Alvvays
In the time since I last saw this band, when the first hints of buzz were beginning, that buzz has grown to a roaring chainsaw! As you can tell I was less than enthused by the first listen to their gazy music but having heard the recordings now, and curious to see if I'd just missed something, I joined the throng of others who had heard the praise too. It was a definite improvement as Molly had more of a stage presence and Alec didn't appear quite as bummed but at the risk of sounding like a hipster I still don't know that all the hype is warranted. They saved Archie, Marry Me, the first single, for the end because people were already paying attention.
Hydra
That first showing in the Great Hall seemed like such a treat to have the vocal prowess of three terribly talented females singing together in harmony. It definitely seemed as if they had hit on greatness. Now a year and a half later the group has solidified, employing both Aroara and Snowblink's male counterparts in music and life, (plus Charles Spearin and Dan Kerr (drums) for this show) and beginning to play a little more regularly. In the two sets this summer however it has felt as if the magic was stretched a little too thin over a full set and I found myself cherry picking certain songs over others. I have found Snowblink rather mundane live and the same rings true even with Feist singing backups. Speaking of, the Feist songs (Bad in Each Other, How Come You Never Go There) are enjoyable but there is a great deal of her catalog that could be put to better use given this firepower. The Aroara songs however spring to life, which may be my bias as I prefer them performed by Aroara too over the others. Maybe it just boils down to expectations because the Antony and the Johnsons cover also wasn't anything special however what they did after the set was. Hillside is usually quite punctual and therefore does not allow encores, yet somehow most of the people were already out of the tent when they came back out for a raucous, short rendition of Immigrant Song that was nothing like anything in the actual set (and I don't just mean great).
Showing posts with label feist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label feist. Show all posts
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Field Trip (Stars, BSS, Mangan, Hayden, Bloc Party+) - Fort York (June 8/13)
Gold & Youth
I was curious as to how Gold & Youth would be able to present the electronic-based indie rock of their highly enjoyable debut album, Beyond Wilderness, and the way that it was done was by integrating an electronic drum set right into the regular set. These pads were not visible to the audience but could definitely be heard and it allowed for the set to resemble an organic guitar show, without a bunch of backing tracks or knob twisting. The foursome recreated the sound quite well, with the lead male had a much deeper voice than his appearance would indicate, while the female vocalist hit her marks despite some maladjusted microphones. Wrapping up a short set with Time to Kill proved a pleasant way to start the festival.
Still Life Still
Sure were a bunch of dudes on stage for the first main stage set of the day. Alright there were only five of them including the hype man in leather manning the effects and keys. They rumbled out some rock music as the crowd assembled on their blankets all around. Not bad, but not much to jot down here.
The Darcys
Despite supposedly alternating sets on the main and second stage it seemed that every time I arrived to the Fort York stage things were already underway - although upon reflection that may have had to do with the one-lane commute between the stages. Therefore The Darcys were already cranking out their music to an appreciative audience. They incorporate the "Nighttime, anytime. It's alright" refrain by The Constantines (and also covered by Guelphite, Jim Guthrie). Incorporating some keys they were another respectable set that served as a suitable warm-up for a big day.
Jason Collett
A recognizable man in the Toronto scene he was less recognizable having cleaned himself up with a snazzy hair cut that gave an overall clean cut feel. He began with different backers including do-it-all Taylor Knox (bass, drums, vocals) for songs like Rob a Bank. But soon afterward he invited his former bandmates, Zeus, to reprise their roles for a couple tunes including Love is a Dirty Word and the tinny guitared Charlyn, The Angel of Kensington. (One of the first blatant outbreaks of local politics of the day, as he made reference to blocking the proposed WalMart to that neighbourhood.) It was a bit of a revolving door as Ms. Amy Millan joined him for a Hangover Days duet as he broke out the acoustic. To top it all off fellow BSSer, Brendan Canning, toted his guitar on stage for the obligatory I'll Bring the Sun which saw the return of Amy as well as her Stars bandmate, Torquil Campbell to sing along. Unfortunately the clouds remained for the duration of the tune but spirits were buoyed regardless.
