Photo by Sara Traore Just three days after announcing plans for its first hiatus in 16 years, The Derek Trucks Band visited Montreal’s 125-year-old Metropolis theatre for an intimate Saturday night gig.

Trucks, who last traveled to Montreal as a member of Eric Clapton’s band, started the evening with “Sweet Inspiration,” an uplifting Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn cover track off 2009’s Already Free. While the rest of the band broke out of the gate at full force, Trucks was only beginning to heat up.

A 10-minute plus “Get Out of My Life, Woman,” gave the audience its first taste of Trucks’ leading counterpart, keyboardist/flautist Kofi Burbridge. A funky keyboard solo gave way to a raw bass and drums rhythm, indicating that it was Trucks’ turn to let loose. While Mike Mattison told the story with his vocals, it was Burbridge who matched Trucks during instrumental jams.

At 30-years-old, Trucks has proven himself as a master of the slide guitar crescendo. Picking up where Burbridge left off, Trucks began to slowly work his way up the fret board, steadily increasing each note’s intensity.

After a fast-paced version of “Get What You Deserve,” the DTB slowed the tempo for a mellow rendition of popular Songlines track “Mahjoun.” The band stepped out of its southern soul comfort zone as Burbridge abandoned his keyboards for the flute and the crowd was more than eager to go along with the traditional Indian excursion.

The group picked up steam with “No Wind,” which allowed Trucks to re-enter his signature slide guitar ascent, pushing toward a whirlwind of chaos only to revert back to the familiar main riff.

The peaks and valleys continued during a soothing version of “This Sky.” Mattison showcased his versatility, not immediately apparent during the raspy southern soul tunes he fits into so well, by offering a smooth, high-pitched vocal performance.

Following “I’d Rather Be Blind, Crippled, and Crazy” which opened with a Yonrico Scott drum solo, the band broke into the Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs classic and DTB staple “Key To The Highway.” As one of the most animated drummers in the business – Scott appeared to be in complete bliss behind the kit and looked like he was about catapult off his stool – the man can simply hold down any beat. Scott, along with percussionist Count Mbutu and bassist Todd Smallie, launched Mattison’s singing and Trucks’ slide guitar into the evening’s energetic peak.

One last descent into a spacey instrumental version of “My Favorite Things” that led into “Joyful Noise” wrapped up the band’s 13 song set. As the audience stomped for an encore, the band returned for “Hook and Sling,” that joyfully ended the night.