The Show Must Go

The Show Must Go is the third studio album by Canadian pop rock group Hedley. It was released on November 17, 2009, in Canada. The album was successful, producing three top 20 singles, with the lead track, "Cha-Ching", and eighth track, "Perfect" both hitting the top 10. The album was later released in the US on December 7, 2010.

Background
The group worked with producers David Bendeth, John Feldmann, Dave Genn and Brian Howes. The group wrote 45 songs over the course of three months before choosing the 11 tracks for the album. Whereas Hedley and Famous Last Words were more pop punk and alternative rock influenced, this album was inspired by hip-hop music and electro beats. Hoggard stated, "I don't know if the album as a whole has anything to do with me liking Dizzee Rascal or Method Man. There are some songs that might lend to the production elements of urban music, but we still wanted the album to sound as acoustic as possible."

In 2010, the band signed an American record deal with Island Records.

Release
"Cha-Ching" was released to radio in Canada on August 17, 2009 as the lead single from the album. The song was released internationally the following day. "Don't Talk to Strangers" was released as the second single from the album on October 27, 2009. The album's third single "Perfect" was released on February 8, 2010 through Universal Music Canada. "Hands Up" was released in August 2010 as the fourth single from the album. "Sweater Song" was released as the album's fifth single in December 2010.

The Show Must Go was released in the United States on December 7, 2010 via Island Records. The album contains the bonus tracks "I Do (Wanna Love You)" and "Color Outside The Lines". "Perfect" was released as the album's first single in the US on August 10, 2010.

Critical reception
The Show Must Go was met with positive reviews from music critics. Alexey Eremenko of AllMusic stated that the album features, "simple, straightforward guitar licks and a vocal delivery that teeters on the brink of larger-than-life emoting." He complimented the album for its catchiness, however criticized the record for its "cheesy hard rock of yesteryear." Sydney of MuchMusic called the album their best effort yet. She described the album's ninth track "Sweater Song" as the standout track, as well as praising "Amazing", calling the track, "a classic Hedley ballad." However, she stated that "Young & Stupid" is a skip. Max Specht of PressPlus1 remarked, "Hedley has made a great album that won’t pigeonhole them, and although the first two singles might try to write them off as a novelty, there is a lot of quality to be found here in songs like 'Sweater Song' and 'Friends'."

Personnel
Credits for The Show Must Go adapted from AllMusic.


 * Hedley
 * Jacob Hoggard – vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboard
 * Dave Rosin – electric guitar, textures, background vocals
 * Tommy Mac – bass, background vocals
 * Chris Crippin – drums, background vocals


 * Additional musicians
 * Brian Howes - keyboard, guitar, background vocals
 * Jason Van Poederooyen - keyboard, percussion
 * Joel Straton - background vocals
 * Jay Benson - percussion
 * John Feldmann - background vocals, percussion
 * David Benedeth - percussion
 * Dan Korneff - keyboard
 * David Eggar - cello
 * Jonathan Dinklange - violin
 * The Late Show's Gospel Choir - vocals
 * Dave Genn - guitar, keyboard, background vocals
 * Darren Parris - bass
 * Kelly Brock - background vocals
 * Brian Davies - trumpet
 * Mark D'Angelo - trumpet
 * James Hopson - trombone
 * James Robertson - french horn
 * April White - background vocals


 * Production
 * Misha Rajaratnam - editing
 * Tom Lord-Alge - mixing
 * Brian Howes - producing
 * Jason Van Poederooyen - programming, engineering, editing
 * Kyle Moorman - engineering
 * Erik Ron - engineering
 * John Feldmann - string arrangements, programming, producing
 * Mike Fraser - mixing
 * David Benedeth - producing
 * John Bender - engineering, editing
 * Kato Khandwala - engineering, editing
 * John D'uva - engineering, editing
 * Dan Korneff - engineering, editing, programming
 * Dean Maher - engineering
 * Dave Genn - producing

The Show Must Go... on the Road Tour
Hedley announced a tour across Canada in support of the album. Fefe Dobson and Stereos were supporting acts for the entire tour, while Boys Like Girls supported the dates from March 28 to April 10, and Faber Drive supported the other eight dates. A live album called Go With the Show was released in a CD/DVD pack on November 9, 2010. The CD contains tracks from the three final destinations of the tour, as well as a documentary and bonus features on the DVD.

A second leg was announced on May 25, 2010. The opening acts touring with the band are San Sebastian, These Kids Wear Crowns, and Lights.

Encore:
 * Setlist
 * 1) "Cha-Ching"
 * 2) "On My Own"
 * 3) "Shelter"
 * 4) "She's So Sorry"
 * 5) "Perfect"
 * 6) "Old School"
 * 7) "Amazing"
 * 8) "Saturday"
 * 9) "Gunnin'"
 * 10) "Don't Talk to Strangers"
 * 11) "Friends"
 * 12) "Beautiful"
 * 13) "321"
 * 14) "Never Too Late"
 * 1) "For the Nights I Can't Remember"
 * 2) "Trip"


 * Tour dates