La Force
In a satin pink dress and otherwise just an electric guitar Ariel took to the stage a little later than first anticipated. Regardless the audience in the cold, old hall were captive from the get go. She played a few songs from her first solo release that's only weeks old before swapping to the cigar box for a few. Her voice is strong and distinct, pushing it to far registers at times, while handling that guitar well and varying the pre-recorded beats, one sounding like a club beat before she started into it. Inviting Little Scream to meld her vocals they sang one together which had a few moments where I worried the harmonies would go off the rails but in the end was a highlight as the crowd clapped them out. The true highlight was rightfully saved for the next song that would also be the last. "To prove that I have friends" a guitarist named Joe (from Patrick's band) came to layer onto the throbbing back beats and Ariel's own guitar while she sang us an anthem for our revolution, probably the strongest of the night and a tune akin to her work with AroarA.
Patrick Watson
Patrick Watson is in that upper echelon of performers that truly transcends with each show, giving you an ethereal experience that takes you out of the concert hall and into a new world. Taking to the stage in darkness the sound started before anything could be seen and began to not just surround but envelope us all. Along with his band of five - drums, guitars, bass, synthesizers, and Ariel's vocals - they built up the songs from a hush until they filled your soul via your eardrums. Through fog and an assortment of ever-changing lighting, including a laser show and these lovely old-fashioned, oversized bulbs on stands with translucent mirrors that slowly twirled around them, you could just make out the variety of ways that they produced the magic. Patrick, from under a mass of hair, pumped his hands and giggled like a madman but they say there is a fine line between genius and mad and he seems to tiptoe it. He used everything from piano, to effect pedals and boards to a megaphone and even just shouting into the audience. Speaking of the audience, he also used us as an accomplished conductor would, milking everything out of our collective voices (once by encouraging us to sing like we were really drunk!), but we were willing participants throughout. Even without many 'hits' - they played Adventures in Your Own Backward but not any of Luscious Life, Big Bird in a Small Cage, or Beijing - it was still a compelling set.
Special moments came as the band huddled around one mic, family style, during the set as well as on absolute stunner, Into Giants, that opened the encore. The french horn also ended up playing out in the audience at one point of it too. This was around the time that it was made known that their drummer, Robbie Kuster, was playing his final show with the band after 20 years and the audience's roared approval carried on and on, multiple times continuing beyond when Patrick was about to introduce the next song, as Robbie stood proudly with a tambourine raised above his head. Somehow they followed this up with a beautiful solo piano tune from Patrick where he could really showcase throwing that incredible voice of his around, before they all returned for one last finale song. I realise this review doesn't do it justice and encourage you to go see it for yourself as there is new music in the pipeline for 2019!
