Yukon Commissioner Angélique Bernard picks 5 songs from her favourite live acts
From Indochine to the Tragically Hip, Bernard has seen some great live music over the years
This story is a part of a web series called Music that Matters with CBC Yukon's Airplay host Dave White. Dave sits down with Yukoners to talk about five pieces of music that inspire them.
Angélique Bernard is spending her days finding ways to navigate the challenges of the new world created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and like all of us, she's also spending time missing some of her favourite things.
In Bernard's case, that means live music.
Bernard — Yukon's commissioner — chose five songs for this edition of Music That Matters, and when she was finished she realized she's seen all of these bands live.
"I have to say, I love the innovation of Yukoners and groups like the Not Close But Personal concert series," she said. "So I tip my hat to all the people of this beautiful territory for their innovations."
Bernard's first selection came from the band Snow Patrol, who she saw last year in Vancouver on their 25th anniversary tour. She chose their song Headlights On Dark Roads.
"It's a beautiful song, it's the message that you can take your life into your own hands, and I think everything works for me with this song."
Bernard's second choice came from French band Indochine.
"I actually saw them in Montreal in 1991 for their tenth anniversary, and it was great. I just love their sound, they're just a great French group that has lasted for 40 years," she said.
Midnight Oil's Warakurna was Bernard's third choice, from the Australian band's breakout album, Diesel and Dust.
"I actually had a chance to see them in 2002 in Australia when my husband and I were there," she said.
"They had just released an album and they were supposed to tour North America and I thought, 'Here I am in Australia and Midnight Oil is going to tour North America.' But they wound up cancelling that tour for some reason."
Bernard's fourth choice comes from American band The Airborne Toxic Event, who she saw in 2014, and their song Sometime Around Midnight.
"That was my birthday present for me," she said.
Bernard's fifth choice comes from The Tragically Hip, Canadian rock royalty she saw a few times on their Another Roadside Attraction tours.
"They put on a heckuva show. Gord Downie, there's nothing we can say more about the beautiful poet that he was, and I think really The Tragically Hip define Canadian music. They talked about Canadian topics, brought forward issues that are now on the forefront," she said.
"I just thought we could end with Courage from their album Fully Completely, because we all need that now."