Cold Specks
Admittedly most of what I heard from Al Spx was while salivating over my snack options in the food field next door but it seemed like a very full, loud sound, in contrast to her mostly quiet and subdued (but absolutely excellent) record, I Predict a Graceful Expulsion. There was a sax that added some deep bass to the sound and delightfully accompanied her impressive voice which would not be easily overpowered.
Zeus
This band is beloved, fittingly like a god, for their throwback sound and varied live show. It seems as if every member can play every instrument and throughout a half hour set they appeared to have hit on every possible configuration. It's just fun - like the call and response on Anything You Want Dear. They shredded through a bunch of their hits making for a jaunty, quick show.
Trust
One of the few bands of the day that I hadn't yet seen live (Still Life Still, Gold & Youth) again it was a mystery as to how they were going to come across in a live show. And let me tell you - it was a spectacle! The set-up was simple enough; drummer, female keys, and strictly singer. All three members of the band were dressed only in black, with the male lead singer wearing sleeveless top and black skirt, but to offset this lack of colour a very colourful character joined them. As this masked, sequined, jean-vested, short-shorted dancer worked it the band played on. The music is pretty electro catchy and this gave us some entertainment in addition to the otherwise straightforward musical presentation.
Hayden
Mr. Desser was in fine form as he started slowly, seated at his piano bench to open the set with a couple of tunes. The man of many talents, Taylor Knox, began on the guitar before swapping with the third member to take over the drums. He played a relatively perky set considering his catalogue, drawing heavily from the recently released album lit up in a neon Us Alone sign behind him. This included Rainy Saturday plus a cameo from Lou Cannon on Blurry Nights which was quite sweet. However I find it is Hayden's has a knack for putting real feeling into his songs that sets him apart, as on Almost Everything which drips with emotion with each ivory key and harmonica hum. For this reason alone I was left dreaming of a long, late-night set in a dingy back room bar where he could really get into it with a captive audience. That being said, there was much to be enjoyed from this festival set as well.
Ra Ra Riot
An American band that tours Toronto surprisingly often, likely due to their Arts & Crafts representation. For this reason I've seen them a couple of times in the past without getting too worked up about them - but their latest album had caught my ear again so I was willing to give them another go. And it was a worthwhile endeavour too as they impressed with the translation of their hooky songs to the live stage. I hadn't realized there were so many of them - six - but they were tight as the lead male burst out with his higher range vocals, nicely matched by the violin and countered with the deeps of the bodyless standup bass. They lead the crowd with energy and it was fed right back to them appropriately. One notable flair was when a member hugged his guitarist from behind, slipping his arms between the guitar and the guitarist's arms to start a clap. That was a silly sight but otherwise an entertaining little set.
Bloc Party
It has been some time since I fell hard for Silent Alarm but the album still passes muster when I return to it some eight years later - and not quite that the same length of time since I saw them perform last, but awhile, no doubt. And wasn't I pleasantly surprised with this performance! Granted the music since that magnificent debut has evolved but they retain their catchy senses. So of course I enjoyed So Here We Are, Banquet and Helicopter but also Waiting for the 718 and Song for Clay from 2007's A Weekend in the City too. In fact, they played an unreleased track about Montreal which sounded excellent despite being a slower number - great response. The band still retains a certain swagger that carried them through the elongated set length. In finale they did not disappoint my twenty year old heart either as they performed a rousing rendition of This Modern Love that brought everything back around. Beautiful.
Stars
The last Stars show renewed my reasoning for having seen this band a dozen times - that Danforth show was stellar (pun not originally intended). Here they had a massive black and white backdrop poster of their North album cover which I could make out from my vantage point by the sound tent (as the festival had packed out by this point). The duo were energetic as usual though they were aware of the time limitations and burned through the hits rather than spending too much time waxing poetic. Torq did get a word out to enjoy ourselves even "under this shitty highway" as he motioned to the Gardiner nearby. There appeared to be another new guitarist, even since the Danforth show, though I couldn't be 100% sure - he did seem awfully happy to be there however, as he smiled away. Amy and Evan were amped up as each was seen jumping up and down at various points throughout the set that many in the crowd remarked was one of their favourites of the day (whereas I was slightly distracted by my burrito and being at the back). Perhaps ranked somewhere lower in the long list of Stars shows based on personal enjoyment, primarily due to circumstances, but that still makes it a better set than most concerts going.
