Eight and a Half
Last time I tried to catch Eight and a Half it was at the Edge studios and I hustled there on my bike to catch the latter half of the second of two songs. It sounded good but still an obvious disappointment. This time I again arrived slightly late but caught a significant amount of their Yonge/Dundas Friday evening opening set. The music was atmospheric especially with the synths and Justin Peroff brushing the drums or playing an electronic set with a soft-tipped stick. The singer played an electric guitar and sang into a reverb mic while the man with the beard held down synths and keys. Altogether they managed to recreate their music live quite well. It was enjoyable even beyond thirty seconds this time - and oh, boy! that guitar line on Scissors is so simple yet so great.
Plants and Animals
Their appearance was a little offputting. One guiy had a suit but no shirt and another couple were sporting long blonde hair under their hats (that turned out to be wigs in the end). Beyond their looks the music was solid - a little less prog guitary-y as the last times I saw them. The latest album comes across that way as well and has proven to be my favourite of their entire catalog. More accessible and more hooks altogether. With that in mind I was hoping the live show would step up its game too but from halfway back across the square (undoubtedly full of Matt Good fans staking their spots) it wasn't about to turn me around completely. There's definitely a good deal of live show improv as Bye, Bye, Bye had a noticeably different sound. They did Good Friend and brought out the acoustic for The Mama Papa. Also included were Lightshow, a slow burn on Faerie Dance before rocking it out. They got the crowd into it in the end with a la la singalong but not quite enough to convert fans I'd say.
Matt Good
I knew there were die-hard Matt Good fans out there but I didn't realize there were so many of them as the square flooded with people and I could barely get a vantage point having stepped out for a minute following Plants and Animals. I could still hear that distinct Matt Good voice and was impressed by the excellent guitar work and hard hitting drums. The band may look their age but they can still play. I didn't recognize any of the first few songs and decided to slip out early so I could regain my personal space.
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