Before Sister Ray took the stage for their opening set at the Lincoln Theatre recently, Afie Jurvanen (the Juno Award-winning native of Barrie, Ontario, Canada, behind Bahamas), came out to introduce them, and he promised the audience “an evening of mid-tempo ballads.” It was a classy move — and it’s representative of the wry, good-natured humor in his work — and a solid opening to a night of great songs.
This sense of humor is evident in the title of Bahamas’ latest record, My Second Last Album, released last year. Who knows if he really means it? (Afie just turned 45 in April, so I’m skeptical he’s hanging it up anytime soon.) While Afie and the band played some of the new songs — “The Bridge,” “Only Inspiration,” “Dearborn” (referencing the city in Michigan), and “Ready for a New Thing” — those didn’t dominate the set on May 10. Poking fun at how audiences tend not to like to hear the latest material, Afie invited folks to hit the bar before he dug into these songs.
Watch the official music video for “Ready for a New Thing” by Bahamas on YouTube:
The 2014 album Afie Is Bahamas was equally well represented, with set opener “All I’ve Ever Known,” followed by “Waves,” as well as “Half Mine” and the penultimate song of the evening, “All The Time.” There were plenty of audience favorites, including “So Free,” which he played on request (not something usually seen in a room this size, and which made the show feel more intimate), “Half Your Love,” “I’m Still,” “Working on My Guitar,” “No Wrong,” “Show Me Naomi,” “Lost in the Light,” “Fair Share,” and the last song of the night, “Caught Me Thinkin’.”
Fellow Canadians Sister Ray, who take their name from the song by the Velvet Underground, got the night started with an excellent opening set, leading things off with “Believer,” followed by a song about losing their passport. I found that one relatable: when I landed in Montreal last August, I discovered my wallet wasn’t in my pocket; fortunately, I found it before I deplaned, although I did have a panic attack, which doesn’t seem like an unreasonable reaction. After playing “Wings” and “Animal Thing,” they covered AC/DC’s “Up to My Neck In You.” It was unexpected, and it really shined a light on how well written that song is — AC/DC isn’t usually recognized for their songwriting. (I’ve also heard it said that they just made the same album over and over.) Sister Ray rounded out their set with “Changes” and “Magic,” which they introduced saying, “Early on, I had very sad songs about breaking up.”
Watch the official visualizer for “Magic” by Sister Ray on YouTube:
I’ve seen Sister Ray a few times now (in opening slots), and they’re consistently terrific. Somehow, I hadn’t caught Bahamas before this show, and I was very pleased to remedy that situation. I’ve long been a fan of their work; Afie is a terrific songwriter, and they have a really enjoyable sound. I sincerely hope he’s joking about having made My Second Last Album, and that we’ll get to hear more of his work and see him perform for a long time to come.
Here are some photos of Bahamas performing live at the Lincoln Theatre on May 10, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Casey Vock.
Here are some photos of Sister Ray opening Bahamas at the Lincoln Theatre on May 10, 2026. All pictures again copyright and courtesy of Casey Vock.
