Opening the concert with an acid flashback to his hippie days playing the bars of Toronto’s Yonge Street, Bill Usher teasingly asks us to refer to him not as a senior but, as an ‘Esteemed Elder’ noting that “seniors get a bad rap for forgetting stuff.” It’s true, he says, but in defence, he riffs, “All my life I’ve been stuffing more and more wisdom into this brain and as I take in more and more stuff in the front end ... stuff has just gotta dropout the back end to make room, right?” 

And then they’re off. For the rest of the evening, four-time Juno Award winner Bill Usher and his excellent band mates Paul Pigat, Holly Hyatt and Steve Briggs groove their way through a bunch of songs that lyrically recall significant events of Usher’s up-and-down journey toward the light of love and understanding. Chris Frye of The Bills says, “Bill has somehow found that magical combination of fresh vitality and seasoned wisdom in his show. His songs are personal yet universal, moving the entire audience to laugh, sigh and sing along.”

Four-time Juno Award winner Pharis Romero says, “It’s a head-turning-stop-and-listen kind of moment when Bill opens his mouth to sing. Sometimes he gently speaks to you, and you know you’re experiencing years of singing, story-telling, yelling, whispering and loving it so hard. There's always a pulse and groove and he writes hooks like most people say hello. Welcome home, friend.” 

Acclaimed singer/songwriter/performer and community choir leader, Coco Love Alcorn got a sneak peek of the tunes in the show and commented, “In the past I’ve invited Bill to sit in on stage and play congas with us. But all these years and I didn’t know he was crafting these great songs... and I didn’t know he could sing like this! Bill’s easy charisma, with these great songs, and his voice and groove, and that spark! I want to be in that audience! I know there will be magic.” 

One audience member at a recent show emphatically agreed. Referring to herself as Millennial Mom she wrote, ”My partner and me got a babysitter for the kids and came to the show with my mom and dad. It was so cool to share those laughs and pokes with each other. And beautiful songs that made me tear up. It was awesome!”