On January 25th, concert goers braved the cold to see Joy Oladokun take the stage at the Beanfield Theatre in Montreal. In place of an opening artist, Oladokun themselves graced the stage with their acoustic guitar to play a set as remaining guests trickled in while performing a heartfelt rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. The singer conversationally included anecdotes about tour life and the inspiration behind their songs and actually premiered an unreleased song that spoke of the difficulty in communicating across time zones with loved ones. 
After a brief pause for the full band to set up, the show would commence in earnest with the upbeat song “Drugs” that got people cheering and set the tone for the night. The set-list included a variety of songs from their repertoire, sprinkling in fan favourites amongst songs from their newest studio album Observations From a Crowded Room. Oladokun included a haunting medley of their song “Black Car with Blackbird” with a striking performance delivered to the hushed crowd. The group’s songs wind their way through moments of deep introspection, humour and at times grief – all delivered with a down to earth attitude that endeared them to the audience and created the atmosphere of a more intimate performance.
If you haven’t already, be sure to give the new album by Joy Oladokun titled Observations From A Crowded Room a listen. Of course you can follow the singer on Instagram @JoyOladokun for future updates as they continue The Blackbird Tour across America.
Article & Photos By Lucia Vinson (@lvin.photography)
