Jesse Cook

The Imperial Theatre

So, Jesse Cook was/were in Saint John on Tuesday. It turns out that most people my age don't actually know who Jesse Cook is, and for the benefit of those few, he is an extremely talented and famous Canadian flamenco guitar player.

Seeing he was in town I was able to pick up a ticket and make it to the show. First thing first, the Imperial Theatre is amazing. Evidently it is almost one hundred years old and it definitely shows. It looks like it belongs in the 1800's.

I sat down beside a lovely lady and we mingled a bit before the concert (thus my knowing the Theatre is almost one hundred years old).

Concert started and it was amazing. They played and played and played some more. We hit the intermission and then returned. Now, instead of just sitting and watching like many concerts, Mr. Cook (oh thats funny to say) requested that we all stand to have a giant Rhumba party. This was in response to how usually you get one person would just stand up and start dancing, and then be humiliated when they opened their eyes to see everyone sitting. So, to avoid that we all got to our feet and had one big Rhumba party.

Okokok... I did not dance, but I stood there and was in the vicinity of people dancing, and thus, the Rhumba party.

I was sad to see the show end but the performance was good. We stood and applauded for the encore, and stood, and stood, and stood, and stood for like... forever. I was starting to wonder if they would come out before the crowd gave up and just as I seemed to wonder that they appeared.

The show was good, but the encore was amazing. Jesse Cook is known for a cover of a song called Fall at your Feet, and it was in the encore that this song appeared. Let me give you the image of what they saw. The guys (Cook and his band) came out from behind the curtains and Jesse was handed a different guitar. His regular guitar plugs into an amp, but this one was solely acoustic. The guys walked to the front of the stage where Jesse sat, his backup guitarist stood on his right and the rest of the guys stood (without instruments) on his left.

I have never seen anything like this.

He asked us without mic, "Can you hear me?" We could. "Good, this place is probably better for this kind of thing anyways."

It looked like two instruments with the two guitars, but they produced a full sound. The violinist turned to vocals and the other two guys created full percussion with just their hands and feet. It is kind of funny, as I listened I did not notice, but the clapping and stomping creates a full percussive undertone that adds depths and breadth to the piece. The singer has a certain quality that fits very well into the song, especially with his incredible ability. As always Jesse wows.

It was just amazing to see the guys standing there. No amps. No mics. With two guitars, and few clapping hands, and a voice they filled the Theatre with music.

Here is a video of the live performance:

This video is the official music video for the song, the movie is not as impressive, but you can hear the song much clearer:

I had bussed to the concert, which is fine, because I tend to bus everywhere and my seat neighbour was aware of this. It just came up that I was a student, and I am sure she could guess. 10 o'clock rolls round and the concert is ending. About to head out my seat neighbour offers me a ride. I am fairly certain that it was not on her way, but still, she offered nonetheless. I was happy to expect.

I love the maritimes. It is not everywhere where that would happen to you. She saved me ages as I would have to wait for the bus and then take it home.

Thank you!

Home, and in bed, all I could hear was the strumming of that perfect guitar made by the fine hands of a craftsman with a seven year wait list... the concert was amazing.

All ye heathens in my generation who do not know who Jesse Cook is... you have missed out.

p.s. This version is done by James Blunt, and is one of my personal favourites...