In 2005, Dallas Green originally created City and Colour as a side project while his main focus was playing guitar for Alexisonfire. He released his debut album in 2005 and has since released six more including his latest, A Pill For Loneliness, which guides this current tour. City and Colour is probably most well-known for “The Girl” (which we get to later). Green’s passion for writing sad songs about love and life come together perfectly in his music. This month, they’re playing 14 cities across Canada this November as well as heading to Europe in February 2020. Victoria was the first stop on Friday, November 8th as they start to make their way east to Halifax at the end of the month.
For this tour, Green brought along BC singer-songwriter Ben Rogers and British R&B singer Jacob Banks as the supporting acts who did not disappoint. Jacob Banks, originally from the UK, had an entirely different feel compared to City and Colour. It was refreshing, soulful and captivating. Near the end of his set, Banks and his band performed “Slow Up” and everyone in the arena simultaneously turned on their flashlights and swayed their arms. The entire room was in perfect harmony and at that moment there was nothing possibly more peaceful. For Banks, “Chainsmoking” was another standout performance. His voice was raspy with an unforgettable timbre. The slow, groovy guitar riff forced you to move your body or tap your foot whether you wanted to or not. His short set certainly persuaded me to check out more of his music.
Half an hour later, City and Colour made their entrance. Green rocked a hat, matching the aesthetic of the classic West Coast tattooed musician. They opened with “Astronaut,” which featured glittery guitars, soft vocals, and created the best atmosphere to get us pumped for the show. One of the heavier songs from the set, “Fragile Bird,” was another early crowd-pleaser. It was instantly recognizable, catchy, and had everyone swaying in unison.
An unexpected crowd favourite was “Lover Come Back” as everyone soulfully sang “lover come back, lover come back to me” with Green. There was one song in particular that I was excited about which Green left for their encore (and almost left me heartbroken). “The Girl” is inarguably Green’s most popular song to date. As soon as I saw Green by himself with his acoustic guitar, I knew it was time. The lights turned pink and red, and my heart grew three times its normal size. I yelled every word and Green did not fail me.
The final song worth mentioning is “We Found Each Other in the Dark.” The soothing “we’re gonna live, we’re gonna live” repetition paired with the slow, peaceful sound of Green’s acoustic guitar was an excellent way to end the show in Victoria.