Hedley

Live Nation presents… Hedley in concert in WInnipeg, MB on March 17, 2012 at the MTS Centre with special guests Classified, Anjulie, and Kay.

With the night starting 5 minutes early at 6:55 PM pop star Kay hit the stage. Kay started her set with her rendition of Flo-Rida’s (who is actually playing 1 week later in the same arena) hit single ‘Good Feeling’. During Kay’s 20 minute set, she also covered Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘Under The Bridge’, in addition to playing her radio-wave hit ‘My Name Is Kay’.

Up next was another Canadian pop star, Anjulie. Anjulie has been killing it lately with her two near chart topping hits, ‘Stand Behind The Music’, and ‘Brand New B*tch’. If you don’t know Anjulie’s name yet, don’t worry because you definitely know her songs. Anjulie played a 25 minute set, which included both of her hits.

The final opener was one of Canada’s best hip-hop artist Classified. Classified, who hails from Halifax, started out the night with his hit from 2006 ‘Find Out’. Classified played a 45 minute set which included music from latest hits such as ‘That Ain’t Classy’ back to some of his classic hits. He also included a medley which included some old school hip hop classics, all the way up to hip hops latest hit ‘In Paris’. Although Classified seemed out of place with his hip-hop set during a fully pop concert, it seemed almost… refreshing.

By now it was 9 PM and headliner Hedley had hit the stage. Hedley started the night off with a combination of ’321 / On My Own / Street Fight / She’s So Sorry’ which was followed by one of their more current hits ‘One Life’. Hedley is lead by Jacob Hoggard who is out of Vancouver, and as a band they have become very successful together, constantly creating Top 40 alternative pop-rock music.

Hedley continued to play an energetic set which was accompanied by one heck of a production. With a total of 7 LED screens above the stage, and 2 projector screens on either side of the stage, many pre-recorded clips were played in between songs.

Playing mainly songs off of their latest album ‘Storms’ they included ‘Invincible’, ‘Don’t Talk To Strangers’, and ‘Never To Late’ within their set. During Invincible, Classified came out and replaced a chorus, originally rapped by P. Reign, mid song.

During the middle of their set, Hoggard, who got help from some roadies, shot T-Shirts throughout the crowd with a T-Shirt gone while rocking out to Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ as well as classic rock hit ‘Eye Of The Tiger’… this definitely hyped up the crowd.

Playing a total of 18 songs during their set, Hedley was hailed back on stage for an encore. Unlike most acts, Hedley played what seemed like an intimate encore, opposed to a high energy one. Playing mainly slower songs, they jammed out to ‘I Won’t Let You Go’, ‘Perfect’, ‘Cha-Ching’, and ‘Trip’. During ‘Cha-Ching’, Hoggard made his way into the crowd, and everyone from the tour (roadies, opening acts, ect) made their way onto the stage for a stage party. It was an exciting ending, to a perfect night.

Overall, this show wouldn’t have been nearly as mesmerizing as it was without whoever did the production design of the show. Of course Hoggards vocals was virtually flawless, as well as the rest of the bands performance, but the production was much more than I would have expected. Well done to all the members of Hedley, and well done to the entire tour crew… this show left me very impressed.