Hot off the heels of The Beaches’ Halifax show in February of 2023, the band promised they’d return soon.  In most cases, this is little more than lip service being paid to the amped-up attendees; but sure enough, shortly after that show, the initial leg of the Blame My Ex tour was announced and true to their word, the band booked another Halifax stop at the Light House Arts Centre.  Not only were the Halifax fans excited, but they also earned themselves the esteemed honour of being the sell-out of the tour.

The Blame My Ex tour would go on to add additional legs, including a trip across the pond for some European shows, before returning to North America to embark on a swing through the US.  Not only did the band kick off their recent Canadian tour in Halifax, but shortly after that it was announced they would be performing on the much coveted KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas concert alongside Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Offspring, Garbage, and Bleachers, a big deal for a band whose star only continues to rise.

The band has deservedly been bestowed the status of honorary Haligonians, having played here 6 times over the past 5 years (2 Scotiabank Centre appearances, 2 Light House Arts Centre Shows, and a headlining set at The Seahorse Tavern).  Between the February and October shows, the band went through a series of both personal and professional breakups, which provided the necessary fuel to power the new record into a cathartic collection of therapeutic anthems.

Much was written about the breakdown of the relationship between Brett and Jordan (a Canadian indie-rock power couple). Still, for the lead singers of two of Canada’s biggest bands, the effort that goes into writing and touring a record definitely didn’t make it any easier and the two eventually parted ways.  But it is less about the breakup itself and more about the aftermath, and how you get back up, dust yourself off and move on.  The empowerment component is in large part due to many of the band members also experiencing a dissolution of their relationships, so it was a communal recovery effort.

While this wasn’t what you would call a typical therapy session, this crowd needed its own catharsis and was more than ready to party with The Beaches and knew the band’s growing catalogue almost as well as Jordan, Kylie, Eliza and Leandra do. The Haligonians in the room sang their hearts out for the duration of the band’s set, a set that was composed heavily of the band’s recently released album Blame My Ex, with some offerings from the band’s debut full-length Late Show (“T-Shirt”, “Money” and “Back of my Heart”), a couple of cuts from The Professional (the dancey “Desdemona”, “Fascination” and the band’s smash hit “Want What You Got”).  It was a great way to showcase the new material and the viral sensation “Blame Brett”.

When all was said and done, bad juju was expelled, spirits were lifted and hearts were full again.  You can be sure that this crowd would be as ready tomorrow for another Beaches show, as they were on this night.  Not only did we get a therapy session, but on this night, we saw the triumphant return of Loviet, a long-time Bluenoser who has moved to Toronto to further her reach.  Her vintage rock n’ roll sound is infectious and enjoyable, showcasing her growing talents as a musician and songwriter.  She was the perfect choice to kick off a killer night of rock n roll in Halifax.