Buffy Sainte-Marie wows 'em in London

It was big talent for such a small stage in London when Buffy Sainte-Marie came to Aeolian Hall in early May. Originally from Piapot Cree First Nation in Qu’appelle Valley, Sask., the singer/songwriter now resides in Hawaii when she is not on the road travelling and performing.

With her band, Kibwe Thomas on keyboards, Anthony King on guitar, Michel Bruyere on drums and Mark Olexson on bass, Sainte-Marie did a medley of her most popular hit songs, as well as a couple of singles from her new CD, Power in the Blood.

The band loves Buffy and she loves them back, that much was obvious, and the audience clamored for more of everything. Curtains opened and cheers began when Sainte-Marie’s crew entered stage left.

Then, when the moment finally arrived, the star danced onto the centre of the stage, the audience responding by yelling, cheering, whooping and applauding the talented and charismatic performer.

Sainte-Marie first bounded into the spotlight in the 1960s and one might expect today’s audiences to be made up of Boomers, but no such thing. Many in the audience were in their twenties and thirties, and Sainte-Marie was movin’ and groovin’ with the best of them.

Her multicolored jacket was made for her by a designer in France. Her black denims hugged her form, and she rocked in black leather boots.

She said her last two-year ‘round the world tour is now into its sixth year!”

Each song was introduced with a story about the inspiration that led to its conception, and Sainte-Marie translated the title of her much played No No Keshagesh from its meaning in Cree to English. No No Greedy Guts was written to speak about corporate greed and the continued devastation of the environment in the name of economic development.

Power in the Blood, the single from her new CD of the same name, was well-received and appreciated with a thunderous ovation from her audience, as was a solo grass dance performed by her drummer, Michel Bruyere.

After the finale, when two-thirds of the audience members were heading to their vehicles, the others stayed put, awaiting the re-emergence of Sainte-Marie to do a meet-and-greet. She took photos with anyone who wished.

Long tables were joined together for Sainte-Marie and her band to do hellos, chit chat, and sign pictures and CDs.

Photo option: Buffy Sainte-Marie visits London’s Aeolian Hall to promote her new CD Power in the Blood