By Erin Donnelly
Photos by Andrew Hartl

 

The Sheepdogs are one of the best classic rock bands to come out of Canada in a long time, and they continue to spread the work with their most recent album, Future Nostalgia, as well as their current tour. The band consists of current members, brothers Ewan and Shamus Currie, with Ewan on lead guitar and vocals, and Shamus Currie on trombone, keyboards, and tambourine.  Bassist Ryan Gullen, drummer Sam Corbett, and guitarist Jimmy Bowskill round out the band.

 

Show openers, The Beat Cops, also Canadian, got the crowd warmed up with a half-hour set taken from their most recent album, Mean Streets.  Despite their position as a support band, The Beat Cops were clearly a hit with show goers.

 

The Sheepdogs set absolutely killed it, with Bowskill and Ewan Currie laying down classic rock riffs and powerful solos that sounded straight out of the ‘70s.  It was incredible to see various band members switch up instruments regularly throughout the show as well, while showcasing each members’ passion and technique.  This included Bowskill picking up the steel guitar and Shamus Currie regularly switching back and forth from trombone to keyboards.  It’s clear they all possess skilled musicianship that has helped to create a unique rock band.

 

Their setlist included early material such as The Way It Is and Feelin’ Good, to more recent tracks like I Really Wanna Be Your Man, Bad Lieutenant, Downtown, and Same Old Feeling.  After their 20-song main set, they delivered even more with a high energy encore that fans truly enjoyed, including covers songs of the Allman Brothers and Neil Young.  The guitar fretwork on these was so impressive that you could almost see smoke from Bowskill and Currie’s fingertips.

 

Overall, this was the kind of show that any rock and roll fan, of any age, would have enjoyed.

 

 

Prior to the performance, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ewan Currie and Ryan Gullen.  Check out what they had to say, below the photo gallery of the show.

 

Interview: