Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace made a notable choice during their Wednesday night performance in Calgary, Alberta, as part of their 30th Anniversary Tour, performing their song “Whatever” – a track that has largely remained absent from their setlists for over 15 years due to its complicated history.
The song, which gained prominence in professional wrestling circles, served as WWE Superstar Chris Benoit’s entrance music from 2002 until 2007. While “Whatever” was initially released on the WWE compilation album “WWF Forceable Entry,” Our Lady Peace also included a live version on their 2003 album “Live.”
Following Benoit’s shocking murder-suicide in June 2007, which claimed the lives of his wife Nancy and young son Daniel, the band’s relationship with the song changed dramatically.
In 2012, Our Lady Peace made the definitive decision to remove the song from their catalog and announced they would never perform it again, citing the negative emotional impact and tragic associations the song had come to carry.
Lead singer Raine Maida has recently spoken about the band’s desire to “reclaim” the song from its dark associations, marking a significant reversal from their 2012 position.
The decision to perform “Whatever” in Calgary represents a momentous step in separating the track from its troubled history and returning it to its original artistic context.
The song, which originally appeared on Our Lady Peace’s 1997 album “Clumsy,” stands as one of the band’s more aggressive rock compositions, with themes of perseverance and determination – themes that now carry a markedly different weight given its historical context.
Our Lady Peace’s performance in Calgary marks a turning point in the song’s legacy, as the band works to preserve their artistic creation while acknowledging its complex past.
The performance demonstrates the challenges artists face when their work becomes inexorably tied to tragic events, and their efforts to move forward while remaining sensitive to the gravity of such associations.