Search - Stampeders :: Backstage Pass

Underrated Canuck band at its best

Francis King | Calgary, AB, Canada | 05/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Toronto-based Stampeders -- guitarist/singer Rich Dodson, bassist/singer Ronnie King and drummer/singer Kim Berly -- has always been something of a two-headed monster. On one hand the band made its name with such sweet pop songs as Carry Me, Sweet City Woman and Oh My Lady. On the other hand, it can, and often did, turn up the volume with rockers like Wild Eyes and Ramona. Of course, that made it hard to figure out just what kind of band the Stampeders were (and still are, by the way), and that hurt their career. Backstage Pass, recorded in 1974 at the Ontario Place Forum in Toronto (a free venue since replaced by a big, expensive outdoor shed) featured the band at its rocking best. Amidst the sound of screaming female fans, King, Berly and Dodson showed they were capable of surprisingly intricate arrangements. I'm thinking particularly of Marigold, with its stops and starts, and In The Shadows. Balancing that were good-time party songs like Devil You and King's take on Blue Suede Shoes. By the way, this reissue features four bonus tracks, including a 10-minute singalong of Sweet City Woman. It's been a long wait for this fine recording to come out on CD, but definitely worth it."