Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds have always sounded like a band built for the stage, but ‘Live in ’25’ captures the moment when that instinct finally clicks into focus. Recorded during their October 2025 performance at Edmonton’s River Cree Resort and Casino, the EP documents a night that felt less like an opening slot and more like a passing of the torch. Sharing the bill with British rock legends Nazareth in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 2,000, the Calgary-based group played with the urgency of a band aware that something was shifting in real time.
Live releases are increasingly rare in a streaming era built on polish and perfection, but ‘Live in ’25’ thrives on feel. The recordings are raw without being messy, immediate without sacrificing clarity. You hear the room, the crowd, and the band feeding off both. Reed’s vocals sit confidently at the center, animated and elastic, pushing each chorus just far enough to keep it unpredictable. The Silverbirds sound tight but never rigid, locked in while still leaving space for momentum to build organically.
“Did I Miss Out” and “Maxine” arrive early as proof of the band’s live-wire energy. Both songs lean into punchy hooks and classic pop-rock instincts, channeling the late-seventies power pop lineage often cited in discussions of Reed’s songwriting. Yet they never feel nostalgic for nostalgia’s sake. There is a modern sharpness in the way the melodies land and the rhythms snap into place. “Warmth of July” pulls things inward, revealing a more reflective side of the band and allowing Reed’s growth as a storyteller to take the spotlight.
The EP closes with the studio track “Do You Feel The Way I Do,” which bridges the immediacy of the live recordings with the polished pop direction Reed has been refining over the last few years. It is a smart sequencing choice that positions ‘Live in ’25’ not as a victory lap, but as a pivot point.
What makes ‘Live in ’25’ compelling is not just the scale of the moment, but how naturally the band rises to meet it. This is a document of confidence earned, not assumed. Rather than freezing the group in time, the EP feels like an open door, inviting listeners into a version of Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds that is still unfolding, louder, sharper, and increasingly hard to ignore.
Featured Image: Artist Supplied
