This seems to be the month of Canadian 90s bands in concert and I am lovin it! This time, Econoline Crush at the Pearl Showroom at Pure Casino in Edmonton on March 15, 2025.

This Vancouver band epitomized the 90s in Canada with songs like All That You Are, You Don’t Know What It’s Like, and my favourite of theirs, Sparkle and Shine.

(The guitarist, Graham Tuson, even wore a Vancouver Canucks t-shirt during the encore, a brave move in Oil Country, lol.)

Early on, Trevor Hurst (lead singer and only founding member still in the band) asked the audience who was seeing them for the first time (us, but we were not alone, lots yelled along with us here) and who had been to multiple shows. The screams suggested most were not fiirst-timers like us. Enough, in fact, that Trevor pointed out he saw “a few familiar faces.”

Mind you, the Pearl is rather small, so he probably could see all our faces, new and familiar. As much as I love a huge hoopla of a concert, I am thoroughly enjoyed these smaller venues where we get increased interactions and intimacy.

Trevor frequently walked to the edge of the stage and squatted to our level, returned hand gestures (all polite ones, most the rock on thumb and pinky thing) and stared straight into people’s cameras as they filmed. He even called out a couple of requests from fans in the audience.

This interaction between band and fans is perhaps the best benefit of these smaller gigs (that, and being able to see from probably all spots in the venue – unless you are behind the super tall woman wearing super high heels, but that’s another story).

(Though seriously – I’ve never really been one for concert rules other than respect and kindness – wear what you want, stand where you want if you get there first, sing at the top of your lungs, whatever brings you joy.

But maybe if you plan on being on the floor, don’t wear high heels or large hats and things that make you block other people’s views. you can’t help how tall you are naturally, but you can avoid the heels… Also – high heels are dangerous for your ankles and everyone else’s toes in the standing room of concerts! (ok, so I made it this story…))

Anyways, where was I, oh yah – small venues… You get that closeness and interaction between band and whole audience in ways you just can’t in arenas. Sure, there’s not a lot of space for big light shows and set design. Not a lot of room for choreography etc. But you get the band at their stripped down, maybe not quite unplugged, awesome version of themselves.

And that’s what we had with Econoline Crush on this night.

They were on fire, high energy (not gonna lie, this is the first 90s band I’ve seen in concert in the 2020s where the members still jump around like they are in their prime!), great spirits, and feisty world commentary (“Never gonna be the 51st state!”).

And the music, I may have spent most of the 90s listening to Michael Jackson, U2, and the Tea Party, but Econoline Crush were high on the list too.

Seeing them in concert for the first time 30 or so years after the fact and the music still feels relevant.

And that must truly be one of the hallmarks of a great band.