Big Wreck celebrate 20 years of In Loving Memory Of… in Ottawa

20 years ago last October an album called In Loving Memory Of… was released by a Canadian band named Big Wreck. Little did we know then that this album would become a cornerstone for many of our journeys of musical growth and discovery and that 20 years later we’d still be eagerly rocking out to the same familiar tracks with the same familiar band.

Last night Ian Thornley, Brian Doherty, Dave McMillan and Chuck Keeping aka Big Wreck rolled back the clock to 1998 and celebrated 20 years of In Loving Memory Of… with a sold out crowd at Algonquin Commons Theatre in Ottawa.

The night started with Manitoba based rockers Attica Riots, made up of Bobby Desjarlais, Anders Erickson, and Kyle Erickson. It didn’t take long for this trio to grow on me, or the audience in Ottawa. The group is on tour promoting their debut album Love Sunshine & Hysteria, which was released earlier this month.

Having all come from well known Winnipeg Alt/Rock groups (Desjarlais is formerly of psych-party rockers The Bokononists and greasy mod group Alverstone. The lanky musician also has a solo project that continues to balance out his louder, heavier group efforts. In earlier days, the Erickson’s were in the all-brother band You Know I Know (previously Inward Eye), who opened for The Who back in 2006 and played during the closing ceremonies at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.) it’s clear that they’ve gained the experience needed to comfortably engage with a crowd which was evident in their stage presence, something that is rare with newer bands. I hope they get the opportunity to return to Ottawa again soon whether it be on a festival stage or at one of the many smaller venues in the city, they are more evidence that the future of Canadian rock is very strong. Who knows perhaps in 20 years we’ll be celebrating Love Sunshine & Hysteria like we did with Big Wreck last night. Check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atticariots

For me it’s been almost 19 years since I was given my first introduction to Big Wreck Live. I had purchased the album In Loving Memory Of… based on a recommendation from a friend and having heard the album’s lead out single, “The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted)”, on rock radio and had quickly become a big fan. Now if you’ve never been to, now closed, The Wall at Canadore College / Nipissing University in North Bay it wasn’t a huge venue by any stretch of the imagination but yet it had played host to bands like Big Wreck, Big Sugar, The Tea Party and countless others over the years and played a major role in cultivating my love for live music.

Seeing a band in a smaller venue is a far more intimate experience than seeing a band in a huge arena setting. Especially when you’re mere feet from the stage at most concerts. It was at the Wall on February 2, 1999 where I was first introduced to Big Wreck live. The band was still actively promoting In Loving Memory Of… . The show was, hands down, one of the best live shows I have ever seen. Since then I was lucky enough to catch Thornley on a solo tour several years later and then just a few years ago caught up with Big Wreck again at RBC Bluesfest.

Last night’s show could easily have been called “In Loving Memory Of…In Loving Memory Of…” it was a night to celebrate one of the greatest Canadian rock albums in the last 20 years and the band performed it with an added 20 years of experience added to each track. All 13 of the album’s original tracks, 20th Anniversary Bonus track “Ill Advice” and a few newer favourites “Digging In” from Grace Street, “Albatross” from Albatross and “Come Again” a Thornley cover from Ian’s album Come Again.

Big Wreck clearly still has all the magic that made me fall in love with them nearly two decades ago. Here’s hoping that a whole new generation of fans will follow suit and fall in love with them now so that we can all celebrate again 20 years from now.

 

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