IN CONCERT
What: Big Wreck with Jesse Roper
Where: Capital Ballroom, 858 Yates St.
When: Saturday, March 3, 8 p.m.
Tickets: Sold out
The highest-profile tour of Jesse Roper鈥檚 career 鈥� to support an album with similarly big expectations 鈥� prompted an overdue change in vehicle for the Metchosin singer-guitarist.
For his 18-date tour with Toronto rockers Big Wreck, Roper purchased a 15-passenger van, so he and his bandmates could travel in comfort during the winter.
鈥淚 knew the guys weren鈥檛 overly excited to be taking the old camper van, so I made a last-minute purchase,鈥� Roper said with a laugh.
鈥淚 could drive around in s----- vehicles forever doing this, but if my musical career is going to take a step upwards, the vehicle situation needed to as well.鈥�
Roper and his bandmates hooked up with Big Wreck midway through their tour, in time for a Feb. 15 concert at Winnipeg鈥檚 Burton Cummings Theatre.
The guitar whiz had never played Winnipeg before, so it was an eye-opener taking the stage before the That Song and Blown Wide Open hitmakers.
鈥淭here was a whole row staring at me with their arms crossed, and they didn鈥檛 clap once,鈥� Roper said with a good-natured chuckle.
鈥淭hey were definitely there for Big Wreck and Big Wreck only. The second night, in Brandon, Manitoba, we were still a little tight from the night before, and we still had to work to win them over.鈥�
The longtime local favourite, who ranks among the most popular artists on Vancouver Island, didn鈥檛 despair.
Tours with Colin James and Burton Cummings, among others, have given him plenty of road experience.
After a few tweaks to their set, Roper and Co. were off and running just a few dates into the tour.
鈥淭he first few crowds were a little tricky. There was expectations put upon us, and we put them upon ourselves, too.鈥�
Access to Infinity, his third full-length album, comes on the heels of the critically acclaimed Red Bird, a hugely popular recording that spawned the 2015 hit Hurricane鈥檚 Eye.
Roper obliged fans who were expecting him to take a step forward artistically on Access to Infinity, as he incorporated space jams alongside his trademark blues rock.
His sets on the Big Wreck run have been altered to reflect his new direction, subtracting the crowd favourite Shiny Round Nickel for new song Worship the Sun.
鈥淎 30-minute set is a tough one,鈥� Roper said of his show-opening duties, which continue next week with stops in Kelowna, Seattle, San Francisco and Santa Ana, California, before wrapping March 10 in Hollywood at The Roxy.
鈥淚鈥檓 a three-hour guy. I like to go up there and have enough time so that it doesn鈥檛 feel like I have to sprint the whole time. For these sets, I鈥檝e got to be quick and to the point, but still come out warmed up and ready to go.鈥�
Fans at the Capital Ballroom will show Roper a warm welcome on Saturday 鈥� his first show in Victoria since the Feb. 2 release of Access to Infinity.
As the tour winds closer to Roper鈥檚 core market of sa国际传媒, the Big Wreck team has given him five extra minutes a night, which Roper has gladly used, upping his set length from six songs to seven.
鈥淚t makes all the difference in the world,鈥� he said.
Reviews of the tour have been flattering where Roper is concerned. Some have even put Big Wreck and Roper in the same category on some nights.
Roper said he鈥檚 not even entertaining that thought. He has simply been given an opportunity and he intends to seize it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool to know you can hang with a group like that. I have utmost respect for Big Wreck. They are so good. I鈥檓 not better at all 鈥� they are so good 鈥� but we鈥檙e hanging in there. And it feels good to hear that we are getting a positive reaction.鈥�
