Sayce pays tribute to his influences on April 2016 Canadian Tour
Philip Sayce took the stage at Maxwell’s in Waterloo on April 20 during his April 2016 Canadian Tour, playing a 13 song set for a captivated crowd.
Although Sayce is a journeyman of blues by now, he still finds himself flying under the radars of most music listeners, occupying the almost clichéd position of “your favourite guitarist you haven’t heard of yet.” If that is indeed the case for Sayce, he certainly doesn’t let it show, as he mesmerized the intimate crowd at Maxwell’s with a ferocious swagger.
Sayce’s guitar playing was nothing short of masterful, and throughout the night, his fingers danced across the fretboard with lightning speed, and a level of ease that seemed superhuman. The setlist encompassed original material from throughout Sayce’s career, and several covers, including the poignant track “I’d Love to Change the World,” which appeared on Sayce’s major label debut, Influence.
[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…his fingers danced across the fretboard with lightning speed…[/pullquote]When Sayce struck his first note, the audience was met with a deafening roar as the band launched into a powerful rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “Drivin’ South,” before diving headfirst into The Sonics’ “I’m Going Home,” which Sayce also covered on Influence. The covers were accompanied by Sayce’s original tunes, like the heartfelt “Fade Into You” and the high-octane “Out of My Mind,” each showcasing a very different side of Sayce’s expert guitar playing.
During his furious solos and even his most soothing chords, Sayce’s pair of early ’60s Fender Stratocasters appeared simply as extensions of his body, even with his Fender amps erupting with walls of monstrous fuzz he remained in complete control, manipulating feedback and tones with ease.
Sayce and his full array of talents were on display on the small stage in Waterloo, which he shared with long-time bassist Joel Gottschalk and drummer Kiel Feher. The two combined for a super tight rhythm section grooving under Sayce’s soaring guitar solos and powerful vocals, impressing the crowd as a talented trio, as opposed to simply Sayce and a pair of sidemen.
Blues-rock titans of decades past, like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, were known for their relentless guitar playing and gargantuan stage volume but exhibited wondrous dynamic control over their instruments. Sayce shares this trait, and his masterful command of volume and intensity is perhaps his most impressive attribute.
[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Sayce’s pair of early ’60s Fender Stratocasters appeared simply as extensions of his body[/pullquote]At one point in the set, Sayce stepped down and sat on the edge of the stage, closing the already miniscule gap with the fans in attendance. As he sat there, blissfully jamming away, he gradually turned his guitar volume down, with the band matching him each time. Eventually, Sayce turned his electric guitar volume completely off, and the entire club went silent as he played acoustically for several minutes, leaving the audience awe-struck.
Another highlight from the performance was Sayce’s raucous rendition of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl,” which featured some impressive feats from Sayce. At one point, he used the corner of the wall as a slide, and then leapt off the stage to venture into the crowd. A lengthy cable allowed Sayce to weave through the audience while shredding a monstrous solo, all with a broken string, which he snapped before even leaving the stage.
Sayce’s latest album is titled Influence, and with his slew of covers and fierce blues licks, it’s easy to see where his influences lie, but perhaps this album and Sayce’s passionate live performances will also influence a new generation.