Jann Arden returned to London’s Budweiser Gardens this past Saturday (May 28, 2022) and the Forest City crowd was thrilled to see her again – as thrilled as she seemed to be there.
Jann is known for having a great sense of humor and terrific rapport with her audience. This night was no exception, with Jann telling personal stories between songs that were enlightening, honest and almost always funny in some way. She talked about escaping to the basement in her family’s home to avoid her alcoholic father and discovering vinyl records and an acoustic guitar saying that even when things are bad, good things can happen.
At one point before a song she joked to the crowd that she was going to do a 70 minute version of Snowbird. She also joked that bands like Metallica probably write songs that start out sounding like hers but then someone says, “Hey, let’s f***ing speed this up!” She then, in her typical fashion, apologized for swearing.
Everyone who’s a fan of Jann loves her for not just her great musical talent but for being authentic. You just can’t help but love her.
There was no opening act but there was no need for one. At 23 songs long including the hits Insensitive, Could I Be Your Girl, Good Mother, plus a couple covers and some music from her 15th and newest studio album Descendant, it was a full two hour show. The stage and lighting was exquisite and there was a large video screen that showed highlights of the seven time Juno winner’s career to start the show as well as video to accompany several songs.
It was a good night with one of Canada’s favorite daughters.
Jann Arden
Budweiser Gardens – London, ON
May 28, 2022
Setlist:
- Thing for You
- Where No One Knows Me
- Insensitive
- Descendant
- Shooting Horses
- Try a Little Tenderness (Otis Redding cover)
- You Don’t Know Me (Eddy Arnold cover)
- Was I Ever 13
- I Just Don’t Love You Anymore
- I Would Die for You
- The Sound Of
- Loving You Is Like A Job
- Believe (Cher cover)
- Calling God
- Kitchen Window
- The Devil Won
- Simply the Best (Tina Turner cover)
- All the Little Things
- Unloved
- Could I Be Your Girl
- Good Mother
Encores:
- Steady On
- Counting Mercies
All photos by Dan Boshart (27th Floor Photography)