Gamut! Crew Gets "Naked"

A Perspective on the Barenaked Ladies 2001 Tour

by Chris Wagner and Mike McGranaghan
Bryce Jordan Center, State College, Pa. 8:00 PM, February 9, 2001.
Canada's own Barenaked Ladies have amassed a reputation for being one of the best live bands on the music scene today. The group - which actually consists of five men, all of whom are fully dressed - achieved cult status in the early 90's before their hit "One Week" catapulted them to the big time a few years ago. Despite selling millions of records and receiving tons of air play, it was the live performances that fans talked most about. As fans of BNL, we were very excited when the group arrived in Central Pennsylvania - Gamut! Magazine's backyard. We traveled to the appropriately nicknamed Happy Valley to witness the show first-hand.

After a somewhat lackluster opening act (fellow Canadian Chantal Kreviazuk, who is as arty and self-conscious as BNL are not) came the main attraction. A short cartoon played on the Jumbotron screens as the lights dimmed. When the introduction was over, the curtain raised to reveal a most unique concert set. It can only be described as a giant purple blow-up clown head, with one red and one green eye. Giant inflatable candy-striped dreadlocks spanned from the top of the head to the floor. There was a door inside the screaming mouth, through which the band entered the stage.

bnl
Barenaked Ladies kicked off their set with "Too Little, Too Late," the opening cut from their latest CD "Maroon." The crowd immediately began to get into the show; sure, crowds always do this, but the reception for BNL had an unusually ecstatic feel to it. In other words, it's quite clear that the fans appreciate the performers.

A big reason for this is that Barenaked Ladies are more than just musicians - they are showmen. And what a show they put on! Consequently, a BNL show is not just a concert; it's an experience. Consider the following items:

  • We could see people getting out their Kraft Dinners in preparation for "If I Had a Million Dollars". It's a long standing tradition that when the band sings the line "We wouldn't have to eat Kraft dinners" the audience hurls boxes of macaroni and cheese at them. The show designers did the macaroni-throwing ritual justice by bringing up signs on the monitors saying "Please don't feed the band" at the precise moment. Fans threw the food anyway. The macaroni shower left a little to be desired, but that had more to do with the size of the arena than the enthusiasm of the audience. (It is, after all, a little hard to hit the stage from the opposite end of the arena.)

  • Not one to let the fans miss out on BNL goodies, guitarist Ed Robertson made sure we didn't miss Steven Page's appearance on Celebrity Jeopardy that was being aired the same time as the concert. We got to see him and actor Seth Green (Scott Evil from the Austin Powers films) lose all their money, while the female celebrity we couldn't quite identify won the game by losing all of her money but $1.

  • Drummer Tyler Stewart performed an amazing drum solo while the Jumbotron screen flashed warnings that "THIS IS NOT A DRUM SOLO!" Also included were clips of the other band members backstage, appearing to grow old as Stewart's solo wore on.

  • Aside from performing hits like "One Week," "The Old Apartment" and "It's All Been Done," Barenaked Ladies also did a medley of rap tunes including Eminem's "Slim Shady." As an oncore, they performed a stunning rendition of Prince's "When Doves Cry."

  • At the request of a sign-holding fan, Ed Robertson invited the kid (a college age lad named Fred) to play acoustic guitar on the song "Pinch Me." The kid did an outstanding job, which led to an audience chant of "we love Fred!"

    There were a lot of other great moments, but the emphasis was always on the music. Although BNL are known for their sense of humor, they also exhibit the ability to write songs with emotional heft, as evidenced by their moving performances of the she-loves-me-not ballad "Jane" and "In the Car," an exploration of youthful sexuality.

    There were rocking moments as well. Everyone was on their feet as the band cranked out "The Humour of the Situation," a cut from the "Maroon" CD.

    We were denied the opportunity to take photographs at the event by a rather dour ticket taker, so you'll have to settle for the stock variety. As stated earlier, the setup was unique, to say the least. You'll have to go to A BNL concert yourself, just to get an idea of what we're talking about. Even pictures wouldn't do that giant clown head justice. It was more than a stage set - it added atmosphere.

    Do yourselves a favor and check out Barenaked Ladies on tour this year. They give an upbeat and lively show. If you've seen the band before, you will doubtlessly want to see them again. If you've never had the pleasure, we guarantee you'll be hooked.

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