Member Review: Melissa Etheridge

Etheridge seems to have got her groove back in a big way with the return-to-rock new album, including the anthemic title track which kicked off the two-hour-and-45 minutes show, which in turn propelled her live show to new heights.

"Are you ready - ready to be fearless?" said the grinning 49-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist as she took the stage backed by a three piece band.
   
The combination of her strong raspy voice, passionate guitar playing and emotional songs went along way to whipping the crowd into a frenzy as many gathered at the front of the stage while the rest in their seats rose to their feet early and often.

And when Etheridge, a breast cancer survivor, told the audience she had been cancer free for six years, as way of introducing I Run To Life, they went nuts.

Aside from appealing new songs like Fearless Love, The Wanting Of You, Nervous and the beautiful show ending lullaby-like ballad, Gently We Row, Etheridge also infused older tunes with newfound energy like The Different, Silent Legacy, and Bring Me Some Water and her own harmonica playing on Royal Station.

She joked that she was always nervous about playing the harmonica in front of men in the audience adding: "It takes a man's man to come to a Melissa Etheridge concert!"

Etheridge's also got a lot of swagger for a lady as she often teased the crowd with her flirty wordplay and effortlessly seductive nature.

The sisterly chemistry between her and Serena Ryder was undeniable as they sang their new duet, Broken Heart Sun (in a repeat of the song's debut at the Genie Awards in Ottawa on Thursday night), and Etheridge's own Come By My Window and I'm The Only One (with Ryder having to have lyric cards in her hands for the last two).

Etheridge eventually engaged Ryder in a "sing-off" during I'm The Only One.

"She's my rock spawn" Etheridge spoke with me of Ryder afterwards. She spent about 15 minutes with me, which was 14 more than I had hoped for.

Her set ending, marathon version of Like The Way I Do brought the house down as Etheridge played her acoustic guitar so hard that she broke a string mid-way through.


SET LIST:

Fearless Love

No Souvenirs

I Want To Come Over

Company

The Different

Royal Station

The Wanting of You

Silent Legacy

Broken Heart Sun (with Serena Ryder)

Come To My Window (with Serena Ryder)

I Run For Life

Nervous

I'm The Only One (with Serena Ryder)

Bring Me Some Water

Like The Way I Do

ENCORE:

Gently We Row