We continue to bring you a selection of rapid recaps from our recent adventures at Tall Pines Music & Arts Festival in Gravenhurst, ON – and focus today on another Friday afternoon performer, Jerry Leger & the Situation – who rocked the main stage with an impressive set.
It was just twelve months ago when we last had the pleasure of enjoying a solo show by Jerry (accompanied by bassist Dan Mock), so this opportunity to relive his retro folk-rock riffs again was another contributing factor convincing us to attend this festival. Better yet, Jerry had his band, ‘The Situation,’ in tow this time around, allowing us to see another side of his stage persona. Joined once again by Dan Mock (bass), the quartet was rounded out by Kyle Sullivan (drums) and keyboard extraordinaire Alan Zemaitis.
Performing 8 tunes, Jerry was happy to draw upon material from across both his solo and band recordings, dipping back as far as 2014 to share “Factory Made” from his “Early Riser” album. Of course, his recent “Nothing Pressing” material was well represented; the band opening the show with “Kill it with Kindness,” and adding “With Only You” and the tongue-in-cheek crowd-pleaser, “Have You Ever Been Happy” at various intervals. And with the recent release of his digital “The Time Flew By” EP just a few months back, Jerry opted to rock a “Mean Payola.”
I have confessed in the past about being a late arrival to Jerry’s music (and still thank those good friends for their hearty recommendations – they know who they are), and became an immediate fan when first hearing his 2019 “Time Out for Tomorrow” album. Still earning regular spins here at home, it was amazing to hear the band perform both “Justine,” and “Read Between the Lines” from this record – the latter being the powerhouse of a closing number on the Tall Pines stage.
Jerry was another invitee to the smaller stage as part of the sponsored Cottage Comfort Series, performing a selection of tunes solo, with just his acoustic guitar this time around. Leading off with “Underground Blues,” he would follow with “Ticket Bought,” from his pandemic-inspired “Songs from the Apartment” album, and add his 2020 standalone single “Halfway ‘Til Gone,” one originally recorded as a collaboration with Don Stevenson (Moby Grape). With a solid set of tunes delivered on both stages, Jerry (as expected) proved a great addition to the festival lineup.
Set List:
- Kill It With Kindness
- Mean Payola
- Justine
- With Only You
- Factory Made
- Wait A Little Longer
- Have You Ever Been Happy?
- Read Between The Lines
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
