Colin Reviews – Bywater Call

While there’s certainly no denying the sheer power of Bywater Call on disc, nothing approaches the absolute joy of watching this band from the crowded comfort of a noisy club. Bywater Call are always a party. With a style that encompasses rock, soul, and R&B, and a grooving horn section, they always manage to get at least some of the crowd up and dancing, the truth is that all seven members of the band play a role in forging irresistible upbeat sounds. Their set encompasses both originals and a couple of covers that dig deep into the history of music, figures like Stephen Stills’ Love The One Your With and fellow Canadian’s The Band with a masterful interpretation of The Weight that has become a staple of the band’s set list.

There’s one thing worth saying about these rockers from Toronto: These guys work for it, nearly two hours of take no prisoners showmanship where their jamming displayed an obvious camaraderie on stage. Every inch of the compact stage was packed with the seven-piece band and their numerous instruments. The duo of horn players made up of Stephen Dyte (trumpet) and Julian Nalli (tenor sax) were crisp and tight and although they might have been tucked away in the corner, certainly made their presence known picking up a lot of steam and punch as the show moved along. The energy in the room was palpable both among the audience and the band. Powerhouse vocalist Meghan Parnell engaged with the crowd between songs, often responding with self-deprecating humour as she tussled with her off-the-shoulder dress which was greeted by huge cheers and applause.

Sweet Maria was one of the funkier Southern rock style songs played, David Barnes slide guitar playing was almost understated yet simmering and the crowd got involved singing along with the chorus and enjoyed some enthusiastic hand clapping. Every song performed tonight was ridiculously good, Everybody Knows is a high-energy anthem with 70’s flourishes showcasing the inescapable fact that Meghan has one of the best vocal deliveries that simply soars, she is without question up there with the all-time great vocalists!

When you see a band on stage thoroughly enjoying themselves, it is contagious. Throughout their performance, they genuinely looked like a group of friends just having a fun time, jamming with each other as they continued building the arrangements that gave the songs a captivating vibrancy. One thing is certain, Bywater Call give one hell of a performance.

COLIN PALMER