Theory of Relativity
Lights Changing Colour
A Song is a Weapon
The North
We Don't Want Your Body
Elevator Love Song
Soft Revolution
Backlines
Midnight Coward
Take Me to the Riot
Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It
Dan Mangan
A surprising highlight of the day. Not because I doubt Dan - I have professed my love for him many times before and stand by it - but because they hadn't played in such a long time following their last tour (including the recent birth of Dan's first child). While a tonne of people staked out their spot for Feist there was still a horde of Manganians hanging on each of his lyrics. Despite the absence the entire band seemed sharp, still building it up to knock it down. I've said it before but that Post War Blues just wallops you live! It is so darn good and received my virtual vote for best single song of the festival. (I had hopes for Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl but..) Of note was the quickened version of Sold which still worked, while If I Am Dead worked slowed. The Leaves, Trees, Forest lyric caught my ear for some reason this time around too - "That's the thing about everything; everything always does that."
For better or worse the tune that is still Dan's signature remains Robots, so it was interesting to hear them change up the opening to the song as a disguise, but when the chorus rolled around and Dan had us all singing along there was no doubt remaining. As a bonus that song did not close out the set but instead we were treated to Rows of Houses which is a fantastic tune recorded and live, and was always destined to be a hit.
Feist
Coming upon the set late I was disappointed to see guests Aroara being thanked as they departed the stage (worth it for Dan though). From here Feist played an intriguing, if somewhat muddled and disappointing set. Sure, she could have played a more generic typical standard set of her hits as she has hundreds of times over (like Centre in the Square, Kitchener some years ago) but that is the music that made her famous. Primarily backed by only a DJ she ran through a series of reinterpretations of her own catalogue. Unfortunately the singing hardly sounded like singing as few words were heard between a series of sounds and notes emitting from her mouth. Often it is interesting for a live set to differ from its recorded counterpart but as with Dylan when the original is barely recognizable a great deal is lost. This seemed indulgent. I can't be certain that she ever got to "4" to start that thumb war as the loops continued without really going anywhere. When the hooded (caped?) lady finally exited the stage it was to a mixed ovation. I am still a Feist fan but would have reservations about making reservations to see her next show, unsure which one I was going to get.
Broken Social Scene
Yes it was a reunion for BSS after their hiatus announcement a couple years ago, after all isn't it "time that we grow old and do some shit"? The reason was the ten year anniversary of the label which essentially was established for the Broken Social Scene and definitely prospered due to their success, as well as the success of their cohorts and offshoots who also made music for Arts and Crafts. Plenty members had already taken to the stage earlier in the day including Andrew Whiteman (and his wife Ariel) with AroarA, Kevin Drew with anyone who invited him up, as well as the Stars crew. Here they were all (~13) together presenting their seminal album You Forgot It In People in its entirety and sticking much to the recorded versions as should be done in instances such as this. Mind you the standout track (of the album and perhaps their entire discography) Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl sorely missed Emily Haines' presence as despite the obvious enthusiasm from the female contingency, Amy, Ariel, and Lisa, they couldn't match it even together. However Metric, and hence Emily, was unavailable due to conflicting tour commitments. Yet a tender moment came following the conclusion of People as straight from the airplane James Shaw arrived to surprise everyone, especially Kevin Drew who blubbered his delight. Yes, they did carry on with a good number of further tunes beyond the album reproduction, tossing in a few from the last release including the strongest song from it, All to All, but primarily adding in the greatest hits and a previously unreleased song as well. Unfortunately the closing tune selection wasn't quite as joyous and ecstatic as could be but the show was excellent regardless. As he's wont to do, often enough that Feist hilariously impersonated him during her set, Kevin politicized the affair by calling us together to stand up for Toronto - barely veiling his condemnation of the current mayor. It was true that it was a beautiful culmination of art and people at historic Fort York as we all came to celebrate A&C and by extension the Toronto scene as a whole.
