained quite chatty with the crowd, making jokes, occasionally at the expense of the audience members who instisted on whooping every time he took a drink. Playing for about an hour, he played with his set list constantly, switching songs in and out, highlights included a stirring performance of “The Grand Optimist” and closing with a fantastic rendition of “Sleeping Sickness.”
It’s very hard to approach City & Colour without bias, to most, he is remembered foremost as the melodic part of Alexisonfire, and in the wake of that break up it’s very hard to separate the man from his legacy. But it’s time that we move on from this perception, with an incredible voice, strong, emotive songs, not to mention a Gretsch with a guitar tone that could actually melt your face. Dallas Green, and City & Colour are a national treasure, and one just as deserving of acclaim as the other bands we hold so dear.
