Concert Review: Barenaked Ladies Rock Borders (Ann Arbor, MI)

Borders Book Stores (Especially the one in Ann Arbor, Michigan) has this cool program; artists and bands play short acoustic sets for free before doing a CD signing. The kids and I have made the forty-five minute drive up the highway a few times now, and when it was announced that Barenaked Ladies would be appearing, it was a must see.

As with most General Admission shows, getting there early is a necessity if being able to see is anywhere near as important as being able to hear. In this case, arriving shortly after the store opened at 9:00 AM (for the 12:30 show) meant we were behind nearly 100 other die-hard fans. By 11:30, the second floor of the bookstore was at capacity, crowded and enthusiastically awaiting the appearance of "the ladies." Shortly before 12:30, it was announced that the first three songs and short Q & A with the band would be simulcast as part of the Ann Arbor's 107.1 Studio A2 On The Road. As the band appeared from behind the backdrop, the appreciative cheers of the enthusiastic crowd drowned out anything the broadcaster was trying to say.

To the warm reception, the band opened with "Old Apartment"; a single from their album Born on a Pirate Ship. The song, which is almost tailor-made for an acoustic set, was performed with top-notch vocals backed with strong drum and guitar lines and with Kevin Hearn just knocking it out on the keyboard. A crowd favorite, it quickly became something that could be compared to a campfire sing-a-long… with a full band.

After the DJ introduced the band members one by one, he questioned them about their latest CD Barenaked Ladies Are Me and the multiple formats the album is available in. As he tried to continue the interview, Ed Robertson started fiddling with the guitar and then broke into one of the spontaneous melodic adlibs the band is well known for. "We're here with Martin Bandyke and we'd like to tell you we're going to rock the mic at Borders/ Generally we're resistant to all kinds of journalism, I have a specific problem with reporters/ …" continuing on for several phrases before throwing it to Steven Page on the key words "Paper Chase" where he picked up the improvisation.

Article Author: Connie Phillips

Wife, mother, aspiring novelist, and music editor at BC Magazine, Connie Phillips spends most of her time in a fantasy land of her own creating. In reality, she writes about music, television, and the process of writing, when she's not cheering on her kids at equestrian events. …

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