I was curious as to how Gold & Youth would be able to present the electronic-based indie rock of their highly enjoyable debut album, Beyond Wilderness, and the way that it was done was by integrating an electronic drum set right into the regular set. These pads were not visible to the audience but could definitely be heard and it allowed for the set to resemble an organic guitar show, without a bunch of backing tracks or knob twisting. The foursome recreated the sound quite well, with the lead male had a much deeper voice than his appearance would indicate, while the female vocalist hit her marks despite some maladjusted microphones. Wrapping up a short set with Time to Kill proved a pleasant way to start the festival.
Still Life Still
Sure were a bunch of dudes on stage for the first main stage set of the day. Alright there were only five of them including the hype man in leather manning the effects and keys. They rumbled out some rock music as the crowd assembled on their blankets all around. Not bad, but not much to jot down here.
The Darcys
Despite supposedly alternating sets on the main and second stage it seemed that every time I arrived to the Fort York stage things were already underway - although upon reflection that may have had to do with the one-lane commute between the stages. Therefore The Darcys were already cranking out their music to an appreciative audience. They incorporate the "Nighttime, anytime. It's alright" refrain by The Constantines (and also covered by Guelphite, Jim Guthrie). Incorporating some keys they were another respectable set that served as a suitable warm-up for a big day.
Jason Collett
A recognizable man in the Toronto scene he was less recognizable having cleaned himself up with a snazzy hair cut that gave an overall clean cut feel. He began with different backers including do-it-all Taylor Knox (bass, drums, vocals) for songs like Rob a Bank. But soon afterward he invited his former bandmates, Zeus, to reprise their roles for a couple tunes including Love is a Dirty Word and the tinny guitared Charlyn, The Angel of Kensington. (One of the first blatant outbreaks of local politics of the day, as he made reference to blocking the proposed WalMart to that neighbourhood.) It was a bit of a revolving door as Ms. Amy Millan joined him for a Hangover Days duet as he broke out the acoustic. To top it all off fellow BSSer, Brendan Canning, toted his guitar on stage for the obligatory I'll Bring the Sun which saw the return of Amy as well as her Stars bandmate, Torquil Campbell to sing along. Unfortunately the clouds remained for the duration of the tune but spirits were buoyed regardless.
Cold Specks
Admittedly most of what I heard from Al Spx was while salivating over my snack options in the food field next door but it seemed like a very full, loud sound, in contrast to her mostly quiet and subdued (but absolutely excellent) record, I Predict a Graceful Expulsion. There was a sax that added some deep bass to the sound and delightfully accompanied her impressive voice which would not be easily overpowered.
Zeus
This band is beloved, fittingly like a god, for their throwback sound and varied live show. It seems as if every member can play every instrument and throughout a half hour set they appeared to have hit on every possible configuration. It's just fun - like the call and response on Anything You Want Dear. They shredded through a bunch of their hits making for a jaunty, quick show.
Trust
One of the few bands of the day that I hadn't yet seen live (Still Life Still, Gold & Youth) again it was a mystery as to how they were going to come across in a live show. And let me tell you - it was a spectacle! The set-up was simple enough; drummer, female keys, and strictly singer. All three members of the band were dressed only in black, with the male lead singer wearing sleeveless top and black skirt, but to offset this lack of colour a very colourful character joined them. As this masked, sequined, jean-vested, short-shorted dancer worked it the band played on. The music is pretty electro catchy and this gave us some entertainment in addition to the otherwise straightforward musical presentation.
Hayden
Mr. Desser was in fine form as he started slowly, seated at his piano bench to open the set with a couple of tunes. The man of many talents, Taylor Knox, began on the guitar before swapping with the third member to take over the drums. He played a relatively perky set considering his catalogue, drawing heavily from the recently released album lit up in a neon Us Alone sign behind him. This included Rainy Saturday plus a cameo from Lou Cannon on Blurry Nights which was quite sweet. However I find it is Hayden's has a knack for putting real feeling into his songs that sets him apart, as on Almost Everything which drips with emotion with each ivory key and harmonica hum. For this reason alone I was left dreaming of a long, late-night set in a dingy back room bar where he could really get into it with a captive audience. That being said, there was much to be enjoyed from this festival set as well.
