Xavier Rudd

Malkin Bowl, Vancouver

June 4, 2010

Written by Amanda Waschuk

The forecast called for rain, but this didn’t stop people from attending Xavier Rudd at the outdoor theater located on Stanley Park (and also referred to as “The Theater Under the Stars”).  Not only was it a sell-out, but people camped out on blankets outside of the gate just to hear the peaceful jams of this Australian multi-instrumentalist. You could even see the tree branches outside the venue shake from time to time as they were also filled with people wanting to catch the show.

Xavier Rudd is more than just a musician -- he’s a lifestyle.  Voted one of PETA’s most beautiful vegetarians, he also lives in a house that is completely self-sustainable and sings about the important matters of society. Seemingly one with the earth, a lot of his songs have very native-inspired sounds including the drum techniques of native Americans and the very prominent didgeridoo, which is influenced from his homes in Australia and New Zealand.  Normally, Rudd plays his shows solo due to his amazing ability to play multiple instruments at once.  He had three didgeridoos, a guitar, drum, harmonica, and mic for vocals.  But this show included another percussionist and a stellar bassist both helping on backing vocals.  Highlights of the show included “Better People” and “Don’t Understand."

Thankfully, the rain that did appear was very light and didn’t affect the atmosphere of the show (although sunshine would have made it much more appealing), and a diverse crowd littered the lawn.  Hippies and families alike got the chance to see Xavier Rudd with his talented back-up band as they simply jammed.  Rudd thanked the crowd for their “beautiful energy” and we would like to thank you, Xavier, for yours!