Close to 400 people attended the Sam Roberts Band’s Singles Night concert at the Sanderson Centre for Performing Arts on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
The roughly two-hour event had fans up and out of their seats, swaying along to a setlist loaded with 20 of the band’s singles from over two decades.
“We’re playing the songs that have helped define our path as a band, our journey; the reason why, hopefully, some of you guys are here,” said front man Sam Roberts. “They’re not all easy, some of them were problem children, and we’re going to play a few of those tonight too. The ones that didn’t really get the chance, that time in the sun, but we’re going to give them that moment tonight.”
From “Love at the End of the World” to “Detroit ‘67,” “Afterlife,” “If You Want It,” “Fixed to Ruin,” “Don’t Walk Away Eileen,” “Where Have All the Good People Gone,” and more, the band played plenty of their biggest hits, as well as songs that never quite made it quite as big.
Roberts went on to say that when it comes to choosing a single, part of the decision comes down to which ones will shape you as a band and which ones you’re willing to fight for.
“Back in the day there was always a big debate with your record company about what the singles were going to be. Sometimes you knew what they were going to say, it would be things like ‘you’re a rock and roll band, it’s got to sound like this,’ or ‘this is the one that’s going to open the doors for you,’” said Roberts. “And as a band, you’re slowly trying to push the definition of who you are, what your songs are supposed to be, and the audience that you’re trying to reach. Are you trying to go down the same path: well beaten, familiar, comfortable? Or, do you choose a song that kind of widens the scope a little bit? And that was always a fight every time, and I think that’s what we’re here trying to celebrate here, not just the songs that did the easier work for us, but also the ones that we fought for.”
Later during the intermission, Brantford residents Oliver Finucane and Megan McDonald-Finucane said while they’ve been long-time fans of the Sam Roberts Band, this was their first time seeing them live.
“I’ve been listening to them for a long time, I’ve got all the albums from when I was younger, but I’ve never gotten to see them live,” said Oliver.
Megan added that when they got the tickets, she was immediately transported back in time.
“I worked in a flower shop when I was younger, and my coworker used to play Chemical City every day, so when Oliver got the tickets at Christmas, I was like, ‘oh my God, I remember the album cover, I remember listening to that all the time.’”
When asked what they thought of the show, the two said they were enjoying the experience.
“It’s so good, it feels very intimate even though we’re in a big space,” said Oliver with a laugh. “I really loved ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ and I really liked that he got all of us up for ‘Where Have All the Good People Gone’ too.”
Back inside, the music continued on with singles like “We’re All in This Together,” “Picture of Love,” “Them Kids,” “Uprising Down Under,” and finishing with “Brother Down.”
Responding to the audience’s call for me, the Sam Roberts Band returned on stage for an encore, performing “Everybody Needs Some Love” for their encore.
“Thank you all for this, it’s been a beautiful experiment,” said Roberts. “…We’re going to sing again, about unity and love.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
