WORDS AND IMAGES BY MARVEY MILLS
‘On 28th March 2022, Canadian Rock Royalty Barenaked Ladies Finally Achieved Their Show At London’s Royal Albert Hall’
On 28th March 2022 it finally came to pass that the Barenaked Ladies got to play their triumphant date at the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London after two years of waiting; delayed of course by the notorious Covid. Outside their enormous loyal fanbase they are perhaps best known as the band behind the theme song of US comedy ‘Big Bang Theory’. But in the UK at least, they have been wildly popular since the mid-1990s and even Paul McCartney is allegedly a fan! The Royal Albert Hall is therefore a fitting venue for the Canadian rock-royalty band, now in their 34th year, with 17 studio albums under their belt.
With first support and warmup provided by Boothby Graffoe and friends, main support was provided by the inimitable KT Tunstall, who entertained the sell-out crowd with stories and anecdotes between her songs. She has supported Barenaked Ladies on many dates in recent years and like the main act, waited two long years to make it onto the Royal Albert Hall stage for this gig, having always been the original chosen support act.
Ms Tunstall was welcomed by the adoring crowd with open arms, like a long-lost friend finally met in a pub after years of separation. Her singer-songwriter repertoire beautifully accompanied by her Scottish lilt. Dwarfed by the enormity of the grand old Hall, she nonetheless filled it to the brim and left the stage after her set to rapturous applause.
By the time the Barenaked Ladies hit the stage the excitement was palpable. While waiting for them to come on I spoke with several people, all breathless with anticipation. One excited lady, herself Canadian, told me how she had been following them since their inception and knows the band members well. She recounted to me some Barenaked tradition involving the flinging of macaroni (if I remember correctly) onstage during their sets and, mistaking me for an official band photographer, wanted me to pass on a message to the band. Sadly of course I had to let her down as I was there shooting for All Music Magazine, not in any official band capacity. I did ask her to send me an email with the stories and messages for the band, to be included here. Alas she never did. Every single person I spoke to was a long-time fan, and had been since they started in 1988. The Barenaked ones have certainly managed to garner a significant and loyal following over the years. The enraptured crowd were singing along with their best known and most-loved tunes to their heart’s content, led a merry dance through the band’s back catalogue, eventually leaving the venue blissfully happy to have been, once more, entertained by the Barenaked Ladies after such a long wait.
Barenaked Ladies Are:
Ed Robertson – guitar, vocals
Jim Creeggan – bass, vocals
Kevin Hearn – keyboards, guitar, vocals
Tyler Stewart – drums, vocals
FOLLOW BARENAKED LADIES ONLINE:
FOLLOW K T TUNSTALL
Passionate live music photographer operating under the name Marvellous Gig Photography. Available for gigs, festivals and other events plus promo shoots for socials, flyers and merch.
Based in Southeast United Kingdom.
