The Review

Colin Linden: Simply Amazing!!!

Saturday, January 31st, 2009: There was no mistaking that those who attended the Victoria Blues Society's presentation of Colin Linden at Sopranos on Thursday January 29th were in the presence of a true guitar master. While the word 'master' is sometimes overused or misinterpreted, in Colin's case it is truly an understatement.

Apart from being a most personable and approachable man, Colin is so truly intimate with the guitar that his first set held the enthusiastic audience in their seats, knowing that it was going to get even better in the second set.

After the brief intermission, Colin really got down to business of revealing the songs from his latest CD offering "From the Water" and the audience was virtually glued to their seats not wanting to miss a second of this amazing presentation they were witnessing and not wanting to move for any reason.

It seemed all too soon that the second set was coming to a close, but the audience kept up their applauses through Colin's licks and it was clear and confirmed by his manager Todd Littlefield that "Colin ate it up", he was having a great time too. 

After the 'last' song of the second set was played the audience rose and gave a thundering applause and kept it up until Colin once again took the Sopranos stage to play several more of his tunes, and then the end came once more, but the audience was unable to curb their enthusiasm and 'the Master' once again appeared and did so for a total of four fabulous encores and he then closed the gig off with some incredible Howlin' Wolf licks that finished the evening off with everyone leaving with amazing smiles of satisfaction on their faces. They had witnessed something very special indeed.

Locally well-known axeman Al Sabourin of 'Ear Candy', who was playing at his own gig that night in Nanaimo and couldn't make Colin's performance, summed the gig's feedback well after his Friday night gig at Bart's... "Everyone who came to my gig last night said it was incredible.... I missed a great show".

If there was any question, and there certainly shouldn't be, as to how good a 7 time recipient of a Juno Award really is, this was put to rest, and my comments of 'simply amazing' on the event poster are on key.... he simply was!

After the show Colin said, "I had a wonderful time playing for the Blues Society.  They were so obviously into the blues and they seemed so into supporting all different takes on the music. The audience was great and the Blues Society members were great to work with.  I really look forward to going back"

Doug Willoughby - VBS Director and Webscribe

Photos by Susan Kerr of Equimotion Pictures

For more on Colin Linden visit his web locations at www.colinlinden.com and http://profile.myspace.com/colinlinden