Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton Alberta, October 4, 2025

There is something so special about Blue Rodeo.

I can’t entirely put my finger on it. For sure it’s Jim Cuddy’s and Greg Keelor’s unique voices. Definitely there’s the social justice elements, especially with that Canadian twist.

Maybe it’s even the unexpected twang of country vibes in this punk rock music (unexpected for me – for how much I adore a band with those elements, not that there are country vibes in the music – its in the name after all – Blue Rodeo.)

Most definitely its their song Try (see below).

But there’s still that ‘something’ that endears them to us Canadians. That ‘thing’ that makes them ours. Is it the lyrical references to Canadian landscapes, to the endless snow and cold weather, that we all relate to so strongly?

Is it, for us in Edmonton anyways, their unwavering presence and support of the Edmonton Folk Fest. The charm, mentorship, and musicness they bring there each time is one of my most treasured folk fest traditions.

Whatever it is, we love them like we love hockey. They are quintessentially ours, and we are theirs.

Formed in 1984, they hit the big time with their debut album’s second single, Try, in 1987.

40 years later and Blue Rodeo are still Canada’s sweethearts, and our sentinels. Our musical guardians standing strong (I’m thinking in particular of the song Jim Cuddy wrote and posted on social media about the tear in the relationship between Canada and the USA after Trump threatened tariffs etc.)

So when they come to town to celebrate that 40 years (Lost) together, we go.

We go to cherish them live.

We go to sing at the top of our lungs.

We go buy their tshirts when the last thing we need is another rock concert tshirt (though I’m pretty sure there’s no such thing as too many rock concert tshirts, right!?!?)

We go.

And they make us love them even more because they are just that good live and there are just soooo many gooooood songs.

And they are funny, and disarming. And there are just soooooooo many good songs!

(And, whoosh, do we ever get loud when we sing along! Or when they have us sing most of a song to them. (Damn, we sound good too!))

@dreaminspiredo

And a partial clip of us singing It Hasn’t Hit Me Yet. Damn we’re good! Edmonton Oct 4 bluerodeo! #losttogether #bluerodeo40

♬ original sound – In Search of Rock Gods

And because they make us wait all night for Try. The charming, torturous rascals!!

But when Try comes, ahhh it’s the most beautiful moment to be a part of. There are just some songs, some songs that touch you so deeply, so thoroughly, and so endlessly.

@dreaminspiredo

Edmonton Oct 4 audience loves bluerodeo! It doesn’t get much better than this song live. #try (sorry for the singing and swaying while filming! But the song moves me!) #bluerodeotry #losttogether #bluerodeo40

♬ original sound – In Search of Rock Gods

And so we all sing even louder.

Even me, who planned from the beginning to record Try for my memories, who still missed the first bars and who could NOT stop singing along even though I knew I’d want to share the clip and no one wants to hear me sing! (Hopefully the band and the 2500 or so other people singing drowned me out enough – sorry for the swaying too, it’s uncontrollable when the music moves you! :D)

And because they are ours, and I don’t know about the rest of you – but I just want to hug them all and say thanks. Thanks for being our beloved band. Thanks for 40 years.