Oh Canada, what are we missing? Sometimes it seems like the “cultural gap” between our two nations is way too exaggerated by the media (read: comedians). For example, there are Canadians I know and often forget they are foreigners, I once stayed on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and barely noticed the difference, and our indie rock scene is thoroughly dominated by Canadian bands.

But there’s no denying the Stateside crowd either doesn’t get Sloan or just doesn’t care. They’re fifteen years into a remarkably consistent run of pop-rock albums, with plenty of hits north of the border and nary a one below it. They don’t even sound Canadian either: unlike, say, the Tragically Hip, you could listen to them and never know they weren’t just British. But, like their wonderfully self-reflective and fitting new tune “Fading Into Obscurity” goes, the band “chose to cherish those who thinks there’s some purity / in fading into obscurity.”

If anything, their live show reinforced what was already known about the band: tight, veteran band, great harmonies (sometimes all five members singing), four different songwriters, loyal fanbase, and probably a dozen shoulda-been hits. With a respectable Sunday night crowd belting out the words in full voice, Sloan treated D.C. to a nearly 30-song set, occasionally breaking to joke with the audience or strike a sarcastic “rock pose,” but mostly just blending one song into another and chugging along.