Given that life as we know it is pretty much back to normal now (thankfully), I really don’t like to toss around words such as pandemic and Covid-19, lest they conjure up negative images of what we all had to endure as the second quarter of 2020 rolled around. A little over five years have now passed since the great reset, but while many still bear a grudge for the inconveniences this caused, for others – me included – it encouraged us to use our coping mechanisms to navigate those turbulent times and find positivity amidst the storm.
When your coping mechanism is music, and you find yourself free of the constraints from no tunes being played whilst in an at-office environment, the work-from-home phase of the pandemic meant almost uninterrupted radio airplay all day long. But still, even having my favorite SXM radio stations playing away, there remained a search for a beacon of hope – of finding a song so cling on to, one that could pull us through. For me, that moment (as I’m I’ve referenced before) came courtesy of Toronto-based musician Julian Taylor.
Having followed the career of Julian Taylor since discovering his potent brand of rock and soul music back in 2017, my own personal beacon of hope resulted from Julian’s surprise shift to the Americana genre in April 2020 (okay, make that almost-surprise shift, given that he dabbled a little on his 2019 “Avalanche” album). The song that became the proverbial rock I could cling to was “The Ridge” – one that never even registered as being a Julian Taylor composition until the radio display told me otherwise – and one I promptly sought to write about here for GDW, stating “with the release of his brand new single … I openly admit that nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to hear upon that first listen.” A true Americana gem, “The Ridge” became that rock! Julian became a savior! And the dark path being travelled finally had reassuring hints of light emanating in the distance.
Touring here in the US supporting Matt Andersen, Julian made his debut performance at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA back on Mother’s Day – and when one of our favorite artists happens to be at one of our favorite ‘local’ venues, wild horses could not keep us away. “Good evening, everyone. How are you,” Julian offered after settling into his spot on the stage, his acoustic guitar in hand. “I’m on the road with Matt and his crew and we’re having a lovely time. Thanks for coming to the show tonight.” He would launch immediately into “Back Again,” and over the course of a thirty-minute set, would add some of his recent popular singles and even reinterpret an earlier tune in this solo-acoustic Americana style.
I’d like to believe that Julian performed “The Ridge” just for me – knowing that we were in the room – but of course, this popular hit is shared at almost all his shows. “This song is about a time in my life that was so precious and dear. It shaped pretty much who I am today,” he offered prior to the song. “There’s a little town called Maple Ridge in British Columbia on the west coast of Canada, and that’s where my grandparents live. And my sister and I used to get shipped out there every summer to spend time with them, and they had this beautiful plot of land … but I realized it’s not the place, it’s the people in that space that make that.”
We’ve been to enough shows at Jammin’ Java to know that the crowd are dedicated music fans, and it brought smiles to our faces to see how quickly Julian discovered this too. Always happy to engage with the audience, he encouraged the room to sing harmonies in no time, notably during “Wide Awake” and “SEEDS.” “You guys are amazing, thank you for singing with me” he would share midway through the latter. “You have no idea how much it means to me. I think singing together is everything. It’s one of the most important things that people can do with each other.”
I can learn to live with the knowledge that “The Ridge” was not performed just for me, but Julian really had me second guessing about unintentional dedications when he opted to perform “Bobbi Champagne,” a highlight cut found on his 2016 “Desert Star” album that he knows is a favorite of mine. He would double down with a couple of ‘firsts’ too – performing the song in this solo-acoustic format (the crowd once again eager to add their voices when prompted), and secondly, sharing a previously unheard (by us) tale of the song’s origins.
“I’m going to play you a song about the girl I didn’t get! She had the coolest name in the world. Her name was Bobbi Champagne,” he shared – the audience hanging on every word. “Yeah, every girl with a name like Bobbi Champagne should have a song about her, don’t you think? I honestly have no idea what she was like. I just had a crush on her, so I didn’t have anything to write about until one day I was at this cabin party working, and it was four in the morning, and don’t ask me what happened, but I did fall into the bonfire by accident. But the next morning, the song had written itself.” “I said what’s your name / She said I’m Bobbi Champagne / Like a moth to the flame / I fell into the fire.”
Closing with his recent single, “Weighing Down,” Julian concluded a solid opening set (we honestly expected nothing less) and earned plenty of newfound fans in the process. As he wrapped up “SEEDS” mid-set, I could not fail to notice a young lady nearby lean towards her partner to tell him that this was one of the most beautiful songs she had ever heard. That certainly tugged at my heartstrings, as did hearing both “The Ridge” and “Bobbi Champagne” during this abbreviated set. It was so good to catch up with Julian once again (our fourth time since 2023), and while I’ve never told him in person, I’m forever grateful for that well-timed shift into the world of Americana music – and for creating such amazing music that helped steer me through those crazy pandemic days.
Set List:
- Back Again
- The Ridge
- Wide Awake
- SEEDS
- Bobbi Champagne
- Weighing Down
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.
