Nov. 14 marked the eighth annual Rock for Public Services charity fundraising concert, featuring headliner Sam Roberts Band and opening acts Matt Mays and Amanda Rheaume.
Rock for Public Services, presented by CUPE Local 503 (Canadian Union of Public Employees) and CUPE Ontario, has hosted such artists as Tom Cochrane and Randy Bachman in past years of the fundraiser. This year, Rock for Public Services was raising money for Sisters in Spirit, an organization that raises awareness for missing and abused Aboriginal women, a cause that was highly discussed during the recent election campaign.
The event’s performers each brought something unique and interesting to the stage, and the variety of artists made for a fantastic evening of Canadian music for a great cause.
The night started off with Ottawa’s own Amanda Rheaume playing some up-tempo country tunes for the crowd. Rheaume is a Métis singer and songwriter who creates an interesting blend of homegrown folk and country sounds. It was this mixing of genres that resonated well with the crowd and made for an engaging opening performance.
Next on the bill was Matt Mays, an accomplished Canadian singer and songwriter from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Mays was accompanied by his brother in musical arms Adam Baldwin, a guitar player. The duo had a serene and atmospheric performance, keeping things simple by sitting in chairs with their two guitars—Mays and Baldwin kept the attention of the crowd by inviting them into a tranquil and intimate musical experience.
Finally, it was time for the Sam Roberts Band to take the stage. But they did more than just perform for the crowd—they dominated the stage and had the crowd in the palms of their hands for the entirety of the show.
Montreal’s Sam Roberts has been deeply integrated into the Canadian music scene for years now, and he knows how to work a crowd. Consistently throughout the show Roberts transitioned between reminding the audience of the charities and reasons they were there for free, and then working up the excitement and hype. One of the ways Roberts was able to do this was with his amazing stage presence.
By playing familiar tunes between his newer and lesser-known songs he was able to grab the attention of the crowd and get involvement at every feasible chance. Playing classic tunes like “Where Have all the Good People Gone,” “Hard Road,” and “Them Kids,” Roberts also kept the hype going with newer tracks like “We’re All in This Together,” “Human Heat,” and “Let It In.”
Some of the best were left for the encore in the case of the ever-adored “Don’t Walk Away Eileen,” “Brother Down,” and “Uprising Down Under,” a track that enlisted the help of Matt Mays, who was featured on the album version from 2006’s Chemical City.
It is really difficult to describe the energy and excitement that Roberts and his band brings to the stage, but it is much the equivalent of meeting someone who just wants you to have a really good night, and Roberts and his accompanying band made sure everyone had a fantastic night full of great Canadian music.
