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Concert Review: Les Hay Babies, July 3, Horseshoe Tavern

Posted on
4 Jul 2025
by
Paul

Fourteen years in, and Les Hay Babies are still finding new things out about themselves. Like the fact that they’re all the youngest siblings in their families. And not just the core trio, but the whole gang – drummer, guitarist, even their sound guy. Yes, Les Hay Babies are literally the babies of their respective families. The band proudly proclaimed this fact (as well as the detail that they were all also unexpected “mistakes”) before launching into “Dernière mais non la moindre,” their twangy ode to being the youngest. The title translates to “last but not least,” which is both a charming deflection and maybe also an unofficial slogan for the band.

Decked out in matching red fringed cowgirl outfits, Les Hay Babies turned the Horseshoe into a bilingual honky-tonk for the night. Starting things off strong with opener “Soyez fiers,” the Moncton-based band put on a fantastic show that showcased their unique indie folk sound. Their country/rockabilly-inspired Francophone tunes proved to be quite infectious, drawing in a large contingent of French-speaking fans alongside a good number of Anglos like myself and even a few who’d never even heard of the band before tonight. As an Anglophone with somewhat rusty high school French rattling around the recesses of my brain, I must admit I had to concentrate a bit during some of the stage banter like I was taking a pop quiz. But it was worth it – half the fun was decoding the jokes, stories and other commentary. The band are not just talented performers, but natural storytellers too.

And let’s face it – Les Hay Babies are a very charming band. I’d wager that even those who came in unfamiliar left as fans. They put on a great, energetic show that, ultimately, was just a fun time. You couldn’t ask for more – except maybe a crash course in remedial French beforehand.

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