» Sierra Ferrell’s First Visit in Montreal Was A Long Time Coming

Sierra Ferrell’s reputation as a live act has been formidable for a while now. People kept asking her when the album was coming. She honed her songs on stages and acquired a great following on Youtube. When her album finally came out, it was a Long Time Coming (that’s the title). The tour, named after the album, finally brought her to Montreal. For her fans here, it sure was…

The duo HORSEBATH, from Halifax, was the opening act for the evening. They came with a full band, and a strong desire to win the crowd. The venue quickly filled up during their set; it was packed when they invited Sierra to sing the last song with them. It was a clever, or cruel move: having had a taste of the evening’s star, the fans now had to wait a whole 30 minutes before hearing Sierra Ferrell again.

Horsebath opening for Sierra Ferrell at Bar le Ritz in Montreal – Nicolas Racine photographe

Starting the show with In Dreams, she immediately proves that her reputation is entirely deserved: she has a strong, yet crystalline voice; her band is tight and extremely talented; and, without any artifice or gimmick, she takes control of the stage. A Sierra Ferrell concert is like a journey back in time. She mixes Country, Folk, Gypsy Jazz, and Latin music to create songs that could have been heard as much in the 1920–1930s as today and her dress follows the same theme, mixing mid-century Mexican fashion with cowboy boots.

Sierra Ferrell playing at Bar le Ritz in Montreal — Nicolas Racine photographe

With a traditional bluegrass band (fiddle, guitar, bass, and mandolin), no drum, her songs resonate in the small venue. She does not speak much; her music do most of the talking, and it’s absolutely perfect. Even when she does two solo songs, accompanying herself with her guitar, then with a fiddle, the crowd follows her mood, being silent or singing full volume with her. Yes, she was a long time coming to Montreal, but the wait was well worth it.