Jeremy Porter Road Blog

Road Blog: Saturday September 06, 2025 - London, ON

Road Blog
September 6, 2025
London, Ontario

I left my AirBB in Pincourt, Quebec at 10:30am, grumpy after a coffee machine debacle that compromised my no-sleep, road-weary caffeine intake and headed east on the 20 in a steady rain. I stopped at the same McDonalds that butchered the breakfast orders of David Picco and I last year at this time and made sure this time it was a legit large black coffee. The drive was never-ending-long but otherwise fairly pleasant as I listened to music and gulped down stale gummy bears like they were trucker speed. A couple stops for gas and pee and a pre-customs-car clean and organize and I hit London just short of 6PM.

My pals Lee Roy and Angie were kind enough to invite to their lovely home for a pre-show killer food spread and bevvys and it was a great chance to dust off the road and collect my head before the show. Their dog Ruby is a sweet girl and her friend Bella is too. I got the lowdown on Canadian Rez Dogs and Ruby and Bella are both rescues and I loved hanging out with them. Great chats with Jan-Eric about Scandinavian food and with Jay and Angie about our very different Morrocco experiences, and great chats with Tricia Redfern, Ira Gret, Will and Trevor too. Trevor and I headed into town for load-in a little after 7 with Jan and Trish in tow who were heading to get gourmet dogs at the hot dog dive next door. I once again thanked the parking gods who shone down on me yet again with the primo parking spot right in front of the door, on a very busy downtown London night.

Richmond Tavern is in downtown London and dates back to the early 1850s. Everyone was sharing stories about the history of the joint and how it’s one of the coolest places in town. I’ve been wanting to play there for years, and had a show booked that was cancelled during the pandemic. The bar survived, and I was really glad to finally get a foot in the door. It’s a long bar, not exactly a “dive” but sort of a dive in the best way in that it’s old and loaded with character, but I wouldn’t say it’s like a sticky-floors, stickers on all the walls dive bar. The stage sits against the windows that face the street and there’s a bar against the back wall and a pool/pinball room on the other side.

We were doing our own sound and it took Trevor and I a minute to dial it in. I can’t say either of us knew what we were doing, I was wishing Gabriel was there, but it worked and we were ready to rock. A couple was sitting there and the guy had an ALL hoodie on and I thought, “this can’t be a coincidence” and sure enough they were Büddies from Windsor who’d come up for the show. Had some great chats with Candy and Aaron and was happy to see them again after Buddies Fest. (And it's insane that Büddies Fest is still looming so large in everyday life 2 months later).

Trevor went on around 9PM and played a great set to a good crowd. We were a bit nervous as there was a big show at the other venue in town Palasad Socialbowl. Jay (I think, if memory serves) put it best “Strike one: they’re Japanese, strike two: they’re girls,” meaning just that it was not a great show to have to compete with (obvs nothing wrong with either thing, just stiff competition. We’d both likely had been there if we weren’t at the Richmond). Trevor played great, his songs translated really well, and the sound was big and full. I went on around 10 and played `til a bit after 11/11:15 or so, taking some challenging requests and hitting some softer stuff I don’t get to play that often. The audience, led by the Windsor crüe, was stompin’ and clappin’ along and it was a great time – rowdy when it called for and it quiet when it called for that. These are luxuries I am not often afforded. After the 3rd night in a row where an encore was demanded (never, ever happens generally) I hung out for a bit, sold a good bunch of merch, took some pics, said goodbyes to my Canadian friends, and loaded out.

I was exhausted and road-worn after the long drive from Montreal and the gig, but a beautiful full moon, endless wind farms, handfuls of gummy bears, and Hüsker Dü cranked on the stereo got me into Windsor around 2am. A few minutes later the Detroit skyline loomed and all that was left was customs and the final stretch down I-96. “Where you coming from? Why were you there? Back window. Drive safe.” And I was on my way. I am now all-in on the tunnel as the way to get over, at least till the opportunity to take the new Gordie Howe Bridge presents itself.

I got home around 2:40am, emptied my pockets of money, guitar picks, rolaids, and junk food receipts, did a quick internet check, brushed my teeth, had a catch-up chat with @TrooperGirl22, and crashed out hard around 3:30.

London was amazing. Thanks to all my friends there who are the best people and helped make it so. At this point in my life/career, that human connection is about as important to me as the music is, and I love you all and don’t take any of you for granted. I can’t wait to come back and have more adventures and hangs.

Overall it was perhaps the best September Canadian run I’ve had, of the 15 years I’ve been doing it. Each show was great, people were very generous with their merch purchases, support, tips, applause, hospitality, and feedback, and the weather, accommodations, traffic, and drives were all aces.

I hate to get political, I really try to avoid it in my online stuff, but the one major bummer is how relations between the US and Canada are so unnecessarily and visibly strained now. If you don’t think that there has been serious damage done, you aren’t paying attention or haven’t talked to anyone from that side of the river. It’s really, really bad. The wound is deep, and it won’t heal overnight, when we eventually emerge from this embarrassing shitstorm. It breaks my heart that all but a very few of the people I saw refuse to even consider crossing the border anytime soon out of fear and/or anger (but mostly fear). I did my best to assure them that there are way more us that are on their side than not, and we’re trying to fix it. I don’t think we’re trying hard enough, and I don’t presume to have the answers. Rant over, but a major, probably thee major, takeaway from this run.

Thanks for reading! See ya in a couple weeks for a Midwest run! Xx