Kathleen Edwards: Raw, Resilient, Radiant

On Saturday, November 23rd, Vancouverites braved miserable November conditions and cozied into the Biltmore Cabaret shoulder-to-shoulder for an intimate, sold-out show in enthusiastic support of Kathleen Edwards. Folk-singer songwriter Ken Yates opened, churning out smooth, levity-soaked (dashed with a sprinkling of existential dread) melodies.

The opener, “Glenfern” (from her last full-length album, Total Freedom,) deftly showcased Edwards’ distinctive fusion of hinterland rock and alt-country. Edwards ‘nearly two-hour set was replete with allusions to the Horseshoe Tavern, Richard’s on Richards, and Canada’s perennially heckled hockey franchise (“The Leafs Still Suck”). The enthusiastic crowd reveled in the familiar shout-outs and sang along to the lion's share of songs. In less capable hands, the localisms and hockey roasts may be interpreted as saccharine tropes of stereotypical Canadiana. Edwards’ nearly 25-year track record of producing songs of verve, vulnerability, caustic wit, and resilience, however, ensures that her songwriting, sound, and stage presence are enduringly cliche-proof.

Atmospheric shifts were palpable among the otherwise spirited Biltmore audience when Edwards, joined by Yates, sang a stripped-down version of “Asking for Flowers”. The track was dripping with gravitas, and spotlit Edwards' dreamy, powerful, unaffected voice. From there, Edwards covered John Prine’s “Hello in There”, a rendition so rousing that an audience member, undone by emotion, crumpled to his knees during the cover.

Overall, Edwards’ set at the Biltmore was a joyful testament to her constancy as an artist beloved for her buoyant melodies, lyrical candour, and magnanimous stage presence. Vancouverites cannot wait for her return.

SETLIST BELOW:

Glenfern

Empty Threat

Who Rescued Who

A Soft Place to Land

Hello in There [John Prine cover]

Chameleon/Comedian

Six O'Clock News

Hockey Skates

12 Bellevue

Little Red Ranger (The Leafs Still Suck)

Burn The Cedar, Burn The Sage