Anyone in London would have had trouble with an umbrella as storm Darragh hit the capital with a mighty force. As the rain poured and the wind blew gail-like gusts through the streets, Canadian headliners The Sheepdogs and support act The Commoners brought their own rock-fuelled blast to the Islington Assembly Hall. Though we fought through Mother Nature to get there, as soon as we were hot inside the venue, it was as if nothing but sunshine was pouring down upon us.
The Sheepdogs – The Commoners
Islington Assembly Hall – 5 December 2024
Words: Monty Sewell
Photography: Ryan Hildrew
The Sheepdogs
The Sheepdogs were the first unsigned band to make the cover of Rolling Stone and have since garnished multi-platinum album sales and four Juno Awards. Not bad for the band, who once described their sound as ‘pure, simple, good-time music’.
Though good time indeed, The Sheepdogs constantly raise the bar when writing only the catchiest, most musically driven music there is. The lineup tonight consists of Ewan Currie on lead vocals and guitar, Ricky Paquette on guitar, Ryan Gullen on bass, Sam Corbett on drums and Shamus Currie on keys.
Behind them onstage is a lit-up, Las Vegas-type inspired sign with their name titled across it. I say out with the usual backdrops bands bring and in with this Sheepdogs look.
Their audience gets into giddy anticipation as Ewan Currie strikes the first chord of Find The Truth, and wam-bam, into their set the guys go. With eight studio albums under their arms and a new EP, Hell Together, most recently released this year, their set is filled with highlights from each record. A real crowd-pleasing night all around.
Guitar duo Currie and Paquette push the boundaries of a musician’s brilliance-led performance as they do each duet guitar solo with slick dexterity.
It is truly an honour to watch these two onstage together, playing off each other with nothing more than a look and a twang. To watch a show with not just one lead guitarist but two creates such a sound that you just don’t know where or who to watch.
There is a warm, nostalgic feel of a time when Led Zepplin or Creedence Clearwater Revival reigned. When the art of improvisation and a seemingly psychic connection between players onstage truly showed us the greats.
Downtown, Bad Lieutenant, Southern Dreaming, I’ve Got A Hole Where My Heart Should Be, and Scarborough Street Fight are just a few of what The Sheepdogs bring out to us, served hot on a platter of rocking fun.
After his performance tonight, Gullen stands firmly in the top five bassists I have seen live. He strides back and forth like some groove-footed, street-smart cowboy with an attitude destined for the big lights. Corbett on drums matches Shamus Currie’s quick-handed action on the keys, with the whole thing tied together without fault.
The title track of their latest EP, Hell Together, is a slammer, and I really hope another album will follow this release soon. Fan-favourite Feeling Good is the last encore, and the audience is fully fed and satisfied. The band know they have smashed it as the audience embraces them with overtly vocal adoration.
As we step back outside the Assembly, the rain has stopped, and the winds are slightly calming. For a short time, The Sheepdogs placed a blanket over the bad weather and allowed us to be warm under the heat of their music.
An honestly tremendous live band that I cannot recommend highly enough. Professional beyond belief, talented without question, and more soul-rocking than a shining southern sun, The Sheepdogs continue to be the best of the darn best.
The Commoners
The Commoners blew the Assembly away with their support set. Coined as the next The Black Crowes by many a passing audience member, the Toronto-based band took the night in their rocking, fearsome stride.
Laying a slick base for the main act, the band took material from their recently buzz-garnishing discography. Recently released album Restless and their 2022 debut, Find A Better Way, feature some cracking songs, paving the way for their beckoning success.
With an easy likability and outstanding onstage presence, The Commoners – as their name might suggest – struck a chord with their fellow punter rockers and yet played a set fit for any king.
Brilliantly harnessing a cool suave within their music whilst creating an effortless how-can-we-be-as-cool-as-them swagger, The Commoners are a band that we will see rise through the ranks. It is just a matter of time.
