54-40 or fight, a particularly sore sentiment in the times we live in, what with the semi-constant threat of a southern invasion. But you do get some great music out of the old slogan at least. 54-40 is coming to town! Well, back to town, since they’re from here. I guess if you want to get really granular, they’re from Delta, and so going to Vancouver is coming to town.
Anywho, enough rambling, maybe you don’t know who these guys are and would like me to get to the point sometime. At first glance, 54-40 are another of those classic rock bands of the 90’s. One of those bands your dad listens to and you just kind of passively consume. Well that would be the case, if it weren’t for Friends. Now if you’ve watched Friends you may remember the Hootie and the Blowfish song, I Go Blind.
Turns out, I Go Blind is actually originally written and performed by 54-40, meaning they made buckets of cash. I mean for a Canadian rock band to make pretty much any money in the American market? Amazing, incredible, but especially for a band like 54-40 whose name spits in the face of manifest destiny and all the principles the U.S. was founded upon.
In case you aren’t familiar with American expansionist phrases from the mid 19th century, 54-40 or fight was a rallying cry brought about by the president at the time James Polk. He had decided that stealing from the Indigenous peoples there wasn’t enough and went “Yeah let’s take everything up to Alaska, that’ll be good.” Which obviously was not received well by Great Britain and so they came to the agreement we have now at the 49th parallel. That’s the brief history lesson done with, but bringing that up is important to note because in the times we live in, having a band like 54-40 who isn’t afraid to stand on their beliefs is incredibly important. Especially a band who spits right in the face of American exceptionalism.
I gotta say, nothing makes me more proud to be Canadian, than Canadians showing the world what makes us unique. And 54-40 is a big part of that, so is music in general. But I’ve gotten off track now, 54-40, they put on an awesome show (At least that’s what my parents tell me), and if you like bands that stand up for what they believe in, and deliver a kick-ass show at the same time, check them out this week at the commodore on the 9th!