Hawksley Workman Tickets

I do believe that there was a bit of a sobriety issue at the recent Hawksley Workman show at the WECC. Amidst his frequent self-derogatory comments, Workman only sang two songs without stopping to comment on a lyric or to tell a random story. His unstructured babbling gave one the impression that he really didn't prepare for this show, nor did he care to be professional. He was forgetting lyrics, and talked more than he sang. For die-hard fans, it may have been the best night, but for a casual fan (who doesn't shell out $40 for just anything) it was disappointing, to say the least.

It was a great show - excellent performance and awesomely intimate venue. Hawksley seems quite comfortable with the audience, and the audience seemed quite familiar with Hawksley.

seen him in Whitehorse, Yukon about 3 years ago and he played in front of a sold out crowd then. Winnipeg, sold out also, this time he owned the crowd! Confidence is everything. Good job

nothing short of great music and a cathartic atmosphere for the audience. Bravo!

Hawksley Workman is a modern day romantic and poetic. Soulful singer and talent musician.Great story teller. Writes about things most people take for granted .At times his music is pop but he can rock it out like the best of them. Hawksley Workman a legend in the making.

Band did a super job! Can't believe how great they sound live!

One of the best Canadian band and their concert is truley entertaining!

amazing as always! tragic he was under the weather...yet again - but persevered to entertain for 3 full hours without an opening act!

Now, I haven't been following Hawksley as close as some may have, but I came hoping he would play one of my favourite songs from his previous collection, IE "We will still need a song" etc. Most of what he played was definitely not what I was familiar with and I ended up waiting until the very end, with him not playing any of his hits I was familiar with save maybe 1 or 2 lesser known singles. I will give him credit he made some very memorable songs/moments. The intro was awesome, the long extended song towards the end was great, and even though he was sick, his attempt at singing 1 final final song for the crowd amidst coughing and a couple interruptions. I guess I'm just not into his full body of work and should have prepped myself better for the concert, but every band plays at least 1 or 2 of their biggest hits. His in-between song banter was very entertaining though.

Had high expectations for this show (my first Hawksley show) and he shattered them all. Fantastic!

Hawksley sounds incredible live, his voice and the talented musicians he plays with put on a fantastic show. The one thing keeping this from a 5 star rating is the fact that he didn't play some of his older more famous songs. Having said that, even new material that you may not know will keep you engaged and entertained.

Hawksley Workman and band are probably one of the most underrated Canadian acts - and I'm not at all sure why. His music and lyrics are eclectic and clever - with high-powered rock and roll, tender love songs and quirky observational pieces. He gets occasional radio play of at least a few of his songs but some of the real gems lay hidden from the radio-listening public in his large repertoire. I used to see him at his one-man shows at the Horseshoe in Toronto and he has certainly done well since. This was the first time I had seen him with his full band. He continues to demonstrate his ample skill as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with an incredible range. The show in the modest Bronson Centre opened with Mr. Lonely doing a piano/vocal/synth tribute driven by the melodies of some of Hawksley's most recognizable songs. The first act was a highly entertaining mix of tangentially meandering stories tied to some of his classics, with a few songs I had never heard - such as a 'pop' tune he wrote to pitch to Kylie Minogue - pretty decent tune. His ability to connect with the crowd in between songs was cool and it felt like a much more personal experience. The smallish and intimate Bronson Centre definitely contributed positively towards this as well. His stories replete with humorous self-deprecation felt somehow aptly Canadian for a musician who has traveled the world, but don't let this fool you - his musical talent commands respect. The first act finished with solos by each band member closing out with the rhythm guitarist/violinist using some cool effects on his violin - sounded like a cross between whale songs and a sound-stage for a horror film - cool! The second act had all band members in their patented-gear - one piece work suits - Hawksley's was bedazzled ;) - they played a lot of good loud rock and roll, a lot of which were new songs, I think - but I haven't yet listened to all of 'Milk' or 'Meat,' his two new albums. No Beginning No End is a personal favourite and we were treated to an extendo mix version that was just great. The encore just about tore the place down - it was a non-stop jam of about 25min and was simply awesome - "Smoke baby" was nicely done! Even without an opening act, the concert lasted about three hours - perhaps a reflection of how prolific Hawksley has been - and the 'workman-like' attitude that he conveys. Nonetheless, it didn't at any point feel like it was dragging on or was too long...if anything I felt it was a special bonus to get that much entertainment, especially considering the very reasonable $35 ticket price. I've payed 5x more for much less, from 'bigger' acts and left the show feeling cheated. Bottom line, if you're a Hawksley fan already, it was a really great show and if you're just learning of him (people I was with), it was a sweet introduction. Cheers!

