(Hamilton, ON) – As The Tea Party winds down the Canadian leg of The Edges of Twilight 20th Anniversary Tour let me take you back two weeks ago on September 16th when the band played Hamilton Place Theatre.
This will not be your typical show review but more of a recap of the entire night. Having known the band since their 1993 debut, Splendor Solis, I was honored and privileged to be invited by drummer Jeff Burrows as a special guest to cover their Hamilton stop for the VIP sound check, main concert and after show festivities.
VIP PRE-SHOW / MEET AND GREET…
The night began just shortly after 5:00 p.m. with about 40 other Tea Party fans who paid $149 each for a VIP package (being offered on the Canadian tour for each venue). The package included:
- One premium ticket to the concert
- Exclusive pre-show acoustic performance and sound check
- Photo with the band
- Commemorative VIP laminate
- Tea Party t-shirt
- Autographed copy of the newly re-mastered Edges of Twilight album
As fans arrived they were given their merchandise (the autographed CDs were not available and fans were told they’d be mailed out). Shortly after, everyone lined up to meet The Tea Party and get their pictures taken with the band. Seeing as I was an invited guest I waited till the end to get my photo taken with them.
Next up was the sound check inside the venue. It was my first time at Hamilton Place. A great looking venue which hosted many great concerts and would be hosting ex-Guns ‘N Roses guitarist Slash in less than a week. But tonight was The Tea Party‘s night. It wouldn’t be long before the venue would fill up with more fans for the main show. But for now it was just The Tea Party and 40 or so excited fans.
Jeff Martin explains that for this sound check they will be playing just partial songs, to make sure everything is up to par for the main performance later on. Fans sat and watched and were allowed to photograph with point and shoot cameras and cell phones.
Once the band hashed out some kinks and played some partial songs the sound check ended. The band thanked everyone for coming out. Fans had to clear out of the venue and be back in less than two hours for the main show at 8:00 p.m. This was the perfect time to grab a bite to eat.
Here are a few photos from sound check:
*** For the FULL gallery of The Tea Party‘s VIP sound check in Hamilton CLICK HERE. ***
SHOW TIME…
Just after 8:00 p.m. Jeff Martin, Jeff Burrows and Stuart Chatwood hit the stage with an enthusiastic crowd and started right into the first song off The Edges of Twilight with Fire In the Head and continued with The Bazaar, Correspondences and The Badger. All 12 songs from the album were played right to the final track Walk With Me.
After a short intermission The Tea Party came back for the second set of the night which consisted of five songs from other releases: The Writings On the Wall off Seven Cirlces (2004), the title track off their last studio album, The Ocean At the End (2014), Heaven Coming Down off Triptych (1999), Save Me off Splendor Solis (1993) and the encore Temptation off Transmission (1997).
Throughout the night, singer Jeff Martin told stories. The band had great interaction with each other and sounded amazing! The band’s influences came out a few times during the night mixing The Rolling Stones‘ Paint It Black into Sister Awake, The Doors’ L.A. Woman into Coming Home and Led Zeppelin‘s Kashmir into Save Me. It was during the latter song Martin and Chatwood got down on their knees and played their guitars facing Burrows – a true sign of their camaraderie and respect for each other both as a band and as friends.
The Tea Party was in great form and proved once again why they are one of Canada’s top bands! A definite MUST SEE for any music fan!
Here are some photos from The Tea Party‘s Hamilton show:
*** For complete gallery of the show please CLICK HERE. ***
THE AFTER SHOW…
Usually after a concert there is what is known as “The After Show” where family and friends of the band gather backstage to unwind, have a few drinks and basically just hang out and talk for a bit.
A long-time friend of The Tea Party and fellow concert photographer Joseph (AKA Joseph Nailhead), brought in a cake commemorating the 20th Anniversary for The Edges of Twilight. The cake was enjoyed by everyone in the room, including the band!
It was a great ending to a great night!
Here are some photos from the after show:
A special thanks to The Tea Party for an amazing night and a BIG THANK YOU to Jeff Burrows for setting this all up for me!
The Tea Party really know how to take care of family, friends and fans!
The Edges of Twilight 20th Anniversary tour continues in November when the band travels to Australia.
For more information or to connect with The Tea Party online go to: (Website) (Facebook) (Twitter)
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Great review, love the high-quality photos – I was at the Toronto, ON performance at Massey Hall. 4th row seating. Incredible show, one of the finest performances I have seen. Already looking forward to next time!
Thank you Phil and good luck!
Take a ‘Walk with me’ cause I’m ‘Coming home!’ — Love, love, love this band. Amazing guys 🙂 Amazing show too.
Thank you Erica and good luck!
Great review! The Tea Party show was phenomenal! Great energy….Love this band!
Thank you Dianna and good luck!
Great write up and solid shots, thanks for sharing man! These three mugs have been my fav band since day dot. I’ve seen them a few times, but the best experience was being invited to join a random dude that posted on the TPP’s Facebook page that he had a spare ticket to the 2012 Sydney acoustic show and the first person to comment on the post got the ticket, I was checking out their page as it popped up. CHICHING! WIN! The dude (now a solid mate) was also a budding Photographer and noticed ive been shooting for years and mentioned he had already contacted the venue about camera gear allowed and was told anything goes. We were first in and set up straight at front of stage! As pay back I let him use my gear and tutored him through the night. We were both in awe at the chance. Some of my fondest shots to date were had! BEST NIGHT EVER!
Here’s a link to the shots for anyone thats keen to check them out, sharing is caring!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.404837066215186.93869.200873639944864&type=1&l=d77fbba549
LONG LIVE THE TEA PARTY!
I was there in spirit with Joseph Nailhead. My 11th TTP was in Waterloo a few days before the Hamilton show. Although I was 2 hours away from the Hammer, I felt like I was right there with everyone..
Nice review and fabulous pics
🙂
Still think the River is a classic song! Recall seeing them years ago in Thunder Bay playing Crocks N Rolls (bar) and they destroyed the place! Great band,.glad there still at it!
Good Luck!
the most amazing thing about these guys is they never look down on the old home town. Mr Burrows does so much for charity locally. they play here as often as they are able, not many bands return home as much. let us hope these guys play until they can play no more
Thanks Ric and good luck!
Awesome Pics and article!
Thank you Norma!
Love this band – I live in the Detroit area but missed them when they stopped in Windsor this time but will NEVER MISS THEM AGAIN! Great article & Sister Awake is the greatest !
Love the photos! My husband and I flew in from Boston for the Toronto show – amazing!
Great article, being from Windsor and knowing the members of the Tea Party for over 30 years it is awesome to see their global success!
I saw the show in Winnipeg on the 21st with my BFF. I have to say, we have been to many Tea Party shows, but this was probably one of THE best. The guys were 100% in sync with each other, and they seemed to be having one heck of a great time. We were able to get up to the stage during the second half of the show, and I have to say, watching all of you play up close and personal was mesmerizing….I will most definitely be at the next show with my BFF, of course!
Great review, awesome pix. I saw them years ago so I know what I’ve missed, and that’s a lot.
Hope they visit Europe next year
Great review of the show! Amazing pics too! What a great tour too! The Edges of Twilight is one of my desert island albums! I was stoked to see this tour and the re-relase of the album!
Yes I ‘would do it all again’ in November when The Tea Party hit Australia …. Can’t wait!!!