Snowblink opened with the song I know them best for, Green to Gone, as the Daniela Gesundheit, leading lady strummed her electric guitar and her backing fellow played his while seated, like the rest of us. Her vocals soared above her looped guitar in The Great Hall. Visually she was dressed all in white and had a set of antlers affixed to her instrument. Following a Springsteen cover of State Trooper they launched a vote that was sorta won in favour of a Spanish ranchero tune. Next up was a really strong song from the forthcoming Inner Classics album before finishing with one more song. With the great vocals in a nice venue it served as quite a warm up for the main event.
Cold Specks
Al Spx opened a cappella, much the way that she carried the entire night with her voice. Not to say her band didn't play their role, with the cello (sometimes bass), keys, sax (!), electric guitar and drums to reinforce her guitar and voice. Unable to decide on a set list they decided to play the I Predict a Graceful Expulsion in order - potential to be boring but broken up by the Fresh Prince opening song, opening verse, cover. Additionally she broke the somewhat serious mood her music seems to convey with lighthearted banter between songs.
The way the songs are composed is really quite interesting as the instruments ordinarily take the back seat to her magnificient voice, and rightly so. The instrumentation does come in and out in flourishes; an intricate blend that is unlike most music today yet followed the recorded songs well.
On a sweaty, Toronto night the capacity crowd had no issue sitting through this set. The band also sweat through it wearing their Sunday best but not being hampered by it in the least. Nearing the end of the set they played Lay Me Down for one of the first few times live and then had a finale where she stepped away from the mic to fill the hall with her booming, gospel voice. This received an emphatic standing ovation that welcomed them back on stage. Unlike Hillside where the encore needed to be cut short here she sang a gospel song on her own before the band returned to play the new All Flesh is Grass and one other tune to wrap up the night.
On a sweaty, Toronto night the capacity crowd had no issue sitting through this set. The band also sweat through it wearing their Sunday best but not being hampered by it in the least. Nearing the end of the set they played Lay Me Down for one of the first few times live and then had a finale where she stepped away from the mic to fill the hall with her booming, gospel voice. This received an emphatic standing ovation that welcomed them back on stage. Unlike Hillside where the encore needed to be cut short here she sang a gospel song on her own before the band returned to play the new All Flesh is Grass and one other tune to wrap up the night.
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