It’s election night in America. Instead of watching the results come in on TV, the crowd here is ready to rock with JJ Wilde, who is from Kitchener, Ontario. 

Her debut album, Ruthless, won Rock Album of the Year at the 2021 Juno Awards. She was the first woman to win the award since Alanis Morissette won in 1996. It features “The Rush”, which is her most popular song on Spotify with over 16.9 million streams. 

Midway into the set, JJ talks about going on a road trip after a breakup to Arizona that really inspired her to write this album. “Arizona” is the first song and it is absolutely excellent. It has the potential to be the new AZ state anthem played at sporting events across the state. “I found something I won’t give back / And yeah I feel lost but i’m right on track / I know it’s out there where nobody knows ya / You call it freedom and I call it Arizona”!

The only issue with the song is the ending. It feels incomplete like it wants to go bigger. I’d suggest a key change, perhaps from D# up to F. Also, perhaps add an extra verse filled with the names of Arizona’s places: Tucson, Phoenix, Superstition Mountain, Sedona, Grand Canyon, Saguro National Park, Meteor Crater, Flagstaff, Sunset Crater National Monument, and Horseshoe Bend.

See a recent setlist here. 

Cost of a ticket: $27

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney