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Cross Canadian Ragweed Performed For The First Time In Nearly 15 Years With Surprise Set At Mile 0 Fest
All is right in the world.
Cross Canadian Ragweed is BACK. Some might be confused, given that their big return to the stage is slated for The Boys From Oklahoma event this spring in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The reunion special at Boone Pickens Stadium will feature the Turnpike Troubadours, Jason Boland & The Stragglers, The Great Divide, Stoney LaRue, and more.
However, "The Boys From Oklahoma" threw the world a curve ball when they all appeared at Mile 0 Fest in Key West, Florida. Cody Canada's band, Cody Canada & The Departed, were on the festival's lineup, but he brought some extra friends as the band had plans to reunite during the festival.
Mile 0 hosted a Cross Canadian Ragweed tribute set this year featuring various artists slated to perform throughout the festival. The tribute consisted of 14 songs, and after the set, the crowd was in for an even bigger treat. This year, after the tribute players left the stage, the original band members graced the stage on a cold Thursday night in Key West.
"I guess it’s cold in Key West because hell froze over. I don't even know what to say. I don't know how to talk about it. This moment. But this is the first time that we've played in front of human beings."
I can't imagine the high each band member felt as they played the nostalgic tracks in front of a screaming crowd for the first time in fifteen years.
"So instead of talking and getting all f**king sappy, we are just going to play until they tell us to quit playing."
https://twitter.com/BDubsJrII/status/1882684217483731300
They have been rehearsing for their sold-out four-night event at Boone Pickens Stadium, so what better way to put those practices to use than to give fans a taste of what's in store a few months in advance?
Opening their set with the rocking track "Number," found on their 2004 album Soul Gravy, the energy from the crowd is palpable through all of the videos shared of the epic moment. They followed that song up with another from that record, performing "Lonely Girl." Even Canada was feeling a high from being back on stage with his boys as he said into the microphone:
“What an honor to be on stage with my f*cking friends again."
Sonically, they sounded great (as great as you can sound through a TikTok video). Seeing how natural they all look on stage together, performing these songs for the first time in over a decade supports Canada's statement that they never skipped a beat, even during early practices.
“We really…on the first song, right out of the gate. We just dove right in. We all saw each other a few weeks ago, so we got all of that out.”
If they sound this good reuniting in front of a crowd for the first time, with a few extra months of practice and a sold-out stadium singing along with them in April, I can only imagine how electric The Boys From Oklahoma shows will be.
After the set, Cody Canada said to Rolling Stone:
"I was honestly nervous, and I didn’t think I was going to be, but, man... that felt great.”
Cross Canadian Ragweed is SO back.
Check it out:
@the_adam_drake #RedDirt history happened tonight in #KeyWest. The legendary #CrossCanadianRagweed took the stage together for the first time in 15 years. Goosebumps were felt by everyone in attendance and not just because of the cold wind blowing. Thank you @Mile 0 Fest Key West for an unforgettable night. Again, I didn't get video of everything, but I got as much as I could yo share with you. #Number #LonelyGirl #LighthouseKeeper #BoysFromOklahoma ♬ original sound - Drake