Hedley – Rogers Arena – 24March2012
Returning to their hometown to wrap up their two month long ‘Shipwrecked Tour’, local quartet Hedley took over the Rogers Arena stage to peels of excited cheers. A very mixed aged audience, were thrilled to welcome the boys home to Vancouver and by the looks of the energy Jacob, Tommy, Dave and Chris were displaying onstage they were happy to be home too.
The Hedley boys started the show via pre-recorded video vignette of the band capsizing in their boat and making their way ashore then walking their way to Vancouver. Front man Jacob Hoggard filled the stage with his energetic dancing and singing, making full use of the wings and runway to reach as many fans as possible. The video continued into the middle of the show as well, with the band boarding a boat on the video then appearing onstage wearing yellow rain slickers to play a few acoustic tracks from the rowboat. The show ranges from rock to pop even a little bit of hip hop, courtesy of tour mate Classified, is thrown in for good measure. Even though the audience had a large number of young girls screaming for the group with boyband fervour they are far from a 90’s pop sensation, there was something in the show to appeal to everyone. It’s not often a band gets out a t-shirt cannon during the show to literally give back to the fans, Jacob also ventured into the crowd and some VIP’s were invited onstage to dance too.
While the band got a kickstart from the acclaim Jacob gained from his third place finish on Season Two of Canadian Idol, they’ve toured extensively and the experience shows. Promoting only their fourth album, Storm, the group have the stage presence of a band vastly more experienced. The nearly two hour set was filled with all their hits; 321, On My Own, Cha-Ching, Old School, Don’t Talk To Strangers, Invincible and One Life.
Being the final night of the tour, except for a few dates in the Maritimes to make-up for shows cancelled (ironically) by winter storms, the whole night had an extra boost of energy.
