Want to feel old? 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the Farrelly brothers’ now-legendary comedy Dumb and Dumber. As much as the movie has earned its place in pop culture for the lovable buffoons with endlessly quotable lines played by Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, the movie also featured one of the best soundtracks of all time with its mix of bands and songs that now feels quintessentially of its era. Two of the most recognizable songs came from a Canadian band called Crash Test Dummies. Defined by the soul-grabbingly deep baritone of singer Brad Roberts, the band’s left-field approach to rock music with strange-yet-emotionally-resonant lyrics hit a chord with listeners and made them a big deal for a handful of years. Many of those listeners have evidently stuck with them while others have undoubtedly picked up on them from that very soundtrack or accidentally fallen in love when served up through a 90s Spotify algorithm. On Thursday, December 7th, fans of the Dummies convened at Portland, Oregon’s Aladdin Theater to catch them play a set filled with old favorites, holiday songs, and of course those Dumb and Dumber soundtrack gems.
The band kicked off the evening on a festive note with their classy take on “White Christmas” before dipping into their own catalog with the bouncy “Winter Song,” setting the tone for a night of warmth and cheer. Roberts’ vocals sounded as strong as ever as he led the band through the accordion-laced folk of “The Ghosts That Haunt Me” and the big, funky bass-laden rock tune “How Does a Duck Know?.” Co-singer Ellen Reid took the vocal reins with the quiet and moody Christmas tune “In the Bleak Midwinter,” but would soon change her tune as she shared a humorous tale of the band being discovered in the 90s as an introduction to their big-hearted take on XTC’s “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead,” perhaps their second best-known tune and a hallmark of that fabled soundtrack. As expected, this one had the audience roaring with excitement. Other highlights of the set included the uptempo groove and bright harmonies on “Afternoons & Coffeespoons,” a rendition of “Silent Night” that featured gorgeous lap steel work by Stuart Cameron, and the melancholy comic book tale that was also a hit, “Superman’s Song.”
After about an hour, the band left the stage and returned for a multi-song encore that would capture their eclectic approach. This included one of the best numbers of the night with “Heart of Stone,” an eloquent, touching song about aging, love, and dying that showcased Roberts’ vocals and songwriting talent as he sang slowly over Cameron’s sparse guitar. He fast-forwarded to the present with the new song “Sacred Alphabet,” a ponderous and stoic piano tune with clever lyrics, before the band launched into an almost sinister take on “Jingle Bells.” Of course, those who stayed for the very end were rewarded with “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm,” one of those fabled Dumb and Dumber gems that is also their best-known song. Onstage in Portland, Reid nailed this tune to show the fans that the Dummies sound vibrant after being at it for multiple decades. And the standing ovation that sent them off into the night proved this band is still beloved in a way that transcends nostalgia.
