Article by Joe Margetson
There’s something magnetic about Dallas Green. First there’s his voice, a distinctive and clear tenor that soars through haunting lyrical ballads. Then there is the standout factor in his performance, which was his ability to create moments with the crowd that made the experience feel much more intimate than one might imagine at a stadium venue like the PNE Coliseum.
BC folk singer Ben Rogers opened the show and kept things simple and crisp. His set was short and sweet, showcasing a good mix of songs from his latest album Wildfire, released earlier this year.
British soul singer Jacob Banks was up next, wooing the crowd with his smooth, mesmerizing voice. The climax of his set was an electrifying cover of Coldplay’s “Fix you” that had the whole stadium singing along.
The lights dimmed at almost exactly 9pm and the crowd began to cheer as Dallas Green and his band started their set. They opened with “Astronaut” and “Strangers,” two tracks from the recently released A Pill for Loneliness, the ensemble’s first full length album in four years.
It was a few songs in before Green first addressed the crowd, and these interactions were what made for a memorable evening. He’s every bit as open in the moment as he is when writing lyrics, offering a connection with the audience that can be hard to achieve at larger venues.
Those in attendance on November 9th made their appreciation known, and Green acknowledged them, graciously.
“No Problem, bud!” one fan shouted back, enthusiastically.
By this time most of the stadium was on their feet and Green took the opportunity to play some songs acoustically while the rest of the band took a short break. Just a man, his guitar, and a handful of heartfelt songs was a brilliant way to keep things moving during a show that was mostly mid-tempo.
When the band exited the stage several songs later, the crowd responded with the kind of enthusiasm and unity reminiscent of Queen’s classic “We Will Rock You.”
Green returned to the stage several minutes later, obviously out of breath. “I had to go pee and the bathroom was far away,” he apologized. Following that he called on the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” to Tricia of Live Nation. Of course, everyone obliged. Those are the kinds of things that endear Green to his fans and make the show feel very personable.
The highlight for me was probably a little earlier in the show when he sang “Lover Come Back.” Again, he asked everyone to sing along, and the chorus seemed to sum up the evening, it felt a little bit like we were singing it just for him. It’s been a while since Dallas Green has played Vancouver in this capacity and it was clear he was missed and will always be welcomed back.
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