Photos and a review of BTO, April Wine, and The Headpins in Ottawa
[Zachary Resnick and Melody Maloney were dispatched to cover a trip bill of classic Canadian rock. – AC]
A trifecta of classic Canadian rock bands kicked off the weekend by blowing the doors off of The Arena at TD Place. The Ottawa stop on BTO’s Back in Overdrive 2025 tour brought fans together from all over the city, and though the skies were grey, spirits were bright inside the venue.
Fans were first treated to an opening act one-two punch of high-energy Canadiana to set the evening’s tone. The Headpins were first out on the stage, eager to make good on their claim of being ‘the loudest band ever to come from Canada.’
Though it was only a six-tune set, the band was electric, with lead vocalist Kat Lawrence belting it out and high-kicking all over the stage during an especially raucous rendition of “Don’t It Make Ya Feel.” There was even time for a brief yet heartfelt tribute to late founding member and guitarist Brian “Too Loud” MacLeod when his trusty red Strat was brought out to play “Just One More Time.”
After an on-screen intro from none other than Bubbles, Julian, and Ricky – the titular Trailer Park Boys, for those not in the know – April Wine took the stage sounding as sharp as I’ve ever heard them. Exploding out of the smoke following the signature train bell, the band erupted into a pulse-pounding rendition of “Oowatanite” that had the crowd screaming with joy.
April Wine’s setlist could be described as the Greatest Hits of their Greatest Hits, including their most popular covers like “You Could’ve Been a Lady” and a hard and fast delivery of “Sign of the Gypsy Queen,” which earned the band their biggest pop of the night.
But there was also time enough for another tribute, this time to late founder-singer-guitarist-songwriter Myles Goodwyn, when his Gibson was brought out to play “Just Between You and Me.” After the final riff of “Roller,” the band walked off-stage to the second standing ovation of the night.
And then, it was time for the main event. The current iteration of Bachman-Turner Overdrive took to the stage opening with “Take It Like a Man,” and as the lights went up, Randy Bachman was front and centre. His fingers nimbly navigating the strings of his guitar, his voice strong and clear. Not bad for 81 years of age.
The set continued with a varied selection of songs from BTO’s 52-year catalogue, like the slower, folksy version of “Rock Is My Life, and This Is My Song,” before moving into a block of fan favorites from The Guess Who that had the crowd standing, swaying, and singing along – “These Eyes,” “Laughing,” “Undun,” “No Sugar Tonight,” and more, with strong vocals from Tal Bachman and Lance Lapointe both.
Speaking of Tal, he snuck in a cheeky version of his 1999 pop hit “She’s So High,” which absolutely delighted all in attendance. KoKo Bachman simply dominated on the drums all set, and it was a treat to see the husband-wife duo on stage together, doing what they love.
The whole band was on, and it was palpable. In fact, if I had to nitpick (and I don’t, but I will) the only point that I could possibly dock was their mics might have been a bit too hot, leading to moments where BTO sounded just a bit muddier than their opening acts.
After closing the main set out with the back-to-back hits “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” and “Roll On Down the Highway,” BTO left the stage amidst the night’s third standing ovation before returning for an encore consisting of a sing-along medley, followed by a definitive rendition of “Takin’ Care of Business.”
The show wasn’t just fun, it was earnest, profound, and sincere. It reminded me why I fell in love with these songs and acts in the first place. The crowd filed out of Landsdowne all smiles and warmth, chatting amicably with each other as they strolled down Bank street. With all the talk of uniting Canadians these days, it’s good to remember that our musicians have had that talent all along.
