Machell Park is “Blown Wide Open” by Ian Thornley’s performances of “That Song” and “So Far, So Good” from his career as front man for Big Wreck and Thornley

September 3, 2026 · 0 Comments

Amid the aroma of barbecued ribs, Beaver Tails, popcorn and cotton candy, Canadian rock legend Ian Thornley took the stage on Saturday night and wowed over 2,000 fans at Machell Park.

Bathed in lilac and yellow lighting on the Magna-Desjardins Stage, Thornley led the appreciative assembly through a brisk 14-song set list that encapsulated his career as a front man for both hard-driving rock band Big Wreck and post-grunge alternative metal band Thornley.

Both groups’ biggest hits were delivered by the ageless front man Thornley and his talented trio of bandmates – much to the delight of the “rib and rollers” that gathered for Ribfest’s Day 2 crescendo.

As Big Wreck played the opening chords of 1997’s “The Oaf (My Luck is Wasted)”, the talented quartet peered out into a sea of fans that stretched all the way to Aurora Heights Drive—filling the baseball infields and soccer pitches at the North Aurora park in perfect late-summer conditions.

Thornley was in fine form as he impelled the FM-Radio favorite forward—his voice soaring with the lyrics “My luck is wasted / I’m on the run somewhere” – and he rolled in seamlessly to “Locomotive” with its throbbing, hard-edged, guitar work.

Four songs into the concert, Thornley sought refuge in one of his namesake band’s best pieces, “Come Again,” with its edgy, grunge sound and perfect synchronization of all three guitarists.

At the concert’s midway point, Big Wreck performed Thornley’s biggest hit: “So Far, So Good.” The quartet’s super tight, efficient version was one of the highlights of the night. Thornley, the front man, delivered its ferocious chorus with clarity and flare: “When you’re right, you’re right / Everything else in my life just might be wrong / You’re wrong — all the time.”

As Ian Thornley hurdled towards the brilliant song’s measured delivery of lyrics in its closing stanza—“So far, so good, ‘cause no one knows I’m faking/ I wish I could show you the toll it’s taking / Sometimes I feel as if there’s no tomorrow / So far so good”—the lead singer and talented guitarist moved back to the Big Wreck song catalogue and fell into the mournful guitar work that characterizes “Albatross.”

An appreciative audience recognized the distinctive introduction to one of Big Wreck’s most popular songs and Thornley’s booming vocals were backed by the pulsating drum work of Sekou Lumumba.

Prior to closing the concert with “That Song” – which still enjoys regular rotation on FM stations like Q-107 – Big Wreck injected a wee bit of whimsy into the show by breaking into a jaunty version of “Long Train Runnin’” by the Doobie Brothers. Newly-arrived lead guitarist Chris Caddell took over the vocals and covered Tom Johnston’s distinctive southern-fried rock voice while Thornley and long-time bassist Dave McMillan delivered the legendary riffs from the 50-year-old classic tune.

“Without love / Where would you be now?”

A fair question on a Saturday night.

After the spot-on Doobies diversion, Big Wreck’s delivery of “That Song” was the most joyous segment of the concert with the engaged audience “Screaming [back] at the top of [their] lungs” much to Ian Thornley’s delight. Thousands chanted “So you crank that song / And it might sound doom / So just leave the room / While I stop and stare / Cause this is rare / I really love that tune / Man, I love that song / I really like that song / I love that song.”

The audience’s sing-a-long was cut short by the cascading, dynamic guitar work of Caddell, Thornley, and McMillan in Big Wreck’s signature song. It was evident that 2,000 folks “really loved that song” and yelled for more after the climactic tune reached its triumphant ending.

Big Wreck obliged by pounding out “Blown Wide Open” as its encore and attendees exited Machell Park quite satiated with a bellyful of ribs and ears echoing with the distinctive sounds of Ian Thornley and his Big Wreck bandmates.

Five songs into the concert, Thornley had warmed up his Ribfest audience by asking “How many people ate the ribs?” A boisterous response filled the park and the front man confessed “We ate the ribs with a knife and fork to stay clean and neat for tonight.”

The front man’s fastidious habits during the pre-concert meal translated seamlessly on stage as Big Wreck delivered a clean and neat performance of great turn-of-the-century Canadian rock standards on Saturday night at Ribfest 2026.

By Jim Stewart