Two-time Grammy nominated artist Jelly Roll fired up his debut international tour at a sold out Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
The Nashville, Tennessee rapper/country singer is in Canada for the first time for a 12-city tour. Victoria was the first stop and also the one with the smallest venue.
More than a dozen trucks of gear arrived days before the concert to set up the stage for rehearsals before Thursday’s show. Jelly Roll’s set is probably the most elaborate stage show that Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre has ever hosted.
After pre-recorded narration by Morgan Freeman, Jelly Roll walked through the crowd wearing a Canada hat to a secondary stage at the back of the arena before beginning his performance of ‘I Am Not Okay’. Above the stage platform was a steel frame in the shape of a house. The steel was then lit on fire.
That wasn’t the only pyrotechnics for this show. The main stage featured flames being thrown up front at various points in the concert and the top of a baby grand piano was lit aflame during his performance of ‘Believe’.
The main stage featured two catwalks on either end which was well utilized by his 10-piece band, but oddly wasn’t utilized very much by Jelly Roll himself.
The show at times felt like a mega-church sermon at Coachella. A visual spectacle with Christian subject matter in the lyrics and props. During ‘Need a Favor’, a giant rosary was lowered beside Jelly Roll.
He switched things up to showcase his hip-hop side performing some his early rap singles for his “day one” fans and also a cover medley of influential rap songs he grew up with.
For his final song of the evening Jelly Roll went back to the secondary stage to perform save me. Once again the steel structure above him was set on fire, but this time it was short lived as it began to rain on Jelly Roll completely drenching him as he sang.
It was a show that probably wouldn’t have come to Victoria if not for being fortunate of the close proximity to Vancouver and the extended availability of our arena to prep for the tour.
Ontario country artist Josh Ross was the lead-in for Jelly Roll. He performed his country hits like ‘Trouble’, ‘Ain’t Doin’ Jack’ and ‘Single Again’. He is nominated for five Junos this year. His music and performance was what you’d expect from male country artists of this generation. References to alcohol consumption, Jesus, unhealthy relationships, interacting with fans along the catwalk. It was all there.
Opening the night was country artist Savannah Dexter along with her rapper husband Brabo Gator. It was her first time ever touring. She made a guest appearance towards the end of Jelly Roll’s set during a medley of covers of Canadian artists where she sang a portion of Alanis Morissette’s ‘Ironic’.
Between sets, mashup duo Arena Rockerz kept the party going and even had a surprise performance by Death Row Records and Surrey rapper Merkules.