Ra Ra Riot
An American band that tours Toronto surprisingly often, likely due to their Arts & Crafts representation. For this reason I've seen them a couple of times in the past without getting too worked up about them - but their latest album had caught my ear again so I was willing to give them another go. And it was a worthwhile endeavour too as they impressed with the translation of their hooky songs to the live stage. I hadn't realized there were so many of them - six - but they were tight as the lead male burst out with his higher range vocals, nicely matched by the violin and countered with the deeps of the bodyless standup bass. They lead the crowd with energy and it was fed right back to them appropriately. One notable flair was when a member hugged his guitarist from behind, slipping his arms between the guitar and the guitarist's arms to start a clap. That was a silly sight but otherwise an entertaining little set.
Bloc Party
It has been some time since I fell hard for Silent Alarm but the album still passes muster when I return to it some eight years later - and not quite that the same length of time since I saw them perform last, but awhile, no doubt. And wasn't I pleasantly surprised with this performance! Granted the music since that magnificent debut has evolved but they retain their catchy senses. So of course I enjoyed So Here We Are, Banquet and Helicopter but also Waiting for the 718 and Song for Clay from 2007's A Weekend in the City too. In fact, they played an unreleased track about Montreal which sounded excellent despite being a slower number - great response. The band still retains a certain swagger that carried them through the elongated set length. In finale they did not disappoint my twenty year old heart either as they performed a rousing rendition of This Modern Love that brought everything back around. Beautiful.
Stars
The last Stars show renewed my reasoning for having seen this band a dozen times - that Danforth show was stellar (pun not originally intended). Here they had a massive black and white backdrop poster of their North album cover which I could make out from my vantage point by the sound tent (as the festival had packed out by this point). The duo were energetic as usual though they were aware of the time limitations and burned through the hits rather than spending too much time waxing poetic. Torq did get a word out to enjoy ourselves even "under this shitty highway" as he motioned to the Gardiner nearby. There appeared to be another new guitarist, even since the Danforth show, though I couldn't be 100% sure - he did seem awfully happy to be there however, as he smiled away. Amy and Evan were amped up as each was seen jumping up and down at various points throughout the set that many in the crowd remarked was one of their favourites of the day (whereas I was slightly distracted by my burrito and being at the back). Perhaps ranked somewhere lower in the long list of Stars shows based on personal enjoyment, primarily due to circumstances, but that still makes it a better set than most concerts going.
Theory of Relativity
Lights Changing Colour
A Song is a Weapon
The North
We Don't Want Your Body
Elevator Love Song
Soft Revolution
Backlines
Midnight Coward
Take Me to the Riot
Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It
Dan Mangan
A surprising highlight of the day. Not because I doubt Dan - I have professed my love for him many times before and stand by it - but because they hadn't played in such a long time following their last tour (including the recent birth of Dan's first child). While a tonne of people staked out their spot for Feist there was still a horde of Manganians hanging on each of his lyrics. Despite the absence the entire band seemed sharp, still building it up to knock it down. I've said it before but that Post War Blues just wallops you live! It is so darn good and received my virtual vote for best single song of the festival. (I had hopes for Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl but..) Of note was the quickened version of Sold which still worked, while If I Am Dead worked slowed. The Leaves, Trees, Forest lyric caught my ear for some reason this time around too - "That's the thing about everything; everything always does that."
For better or worse the tune that is still Dan's signature remains Robots, so it was interesting to hear them change up the opening to the song as a disguise, but when the chorus rolled around and Dan had us all singing along there was no doubt remaining. As a bonus that song did not close out the set but instead we were treated to Rows of Houses which is a fantastic tune recorded and live, and was always destined to be a hit.
