Theory of a Deadman may have been unplugged but that didn’t stop the Canadian rockers from amping up the audience and bringing down the house from first song to last.
The four-man group played Unplugged 15: Celebrating 15 Years of Theory of a Deadman to a packed house at the Charles Bailey Theatre Tuesday night. The smaller venue tour began in Duncan on Jan. 15 and ends in Manitoba next week.
“This is our first time in Trail, B.C.,” frontman Tyler Connolly opened with. “We complain a lot that we don’t get to go see much every time we go do a Canadian tour, it’s always Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton…all the major cities.
“We said, ‘Why don’t we stop in all the towns where all the real wonderful people are,’” he added to a cheering room. “Hopefully we’ll be welcomed back.”
Sounds were stripped down but energy wasn’t when the musicians switched out guitars and added percussive plus keyboards to tunes from the band’s first album “Gasoline” to the latest offering titled “Savages.”
The Juno Award winners delivered their recognizable hard rock edge throughout the night and ended the show by drawing the crowd to its feet during an encore of soulful acoustics, finishing with “Bad Girlfriend.” The song hit the #1 spot on Canadian Hot 100 and carried the band to the top of the Mainstream Rock Chart in 2008.
Besides music, there was plenty of laughs when charismatic Connolly shared humorous stories from 15 years touring across North America and Europe.
The band’s humble roots began with jam sessions in the basement of Connolly’s North Delta home.
After becoming the first act signed to 604 Records, a label created by Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger, the group has spent considerable time working south of the border.
But Connolly proved he’s still a B.C. boy at heart, mentioning his dad’s standby wad of Canadian Tire cash and reminiscing, “where we were from there were only two things to do, play hockey or play in a band.”
He poked fun at his fashion faux pas of a handlebar moustache on the first album cover and $300 trendy distressed jeans he only wore once.
Connolly was joined on stage by band members bassist Dean Back, guitarist Dave Brenner and drummer Joey Dandeneau and Harry Mapes, a special guest on keyboards.
Theory of a Deadman has earned a fan following and Trail proved to be no exception.
Longtime fans filled the theatre anticipating some of the band’s classics and new hits from the 2014 release “Savages.”
The group’s raw talent shone as audience members soaked up the performance, which many commented sounded better live than recorded.
Having the rock giants come to Trail is good news for the Charles Bailey Theatre, says theatre manager Nadine Tremblay.
“Locals seem especially fond of big name acts and we have a farther reaching appeal when it comes to these acts as well.”