The Last Summer on Earth 2023 Tour stop in Philly featured support from Five For Fighting and del Amitri
There are few bands touring today that can match the wholesome and endearing nature of The Barenaked Ladies. There’s just something so hopeful about their catalog. Whether it’s the singles or deep cuts, they always find a way to make their sets an unforgettable experience for attendees. Their show at the Met last year reminded me of that, and reinvigorated my desire and passion to reimmerse myself into live show coverage.
Part of the reason I hold BNL in such high regard is that my stepdad Chris was a HUGE fan. There wasn’t a Christmas where we weren’t listening to Barenaked for the Holidays, and there was never a missed opportunity to throw on Gordon or Born on a Pirate Ship, two of his favorite albums. Chris unfortunately passed away in 2021 after a yearlong battle with glioblastoma, an incredibly aggressive form of brain cancer. There’s some part of me that wishes I included this information in my coverage last year, but deep down I knew I still wasn’t ready to handle how his passing made me feel.
As I sit here now, staring at my inherited BNL CD collection with nearly every release in their discography, I think of how truly elated and proud it would’ve made Chris to see me not only shooting and reviewing his favorite band, but pursuing my goals within creative media. That might be why I feel such a connection to the Barenaked Ladies – it makes me feel closer to Chris.
It feels great to be able to share that story, and I hope anyone else reading this is able to find a similar link to your loved ones and music. With that off my chest, let’s dive into the rest of this raucous stop on the Last Summer on Earth 2023 tour.
del Amitri
The night kicked off with the first opening act, del Amitri. The Scottish group may be known broadly for their 1995 hit ‘Roll to Me’, but their set certainly had plently more to offer. After going on hiatus in 2002, del Amitri returned in 2013 and now a decade later are still putting on exemplary support shows. It’s never easy to get people out of their seats before the headliner, but del Amitri did just that during ‘Let’s Kiss This Thing Goodbye’. It was hard to ignore the anticipation for ‘Roll to Me’, so as soon as the opening chords rang out, the Met crowd let out a big cheer and sang along for the duration. del Amitri was no doubt a fantastic choice for support on this tour.
Five for Fighting
Next up was Five for Fighting, the hockey influenced stage name for John Ondrasik. The early portion of the set featured shoutouts to the Eagles & Flyers, along with Ondrasik’s ageless falsetto on full display. Seamlessly transitioning between acoustic guitar and piano, one of the 2000’s premiere balladeers reminded the crowd just how powerful his songs are. This was particuarly apparent during ‘Can One Man Save The World’, a tribute song supporting the ongoing Ukranian struggle. Ondrasik prefaced the track with details about previous activism work and his current endeavor with Save Our Allies. The extremely powerful ballad definitely left the crowd feeling emotional, so it was only appropriate that Five for Fighting’s biggest songs followed, ‘Superman (It’s Not Easy)’ and ‘100 Years’.
Aiming to end on a energetic note, Ondrasik conducted a vocal warmup with the Met crowd before diving into a lively cover of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. With the entire house providing backing vocals, this was definitely a rendition to remember.
Barenaked Ladies
As the digital hour glass counted down, the anticipation for the Barenaked Ladies to take the stage was palpable. Awash in fanfare and cheers, Drummer Tyler Stewart took the stage first. Bassist Jim Creeggan and guitarist Kevin Hearn followed before being joined by frontman Ed Robertson. One thing I can appreciate most as a photographer is that BNL doesn’t hesitate to play their hits in the first 3 songs. ‘It’s All Been Done’ and ‘The Old Apartment’ are two of my favorite tracks, so being able to shoot during them was very choice.
After settling in, Ed Robertson previewed a new song the group had been working on, but didn’t have a name for it yet. That was until the gentleman seated directly behind me shouted “Call It Philly!” to which Ed obliged and made it a running joke throughout the show. It’s quick thinking and the ability to seamlessly ad lib that makes BNL shows so fun and relatable. Ed, Jim, Kevin, and Tyler’s ability to interact with the crowd is exceptional, and just makes everyone in attendance feel that much more involved.
The evolution of the Barenaked Ladies sound is apparent, as various influences can be heard throughout their set – rockabilly, folk, ad lib/rap, and pop, among others. ‘Looking Up’ was a very interactive affair, with the crowd belting the call and response portions. Kevin Hearn soft, dulcet voice highlighted ‘Big Backyard’, while Ed powered through one of the hardest songs to sing live, ‘Pinch Me’. The line “I just made you say underwear” was met with actual underwear being thrown on stage, which Jim Creeggan gleefully exhibited on the neck of his bass.
The set rolled on with more shenanigans, whether it was ad libbing in “Call It Philly” during Enid or Ed explaining why there’s a Millie Vanillie reference in ‘Blame It On Me’. One of the real highlights of the evening was Tyler Stewart’s wildly impressive bongo solo, to which Ed called “the best he’s ever seen.”
‘Brian Wilson’ is one of my favorite BNL songs, so it’s always a pleasure to hear live. There’s just so much going on within the track, whether it’s the lyrically journey the song takes you on, or the cacaphony of all 4 members jamming out during the breakdown section. Fan favorites ‘One Week’ and ‘If I Had A Million Dollars’ followed, giving way to what always dazzles the crowd – the Barenaked Rap. The night wrapped up with all the members of del Amitri and Five For Fighting joining BNL on stage to form Del for Naked Fighting in Philly and performing a cover of Paul Pena’s ‘Jet Airliner’.
Final Thoughts
If the length and breadth of this review is any indication, my admiration for the Barenaked Ladies is significant. They’ve been going strong for 33 years and have a catalog that rivals or exceeds their contemporaries. If a job and responsibilities weren’t a thing, I’d see as many stops on this tour as I could. For now, I’ll just have to settle for one night in Philly. Here’s to hoping we get another summer on earth, and another Barenaked Ladies date in 2024.