Feist
Coming upon the set late I was disappointed to see guests Aroara being thanked as they departed the stage (worth it for Dan though). From here Feist played an intriguing, if somewhat muddled and disappointing set. Sure, she could have played a more generic typical standard set of her hits as she has hundreds of times over (like Centre in the Square, Kitchener some years ago) but that is the music that made her famous. Primarily backed by only a DJ she ran through a series of reinterpretations of her own catalogue. Unfortunately the singing hardly sounded like singing as few words were heard between a series of sounds and notes emitting from her mouth. Often it is interesting for a live set to differ from its recorded counterpart but as with Dylan when the original is barely recognizable a great deal is lost. This seemed indulgent. I can't be certain that she ever got to "4" to start that thumb war as the loops continued without really going anywhere. When the hooded (caped?) lady finally exited the stage it was to a mixed ovation. I am still a Feist fan but would have reservations about making reservations to see her next show, unsure which one I was going to get.
Broken Social Scene
Yes it was a reunion for BSS after their hiatus announcement a couple years ago, after all isn't it "time that we grow old and do some shit"? The reason was the ten year anniversary of the label which essentially was established for the Broken Social Scene and definitely prospered due to their success, as well as the success of their cohorts and offshoots who also made music for Arts and Crafts. Plenty members had already taken to the stage earlier in the day including Andrew Whiteman (and his wife Ariel) with AroarA, Kevin Drew with anyone who invited him up, as well as the Stars crew. Here they were all (~13) together presenting their seminal album You Forgot It In People in its entirety and sticking much to the recorded versions as should be done in instances such as this. Mind you the standout track (of the album and perhaps their entire discography) Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl sorely missed Emily Haines' presence as despite the obvious enthusiasm from the female contingency, Amy, Ariel, and Lisa, they couldn't match it even together. However Metric, and hence Emily, was unavailable due to conflicting tour commitments. Yet a tender moment came following the conclusion of People as straight from the airplane James Shaw arrived to surprise everyone, especially Kevin Drew who blubbered his delight. Yes, they did carry on with a good number of further tunes beyond the album reproduction, tossing in a few from the last release including the strongest song from it, All to All, but primarily adding in the greatest hits and a previously unreleased song as well. Unfortunately the closing tune selection wasn't quite as joyous and ecstatic as could be but the show was excellent regardless. As he's wont to do, often enough that Feist hilariously impersonated him during her set, Kevin politicized the affair by calling us together to stand up for Toronto - barely veiling his condemnation of the current mayor. It was true that it was a beautiful culmination of art and people at historic Fort York as we all came to celebrate A&C and by extension the Toronto scene as a whole.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Aroara - Cameron House (Jan 27/13)
A last minute text dragged me out of my comfortable Sunday confines for the AroarA show - a makeup gig for a missed opening slot on Friday previous due to snowy traffic conditions. As Andrew Whiteman explained, it could have been in Ariel's basement with her studying daughter but for the intimate crowd who gathered in the Cameron House back room we were thrilled about this venue. The band are playing in lead up to the release of their debut album, one based on a collection of poems about somebody tripping out on Hep C medication contracted while doing Speed. Uplifting huh? Strangely so, according to Andrew. The sample- and guitar-based songs do come across positively and sound quite good under the vocals shared by the two members, Andrew and his wife, Ariel. Partway through the set they invited the one and only Feist, who had been whooping it up in the crowd, to join them for a rehearsed number or two. Her acoustic guitar complemented the others and the double female vocals worked off of each other really well. The room was full of fans, some of whom were surely introduced to the band at Jason Collett's Revue this December past (who was also in attendance following his theatre performance on the same stage prior to the show). They performed a full set covering the range of sounds and were invited back for Number Six - as the band and fans alike had fun with the fact the poems, and hence the songs, are all just numbered. I bet if you polled people they'd number this performance a ten - worth going out for!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Feist, Hayden, Snowblink,, more - Basement Revue at Great Hall (Dec 20/12)
Expectations were high for the first Jason Collett's Basement Revue outside of the friendly confines of the Dakota Tavern basement and that may not have worked in the evening's favour. It had been billed as a reunion of all of the best of years past back on the stage at the also charming but much larger Great Hall. The Revue has been known to host some rather big acts through its years which lead to speculation and rumours, some built up by Mr. Collett himself in pre-show interviews, that ramped up the excitement.
