If you grew up on 90s rock, the lineup at Canadian Tire Centre last night probably reads like a snapshot of your old CD wallet. +LIVE+ brought their Like A Rolling Thunder Tour to Ottawa with special guests—and Canadian rock staples—Econoline Crush and Big Wreck. It was a night built for nostalgia but delivered with the energy and precision of bands who still have plenty left in the tank.
Econoline Crush: A 30-Year Flashback
Econoline Crush kicked things off with a short, punchy set that transported me straight back to my college years. It’s wild to think it’s been nearly 30 years since I last saw them in North Bay—if memory serves, it was at a little pub called The Shark Tank in the late 90s. And here I am decades later, still rocking out to EC, now with a son preparing for his own college journey this fall.
Their seven‑song, 30‑minute set was tight and familiar. Trever Hurst wasted no time rolling through some of their biggest hits, including “All That You Are (X3)”, “My Luck Is Wasted”, and “Sparkle and Shine”, while also giving us a taste of their newest single, “New Gold Magic”. Short, nostalgic, and exactly the right way to start the night.
Big Wreck: A Freight Train of a Set
Another band that defined my college soundtrack was Big Wreck. I’ll never forget cramming into The Wall—the tiny campus pub at Canadore College / Nipissing University—to see what was then one of the most promising new rock bands of the decade. Eight albums later, Big Wreck has become a pillar of Canadian rock.
Most of their Ottawa stops over the years have been at more intimate venues like Algonquin Commons Theatre or Bronson Centre. Their only previous appearance at Canadian Tire Centre was back in 2013, opening for Mötley Crüe. So seeing them on the big stage again felt long overdue.
Ian Thornley and the band came out swinging with a nine‑song set that never let up. Opening with The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted)—a song most bands would save for the encore—set the tone immediately. From there, it was a freight train of riffs and nostalgia: “Locomotive”, “Bombs Away”, Thornley’s “Come Again”, and their newest single “Dog With a Gun” from The Rest of the Story, released last October.
They closed with a powerhouse trio: “Albatross”, “Blown Wide Open”, and “That Song”. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Big Wreck over the last 30 years, but last night’s performance was easily one of their best. They sounded incredible and looked completely at home on the arena stage. For me, they may have been the highlight of the night.
+LIVE+: A Long-Awaited Return
I’ve always been a huge fan of LIVE. Back in 2017, seeing them at Ottawa Bluesfest—on my birthday, no less—felt like a dream come true. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. As a fan, I was crushed; as a music reviewer, I was gifted the greatest headline imaginable when lightning literally crashed the show three songs in.
They returned in 2019 for CityFolk, but I couldn’t make it out that year. So this was my first real chance to see them—and once again, the universe tried to interfere. Thankfully, luck held out this time.
The show opened with a sheer curtain hanging in front of a massive screen, the word LIVE glowing through. As the band launched into “Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition)”, the curtain dropped and the time machine began. Ed Kowalczyk described the night as a journey through time, and that’s exactly what it became.
Ed’s voice remains the unmistakable core of LIVE, but the band around him deserves full credit. Zak Loy on lead guitar and Johnny Radelat on drums were rock solid, but the standout for me was bassist Pat Seals (formerly of Flyleaf). If you muted the sound and just watched him, you’d swear you were at a metal show—pure rockstar energy.
The setlist spanned their entire catalogue, from Throwing Copper classics to their unreleased single “Leave the Radio On”. Fans were treated to “Freaks”, “All Over You”, “Run to the Water”, “The Dolphin’s Cry”, “Overcome”, “I Alone”, and even “Horse”, the secret track from Throwing Copper. Ed even returned in full western gear—cowboy hat included—for that one.
They closed the night with the song that put them on the map: “Lightning Crashes”. After everything—from storms to scheduling conflicts—it felt like the perfect full‑circle moment.
A Perfect Start to the Weekend
I couldn’t imagine a better way to kick off the weekend than with this trip down memory lane. Three bands that shaped the soundtrack of my youth, all delivering performances that proved they’re still as powerful as ever.
The Like A Rolling Thunder Tour continues tonight in London before heading east to Oshawa on Monday, then into Quebec—where The Damn Truth will replace Big Wreck—and finally wrapping up in the Maritimes on March 14. For tickets, visit livetheband.com.
