The boys were back in town again. Back at the Midway Music Hall in Edmonton. And wow, this Tea Party was not doilies, crumpets, and porcelain! (Although, next time I go, I totally want to have a tea party right before The Tea Party!)

There are some bands and artists I just connect with on a level beyond any other. Sometimes, I connect strongly but then I grow apart. But sometimes, and I’m old now, so I can say this with certainty, that connection can be forevermore.

The Tea Party is that connection. It’s the musicality – the world music influences, the pulsing move your body rock anthems, the emotive heartfelt ballads, the soundscapes. It’s the super intelligent lyrics, the imagery, the story-telling, the nods to the occult, philosophy, literature, everything.

It’s the insane talents of Jeff Burrows, Stuart Chatwood, and Jeff Martin. And it’s that voice.

Every time I write about The Tea Party, I confess Jeff Martin could sing me the proverbial telephone book and I would be happy. I say it every, single, time.

In fact, if you’ve read my The Tea Party posts before, you are probably getting tired of reading that line.

However, while it is still and always true for me, he does not sing me the telephone book.

Instead, he sings me (ok, fine, and the rest of the audience) U2 songs. Mostly With or Without You (but sometimes others).

This is soooo much better than hearing the phone book!

I will never ever tire of hearing The Tea Party’s version of this song. And I will never tire of the reaction it gets from the crowd, the cheering, the singing every word at full lung capacity.

Especially amidst their own song, Heaven Coming Down. The U2 and Tea Party fan in me shivers with uncontainable emotion at this mash up of these two beautiful, poignant, perfect songs.

(I couldn’t decide which of these two filters I liked best, so I’m keeping them both!)

You might guess that this is a highlight moment for me, and it is, but, really, the highlights never end at a Tea Party concert. I don’t think there is a Tea Party song that I don’t love, but luckily, most of my favourites are staples in their set list.

Heaven, for sure, but Save Me, The River, Temptation, Psychopomp, The Messenger, The Bazaar, the instrumental Winter Solstice (perfect for a November concert in Canada), and interspersed with covers of The Tragically Hip’s Bobcaygeon, Bowie’s Heroes, and the Rolling Stones’ Paint it Black. Well, that’s pretty much the setlist from this night (though not in that order)!

The only thing and would make the setlist more perfect is more time to add more favourite songs (like 10 hours more… just play all the songs! From all the albums!).

It was a shorter setlist than previous years because this tour is a double headliner with I Mother Earth, another amazing Canadian band.

While I am much less familiar with IME’s catalogue, I like what I know from the radio and was happy to hear they were part of the lineup.

They began the night and rocked it out. They sounded magnificent! The audience adored them. Jeff Burrows came out and banged on a few drums for one of the songs – super cool!

I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before as well, but Edmonton is an awesome concert audience – we love live music and we show it. Our appreciation and exuberance runs wild.

What a night for Canadian music!