The host opened the evening with a solo song that brought the focus to the stage for him to then ramble a little further about the night to come. Eventually he gave way to the duo + one of Snowblink who have been very well represented in Toronto of late. The additional female vocals added a new layer to already beloved songs like Unsurfed Waves from the only recently released Inner Classics.
From here there was another romantically linked musical pair in Andrew Whiteman and his bride, Ariele Engle who reinterpret poet Alice Notley's works into songs... on cigar-box guitars. No, it actually isn't a weird as it sounds, especially since Andrew wields his electric guitar (upon which he always slays). Actually it worked really well and was a thoroughly enjoyable set - enough to prompt listening to the EP that is currently out and whet the appetite for the full-length due this year.
Following this was the first downfall of the larger venue where despite Jason's pleading to keep quiet, pay attention and stay off your cell phones the attention was not all there for poet Marie Soliel(?). Her poetry wasn't bad either but it was hard to be entranced by it with all of the distractions.
Hayden fared much better as the notorious recluse was the one true surprise of the night and commanded the attention of the crowd. With a full five-piece band including Lou Canon, and Howie Beck on the drums, they played a couple new songs from his forthcoming album as well as an older Hayden song. This was actually the first time that I've ever witnessed Hayden live and realize just why his shows sell out in a snap. (Anyone have an extra ticket for his upcoming 3-nights in Toronto??) A great lyricist, a natural showman without being showy and a distinctly Hayden voice.
The next poet, Jeramy Dodds, was able to hold the crowd better as his poetry was more obvious and quite hilarious in fact. Finishing with a tongue-in-cheek ode to Canada people were hanging on his words and laughing right along which brought a whole new dynamic to the show.
In keeping with the literary aspect radio host and rapper, Buck 65 regaled us with an excerpt from a story that didn't seem all too believable but was told with the ease of a man who speaks and tells stories for a living - which goes a long way.
Following was another BSS member - the ringleader, Kevin Drew. He led his band, including Charles Spearin (also BSS) on guitar, through a full rendition of a brand new song called Good Sex and then Kevin Drew's ego launched right back into the exact same song again. It was decent but there's no need to repeat a song, especially when that is all you play.
The Kevin Drew spectacle remained on stage as Chris Murphy (Sloan) performed his party trick - to sing a string of back-to-back-to-back one-liners from songs of yesteryear as heard on some informercial. It was hilarious and entertaining and he didn't falter throughout the 45 second spiel. This morphed right into the introduction of Andy Kim, the co-author of the song Sugar Sugar, and off we went into an Andy Kim led singalong of that old, old tune. It was kinda marvelous!
Next up was a rousing response to the appearance of Michael Ondaatje. Perhaps it was my ignorance to his works but the excerpt he read from his book somehow kept the audience rapt while I couldn't find anything within it to engage me - and it hardly stood on its own. The definite low point in the night for me (though apparently not for the majority in attendance). Fortunately it was all up from here!
As anticipated Leslie Feist finally was spotted on stage, having been mostly lurking out of sight, unlike many of the other performers who were previously spied watching from upstairs. In an interesting programming node Feist was flanked by Snowblink to her right and Aroara to her left, with Charles Spearin holding a bass guitar. It was great to see both these bands performing again after their abbreviated sets earlier and as they played together on a a few (rehearsed) songs from each of their catalogues it proved that this was a mash-up to die for. All three female vocals melded in dream team harmonies. Feist's The Bad in Each Other was a particularly strong inclusion though Snowblink's Pray For Surf would have to be tops for me - otherworldly. In closing they performed Aroara's Number 4 and it was stunning as well though as pretty well all of the performers from the entire night came back out on stage they didn't know what to do and couldn't exactly join in so when the song ended the show came to an awkward, abrupt stop. With all of that talent standing around there was an expectation that magic would transpire... but nothing did, and so after a delay we accepted our fortune and filed out not sure how to feel.
Looking back on the performers it can be said that it was indeed a very strong line-up and an enjoyable evening however the way the expectations were toyed with there is a lingering feeling of a missed opportunity - not quite disappointment but not 100% satisfaction either.
Maybe next year?
