Sammy Rae & The Friends
Sammy Rae and her band, The Friends, made their way back to Vancouver after two years. And they definitely justified the anticipation: with two saxophonists, keyboards, clarinet, bass, electric guitar, drums and Sammy herself, the band left everything they had in them on the stage at the Commodore Ballroom.
The vibe in the room was pure magic from the start. Sammy walked onto the stage with this effortless confidence. Seeing her proudly celebrate her queerness, beauty and overall self-love up there set the tone for the entire night. It created this safe, inclusive space where everyone could just be themselves.
The crowd interaction was next level. At one point, Sammy was literally holding hands with fans in the front row. Later on, she had a fan come up on stage to dance with her. She also treated us to a brand-new, unreleased track that gave us a sneak peek at where the band is heading next.
Sammy brought Melt, the incredible opening band, back out on stage for a massive collaboration. Together, they did a powerhouse cover of "Rich Man," a 1972 track centered around politics that honestly feels like it could have been written yesterday. The sheer amount of musical talent sharing the stage at that moment was incredible, with both bands feeding off each other’s energy.
But what makes a Sammy Rae show so special is that it goes way beyond just the music. Mid-set, she took a genuine moment to talk about the charities she supports.
Ultimately, Sammy’s entire show was about one thing: being kind to yourself and others, and hopefully leaving the venue with more friends than you walked in with.