If, after browsing, you decide you like my page, 

you're welcome to vote for me by clicking on the TOP 50 link:

Well here I am Tuesday night, and still unable to speak. I think the damage to my vocal chords occurred even before Melissa strummed her first chord to Lucky at about 8:15 PM at Salle Wilfred Pelletier at Place Des Arts in Montreal. 

I was so pumped about seeing her for the first time in nearly 7 years.  The last tour we saw was for Breakdown. Even though we live in Montreal, we booked a hotel, chilled some champagne and for the first time in nearly 4 years we were about to spend a night without our nearly four year old daughter. Of course we hadn't planned for her to develop a fever on Friday night and cling to us like glue all day Saturday. Saturday required a trip to her doctor's office and a visit to a lab for a strep throat test. Thankfully the result was negative, but there was no question that she was not going to let us be gone for 24 hours. So we cancelled the hotel and headed downtown to the city at about 6:00 pm. My mom had the job of keeping the cranky little one entertained for a few hours before bed so that we could at least see the show. 

For Melissa's Lucky tour my dad stood in line for hours to get me primo seats, we had 2nd row center aisle which would have allowed us great access to the stage, this time however regardless of the hours I spent in line I was only able to get rows 10 & 11 in center (no aisle)
bummer so no access to the stage. I chose the centre seats for the best possible view, and I was not disappointed. Photos and videos will be uploaded to You Tube shortly.

There was a technical problem with the orchestra pit which not only delayed the start but caused a loss of three rows from the front (this was unfortunate for the people who lost their seats) and I also think the new set up caused some sound issues with the show, but it allowed
everyone else to be 3 rows closer to Melissa. So I was now in row 7 smack dab in the middle. 

There are no words to describe how good it was to see her healthy and so very happy, and of course genuinely content to be in Montreal. I was one of the "original" Montreal fans who saw her perform at the tail end of the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1988. She has fond memories of our city and says that this was the first "big" concert she ever played and it is where she got her first encore opening for Bruce Hornsby (although that wasn't when I saw her). 

Melissa was full of energy and passion as per usual, but she seemed to miss the proximity of the band who because of the glitch with the pit were about 8 - 10 feet further back than what she is used to, because of it, interaction with the audience was great, but with the guys, not quite as frequent or spontaneous.

Compared to some of the other reviews on this tour, our show seemed to be a little on the short side, only about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and I am quite disappointed to have not heard "Giant". Melissa is a humble and respectful and moral person, and Giant is the one song where I have ever heard her take credit for her honourable and moral points of view. I am sorry to have not heard her perform it on Saturday night. I as many many others at the show remained standing for the entire performance with the exception of her Piano solo The Letting Go. I thought about staying standing but then remembered the tickets were for Melissa Etheridge not Melissa Etheridge and Joyce Shanks, had I remained standing for the song, I would have been the only one in the whole theatre.

As with most of her shows she chatted quite liberally and honestly about all the hot topics, politics, being gay, global warming etc... She did give us here in Canada a thumbs up for our recognition of gay marriage and actually said that since the last Presidential Election in the US Canada had been looking better and better even though it was so far north. She said when she crossed the border, "Oh this is what it feels like to be free" .

I tried to remember to jot down the set list as we went along, and I think I go it all with the exception of one song, when Fritz, Mark and Phillip came to the front, I for the life of me can't remember what they played.

Here is the set list as I documented it, I do have photos and a couple videos from the camera which amazingly recorded quite well. I joined You Tube and when I get a bit of time I will get them uploaded, life is just a little crazy these days.

Lucky
If I Wanted To
No Souvenirs
I Want To Come Over
- False Start To Precious Pain - "Remind me, I'll come back to that in
a couple of songs"
You Can Sleep While I Drive
Similar Features
Precious Pain
Come To My Window
Angels Will Fall
- Biodiesel bus story about refueling in Troy New York in her sweat
pants when the entire family and half the town came out to thank her
for stopping. She only wished she had a matching shirt to her sweat
pants. -
I need To Wake Up
Silent Legacy
Scarecrow - Flight 93
The Letting Go - Piano Intro
Yes I Am
- Guys at the front for ?????
This Is Not Goodbye
I Run For Life
Kiss Me - is this the right title to the song?
Bring Me Some Water with individual solos for the Guys
I am The Only One
Piece of My Heart
- Encore
Like The Way I Do - 13 minute version
Keep It Precious

The show ended a little before 10:45 PM, I cried when it was over, so sad that the night came and went so quickly, I wish I had the time and the money to see a few more of the concerts on the tour but alas, child and family obligations are my priority. I enjoyed the show immensely and I'll keep watching the list for more reviews from the tour.

BTW the absolute worst part of the evening was trying to buy a shirt at the one puny kiosk with one person serving. It took more than 30 minutes to get served, and when I got our shirts, I was heartbroken to see that mine has got either paint of dye from other shirts all over it. Pretty sad to think a $ 40 dollar t-shirt can't be close to perfect. 

Hope you enjoyed the review.

Joyce Shanks