Melissa Etheridge rocks the Massey Hall on Friday night. (Ernest Doroszuk, QMI Agency)

TORONTO - Melissa Etheridge's new album is called Fearless Love and given her fearless and loving performance in front of an enthusiastic crowd on Friday night at Massey Hall, the title seems appropriate.

Maybe it's her newfound love affair with Canada - she's currently wrapping up a three-week tour of the country - or her obvious love of Ontario's own Serena Ryder - her opening act who she dragged on stage twice during her set.

Whatever's happening, there was definitely a lovefest going on Friday night despite Etheridge joking about the cold weather up north as she made her way across the country.

"Winnipeg's cold - it's 'hurt my feelings' cold!" she protested. "You're brave people. If I'm going to fight, I'm going to get you on my side. And you're nice. You're the nicest people in the world! Seriously! Maybe I could live here from May to September?"

Canuck-boosting aside, Etheridge seems to have got her groove back in a big way with the return-to-rock new album, including the anthemic title track which kicked off the two-hour-and-45 minutes show, which in turn propelled her live show to new heights.

"Toronto are you ready - ready to be fearless?" said the grinning 49-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist as she took the stage backed by a three piece band including Edmonton's own Peter Thorn on lead guitar.

The combination of her strong raspy voice, passionate guitar playing and emotional songs went along way to whipping the crowd into a frenzy as many gathered at the front of the stage while the rest in their seats rose to their feet early and often.

And when Etherdige, a breast cancer survivor, told the audience she had been cancer free for six years, as way of introducing I Run To Life, they went nuts.

Aside from appealing new songs like Fearless Love, The Wanting Of You, Nervous and the beautiful show ending lullaby-like ballad, Gently We Row, Etheridge also infused older tunes with newfound energy like The Different, Silent Legacy, and Bring Me Some Water, with nice lead guitar work from Thorn, and her own harmonica playing on Royal Station.

She joked that she was always nervous about playing the harmonica in front of men in the audience adding: "It takes a man's man to come to a Melissa Etheridge concert!"

Etheridge's also got a lot of swagger for a lady as she often teased the crowd with her flirty wordplay and effortlessly seductive nature.

The sisterly chemistry between her and Ryder was undeniable as they sang their new duet, Broken Heart Sun (in a repeat of the song's debut at the Genie Awards in Ottawa on Thursday night), and Etheridge's own Come By My Window and I'm The Only One (with Ryder having to have lyric cards in her hands for the last two).

Etheridge eventually engaged Ryder in a "sing-off" during I'm The Only One.

"She's my rock spawn!" said Etheridge of Ryder afterwards.

But it was a marathon version of Like The Way I Do, that brought the house down as Etheridge played her acoustic guitar so hard that she broke a string mid-way through.

In addition to Friday night's Massey Hall show, Etheridge took part earlier in the day as a presenter at the Canadian Radio Music Awards at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel as part of Canadian Music Week.

"You are saving music! You can really sing!" she summed up of the CRMAs.

She'll return to the hotel on Saturday afternoon for a so-called "celebrity interview session" as part of CMW.

SET LIST:

Fearless Love

No Souvenirs

I Want To Come Over

Company

The Different

Royal Station

The Wanting of You

Silent Legacy

Broken Heart Sun (with Serena Ryder)

Come To My Window (with Serena Ryder)

I Run For Life

Nervous

I'm The Only One (with Serena Ryder)

Bring Me Some Water

Like The Way I Do

ENCORE:

Gently We Row