JULIAN TAYLOR BAND - LIVE AT TD MUSIC HALL

Released: Friday December 6, 2024

Label: Howling Turtle

Julian released ‘The Ridge’ in June 2020, which I think of as the ‘oh shit’ moment of the pandemic, when it was becoming clear that life as we knew it was over. But his songs about love, wanderlust and a nostalgic look back at childhood struck a chord with people stuck at home. Someone wrote on his BandCamp page that ‘The Ridge is a journey taken from the inside like a beautiful and private moment.’ and I think that sums it up beautifully. The success of the album, particularly the song ‘Ballad of a Young Troubadour’, catapulted Julian into the consciousness of the the folk and Americana communities, but with the exception of a handful of livestream appearances, touring would have to wait. There was one surreal trip I made with Julian to Nashville in 2021 to perform at Americanafest. Leaving our COVID restricted world, where being a polite Canadian meant wearing a mask all the time, and arriving in a place where it seemed that the pandemic had never/was not happening was shocking.

As the world opened up, I took a break from touring so I could focus on my other professional responsibilities, which was managing a production company that had been effectively paused for two years and get ready to deliver on some major commitments, like the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, several festivals and new clients who needed support after their traditional providers hadn’t managed to survive the pandemic.

I don’t think I’m exaggerating to say that up to that point, I’d played 90% of the shows JT had ever played, starting way back in Grade 11 at North Toronto Collegiate Institute. But my pause, and his newfound (and well-earned) popularity saw him take on a ridiculously busy touring schedule, and the opportunity to play with new people in new combinations.

When I got back behind the kit with J in the fall of 2023, in many ways it felt like I’d never left, but it was clear that he and the rest of the band had been honing their chops and were playing at a level that was really exciting for me. The band had also become leaner - it was a now a 4 piece, and Julian really embraced the rhythm/lead combination: something that only a few guitarists have ever done really well.

When this show was announced, I assumed that it would be a showcase of the new, leaner band. But JT had different a different idea: he wanted to play the songs live as faithful to the recorded versions as possible, which meant inviting many of the musicians who played on the two records to perform. Although the stage at TD Music Hall is a good size, by the time positions for two keys stations (including a Leslie), multiple guitar stations, a pedal steel and two backup singers were determined, there wasn’t much room left.

Doug McKendrick, who is Vice President of Production at Massey and Roy Thomson Hall, and who happens to be a great friend and the old Staggered Crossing soundguy, had managed to have a world-class recording studio installed during the renovation of what was to become the Allied Music Centre. This included a rack of 48 Neve preamps, and wiring that meant that in theory, they could be used anywhere in the building. Fortunately for us, Doug wanted to use the show as an opportunity to test drive this new capability.

I’m so glad he did, because not only is he a wonderful recording and mix engineer, but because he saw that this show would be worth preserving for posterity. As far as I know, the notion of releasing it wasn’t discussed until Doug shared the first mixes, and it was clear that he had captured a magical moment.

Legend has it that this was the first time that TD Music Hall had been sold out. There was a lot of love in the room - I saw people I hadn’t seen in years, but for me, sitting behind the kit playing with people I love for people I love is as good as anything gets. I feel very fortunate that a snapshot of that exists.