SHEBAD Shines at Blue Dog

With their debut album Music is the Answer, Guelph-based music and art project SHEBAD lay bare their identity, sonically and as a collective. The LP flutters across the worlds of indie neo-soul and experimental R&B, carried along by intricate jazz melodies and intimate, pensive lyrics. They explore themes of human connection, love, community, and spirituality, establishing a clear philosophy in the process - one that can be inferred from the album's title itself, as well as the opening track ‘Love is the Message’. The album left me with a warm first impression of SHEBAD, and I was excited to see their show when I learned they were coming to Montreal.

When I first got to Blue Dog, there was already a growing crowd outside the venue and on the floor. Earlier that day, I met up with SHEBAD’s co-founders Claire Voy and Ciccio Spagnolo to chat about their album, tour life, and more. The duo touched on their approach to live shows, saying that they saw them as opportunities to showcase other layers of their sound that may not translate to listeners in their recorded material. With that conversation fresh in mind and the buzzing energy from the crowd spreading to me, my anticipation grew as I waited for their set to start.

What ensued was a captivating performance filled with a mixture of energy swings and brilliant musicianship. Throughout the night, I was impressed by how SHEBAD connected with us in the crowd, forging new, shared atmospheres at different points in the show. Slower songs like ‘Time Takes Time’ and ‘Love is the Message’, played towards the start of the set, created an intimate mood; their soulful feels made it impossible not to sway to, and be carried along by, the music.  Claire’s vocals struck me in these moments as they maintained the same evocative, powerful quality that drew me in when I first heard the group’s music. 

They upped the ante when they wanted, using both their artistry and audience engagement to do so. An electric violin solo by Olivia, who also provided backup vocals, was case in point - it lit up the room, raising the overall tempo. Additionally, the other band members would regularly rotate instruments throughout the night, a testament to their skill and cohesion. Between songs, bassist would become keyboardist, who would in turn take their turn at the saxophone, and so on. What resulted were more textured and genre-fluid versions of their songs - it wasn’t just showing off without a purpose. Groovier, more upbeat cuts like ‘Black Walnut’ became even more potent, almost coming alive, which could be felt as the crowd’s dance intensity increased synchronously for these songs. I was seeing, and viscerally feeling, exactly what Claire and Ciccio meant when they explained the new elements that their live performance brings to their music. The night crescendoed towards the end when Claire announced that their drummer, Emmett, “had something to say”. Emmett then went on to deliver a gritty rap verse rife with passion and energy, an energy that was contagious as it sent the room into a frenzy. The verse revealed yet another layer to their collective’s sound and capabilities. 

Overall, the show was an immersive journey through the sonic universe of SHEBAD. If you’re a lover of neo-soul, alternative r&b, and honestly just… good music and nice sounds, I highly recommend checking out their album “Music is the Answer” whenever you can.