Dan Mangan Shares a Secret (Toronto Institute for the Enjoyment of Music, July 20, 2011)

The first message - plain, straightforward, lacking in detail - went out mid-afternoon and the rumours began to swirl. By evening curiousity was as high as excitement. Finally word came: Toronto Institute for the Enjoyment of Music.

Dropping my Grilled Cheese grilled cheese I clamoured onto my bicycle to join the small crowd, mere shadows of that to come, congregating on the Queen West sidewalk. To interrupt the wait The Crackling could be seen soundchecking through the large, glass storefront window to the music centre. Soon thereafter Dan himself poked his head out the door for a quick rundown of how he envisioned the night going down, before the musicians dropped their beers and strolled off down the muggy street.

The temperature shot up to take curiousity's former position alongside excitement as we crammed ourselves, perhaps sixty-strong, into this space, leaving only a handful to peer from the doorway. Relief came in the form of distraction as The Crackling, Dan's bandmates (with the drummer swapping sticks for lead vocals and a guitar), took to the stage, er, front of the room. As before the double guitar (2), and double bass (1) sans percussion worked very well and there was heavy buy-in for the singalong. The instrumentation was relatively restrained, as were our limbs as we were asked to take a seat leaving essentially zero personal space.

We could not however be asked to take Dan Mangan sitting down. Following a short break he unassumingly started into a solo acoustic number that brought the melting crowd's attention back. It was a song from the new album, as was the next about the leaves on the trees, and the trees in the forests. The title track and lead single, Oh Fortune, brought things up a notch before the dial was cranked for a rocking rendition of Sold. Another upbeat tune came and worked into a massive, rambling breakdown. From here the songs tumbled over each other and my memory mixes old with new, and even a cover (Neutral Milk Hotel - In an Aeroplane Over the Sea) as bliss overcame me. The new song, self-described as the poppiest rock song, with the most fuck-you lyrics he'd ever written, was another standout. (And they also did that song with all the questions - about the band, and where they're playing tonight - that I've heard before but can't place. Update:Jeopardy) Some People brought the house down with absolute energy emanating from the four-piece and permeating through the crowd.

Busting a string seemed prophetic somehow, so Dan suggested a change of venue to join the onlookers on the street who now were nearly half as strong in number as us inside. As streetcars cruised by, Mr. Mangan stood atop a piano bench, surrounded by bandmates, and led us in an awe-inspiring So Much For Everyone. Encouraged to sing along for the sheer natural high, we belted it out on the sidewalk, raising our voices in unison in the street. Magnificent!

Nobody wanted it to be over - musicians or music-lovers alike. To cap the night a farewell cover of Elliott Smith's I'm Gonna Love You Anyhow washed over us. The band humbly thanked us for bearing the heat and bid us goodnight. Smiles were seen all around as people milled about discussing the magic they'd just witnessed.

What can ya say? Dan does it again.