With the right blend of funny stories and commentary fused with old and new material, it was great.

I have been a fan for several years;he is talented and intense,and sometimes does things that mystify.However,he never fails to deliver for the fans-his energy and focus when he is on stage is extraordinary.Last night,he gave us more than our money's worth.The fans were quiet and respectful when listening to him and his amazing band;but they were loud in their appreciation.Come back soon!

I was an avid concert-fan in the 70's and there were a lot of great bands to see but I have to say that Hawksley and his band provided more magical music moments that I've ever experienced!

Going into this concert knowing of him but not knowing much of him I was not quite sure what to expect and I was totally amazed by the musicianship and songwriting. These guys were awesome, true entertainment and funny as hell. I would definitely recommend this group to my friends and I will.

Hawksley was out in full force last night playing a wide range of his material. Along with his fellow extraordinary musicians, he offered many intimate and inspired retellings of some old favourites as well as a brilliant and charged showcase of his new material. His chats with the audience were very charming and amusing - always a delight to experience Hawksley live; already looking forward to his return!

I love Hawksley's quirkiness but it seemed to take over the whole show at times and overshadow the music with endless off topic rants. A few silly stories here and there are fun but maybe more jams and a few less soliloquies next time, no? All in all an ok show but i much preferred his last performance I saw in Melbourne. It was just as intimate but about $40 cheaper and more in line with the Hawksley style I know and love. The biggest sore spot about this most recent gig was the omission of classics like striptease, jealous of your cigarette, anger as beauty, etc...

If I were a martian (remember when we thought there might be sentient life on Mars) and I zipped down in my flying machine to survey the state of popular music on Planet Earth, I might think the planet was ripe for takeover based on the inanity of the current offerings. Not so if I landed in the middle of a Hawksley Workman concert. His musicianship, his banter, his lyrics are just so damn intelligent and multi-layered I struggle for comparisons (I'm thinking Kandinsky, a painter, rather than a musician as the best point of reference). However, instead of labeling, it's more fun just to recognize the influences (try to imagine a song that throws Prince and Cheap Trick into the mix) and leave Hawksley to be himself-- as if he could be anything else. And the bonus: through his music, his lyrics, his demeanor, he simply comes across as a genuinely decent human being with a sincerity of belief in the goodness of people and the ability of love to transcend the vacuousness of modernity. Sure there is a good dose of irony thrown in (as seen in his reflections on the success of 16 year-old pop stars) , but he appears neither cynical or bitter. I can't fail to mention the terrific musicians in his band that complement and bring his compositions alive. He gives them the due they deserve and one gets the sense that there is true collaboration as they build the sound that is uniquely Hawksley Workman.

Hawksley gave us a good show with a 4 piece encore that was amazing! The only downside to my whole night was the Ottawa crowd. I've never been 'shhhhd' at a concert before. Everyone was quiet and unenergetic. If you ever go see Hawksley I really suggest you go to a different venue than the Bronson Center (Preferably in another city). Sorry for the crowd Hawksley, I really hope you come back anyway. Next time you should check out Zaphod's or Barrymore, you'll attract a better crowd.