The host opened the evening with a solo song that brought the focus to the stage for him to then ramble a little further about the night to come. Eventually he gave way to the duo + one of Snowblink who have been very well represented in Toronto of late. The additional female vocals added a new layer to already beloved songs like Unsurfed Waves from the only recently released Inner Classics.
From here there was another romantically linked musical pair in Andrew Whiteman and his bride, Ariele Engle who reinterpret poet Alice Notley's works into songs... on cigar-box guitars. No, it actually isn't a weird as it sounds, especially since Andrew wields his electric guitar (upon which he always slays). Actually it worked really well and was a thoroughly enjoyable set - enough to prompt listening to the EP that is currently out and whet the appetite for the full-length due this year.
Following this was the first downfall of the larger venue where despite Jason's pleading to keep quiet, pay attention and stay off your cell phones the attention was not all there for poet Marie Soliel(?). Her poetry wasn't bad either but it was hard to be entranced by it with all of the distractions.
Hayden fared much better as the notorious recluse was the one true surprise of the night and commanded the attention of the crowd. With a full five-piece band including Lou Canon, and Howie Beck on the drums, they played a couple new songs from his forthcoming album as well as an older Hayden song. This was actually the first time that I've ever witnessed Hayden live and realize just why his shows sell out in a snap. (Anyone have an extra ticket for his upcoming 3-nights in Toronto??) A great lyricist, a natural showman without being showy and a distinctly Hayden voice.
The next poet, Jeramy Dodds, was able to hold the crowd better as his poetry was more obvious and quite hilarious in fact. Finishing with a tongue-in-cheek ode to Canada people were hanging on his words and laughing right along which brought a whole new dynamic to the show.
In keeping with the literary aspect radio host and rapper, Buck 65 regaled us with an excerpt from a story that didn't seem all too believable but was told with the ease of a man who speaks and tells stories for a living - which goes a long way.
Following was another BSS member - the ringleader, Kevin Drew. He led his band, including Charles Spearin (also BSS) on guitar, through a full rendition of a brand new song called Good Sex and then Kevin Drew's ego launched right back into the exact same song again. It was decent but there's no need to repeat a song, especially when that is all you play.
The Kevin Drew spectacle remained on stage as Chris Murphy (Sloan) performed his party trick - to sing a string of back-to-back-to-back one-liners from songs of yesteryear as heard on some informercial. It was hilarious and entertaining and he didn't falter throughout the 45 second spiel. This morphed right into the introduction of Andy Kim, the co-author of the song Sugar Sugar, and off we went into an Andy Kim led singalong of that old, old tune. It was kinda marvelous!
Next up was a rousing response to the appearance of Michael Ondaatje. Perhaps it was my ignorance to his works but the excerpt he read from his book somehow kept the audience rapt while I couldn't find anything within it to engage me - and it hardly stood on its own. The definite low point in the night for me (though apparently not for the majority in attendance). Fortunately it was all up from here!
As anticipated Leslie Feist finally was spotted on stage, having been mostly lurking out of sight, unlike many of the other performers who were previously spied watching from upstairs. In an interesting programming node Feist was flanked by Snowblink to her right and Aroara to her left, with Charles Spearin holding a bass guitar. It was great to see both these bands performing again after their abbreviated sets earlier and as they played together on a a few (rehearsed) songs from each of their catalogues it proved that this was a mash-up to die for. All three female vocals melded in dream team harmonies. Feist's The Bad in Each Other was a particularly strong inclusion though Snowblink's Pray For Surf would have to be tops for me - otherworldly. In closing they performed Aroara's Number 4 and it was stunning as well though as pretty well all of the performers from the entire night came back out on stage they didn't know what to do and couldn't exactly join in so when the song ended the show came to an awkward, abrupt stop. With all of that talent standing around there was an expectation that magic would transpire... but nothing did, and so after a delay we accepted our fortune and filed out not sure how to feel.
Looking back on the performers it can be said that it was indeed a very strong line-up and an enjoyable evening however the way the expectations were toyed with there is a lingering feeling of a missed opportunity - not quite disappointment but not 100% satisfaction either.
Maybe next year?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)