concerts i’ve attended in Toronto, Montreal and other places
| November 22, 2008 | Posted by caroline under arts and literature, in the news, myself, Uncategorized |
Listing the concerts I’ve attended..I can’t offer a synopsis or recollections of all, as some have faded..but I can note the ones that stood out most. Those with stars beside them mean I have something to say for that event. So stay tuned!
Alanis Morrissette (1996, Toronto) w. OLP
~at the tender age of 11, I was hoisted onto my father’s shoulders to sing along to Alanis’ honest and often crass lyrics. I recall energy and anger onstage, and hearing my first vocation to music. She was an excellent role model for young women, not afraid of voicing her opinions or screaming in order to be heard. I loved the way she swept the stage. My Alanis days were such that I’d spend hours in my bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to words I sometimes didn’t understand (a la “You Oughta Know”..go down on you in a theatre?! huh?) and other times felt all-too-well (a la “Forgiven”) It was at this show that I first saw Our Lady Peace perform, as well as the Wild Strawberries. I remember being impressed with OLP, pre-Clumsy, mid-Naveed.
Edgefest 98 (1998, Toronto)
~ though Edgefest these days barely makes a dent in my music-going plans, this show was THE initiation into Canadian music coolness, for me. I remember the suspense being high, and waiting outside at 6am to enter the show because we were so excited. Honestly, we were first in line and chatting with security. I mean, not only was it the biggest summer music festival in the GTA, but it actually had cool bands–like I Mother Earth (Edwin era), Greenday (the first album I ever bought with my own money–tape, of course), Moist, Matthew Good, etc. At the time, these were all very important bands to me. And hey, I might not think all of them are cool these days, but I think I was on a good start for a 13yr old! It’s funny how sometimes you go to these huge festivals and your radar totally misses one of the opening bands, only to find yourself obsessing about them a few years, nay, months later. This happened in the case of Edgefest, and even the above-mentioned show re: OLP. At Edgefest, I didn’t pay any attention to Sloan and in the aftermath have come to respect them as a tried, tested and true source of good Canadian music that doesn’t go stale. I’ve still never been to a Sloan show. Anyway, I remember the crowning moment of the night was not when Billie Joe Armstrong mooned us (I have a vague recollection of this moment, in fact, it may not have ever taken place) but when Edwin from IME sang David Bowies “I’m Afraid of Americans.”
It’s too bad his stuff wasn’t so great post-IME, or maybe post-2000. I also am not fond of Greenday’s post-2000 music–I can’t stand the song “Time of your Life.” Other reasons this show did NOT stay on my mind is because I was not a fan of Bif (ew), Creed and Tea Party (at time time). It seems recent Edgefest sohws have been hit and miss, with some excellent bands like Metric, Stone Temple Pilot and Hot Hot Heat mixed with other less-than stellar groups like Billy Talent and Simple Plan.
Christina Aguilera (1999, Toronto)*** I’ll admit she has a great voice, we had fab seats (7th row ACC) cause my aunt hooked us up for free
Our Lady Peace (1999) It took me awhile to like OLP after Naveed. I thought it was too clean, too pretty. But after this show, I had to admit they are talented. Raine Maida is quite the crooner, and I think their music itself will appeal to just about anyone–from the rock-loving sort to the soothing alternative ballad. In later years, I grew very fond of the song he did with his wife Chantal, “Can’t Make it Good.” They harmonize really beautifully on this song, and it’s a bit eerie the sort of darkness the song induces. Using some sort of old record player recording effect, it sounds like it was taped in a vine-covered Victorian mansion way out in the country. I always found the lyrics to OLP’s poetry-like, story-telling music very enthralling. I used to sit there with their album lyrics and listen while reading, making up my own meaning to the words. The show was good but it was long ago. Free tickets again, score:)
No Doubt (1999 or 1997, Toronto)*** Gwen Stefani was super cool at the time, jumping on top of speakers, holding the mic out for all of us to jump in, doing everything a young girl wants to do but not getting in trouble for it. Platinum blond hair, outrageous red pants and cherry lipstick, she made the show. The Tragic Kingdom album was something for all of us going through puberty, as I think she herself was quite young when writing the album. It was like reading Seventeen magazine. She wrote honest, confessional songs about drummer Tony and her infatuation with him, she talked about beating the system with “Just a Girl”..these were all very motivational for the young soul.
Warped Tour (1998 or 1999, Toronto)
Silverchair, Foo Fighters (2000?, toronto)
Blink 182 (2000?, toronto)
Tori Amos (2003, August, Toronto)***
Common, Jean Grae (2003, September, Montreal)***
The Dears (2003-2004ish, Montreal)***
Nelly Furtado (2004, Summer, Toronto)
Curiosa Festival (2004, August, Toronto)***
Interpol (2005?, Club Soda?, Montreal)
Finger Eleven (2005, September, Montreal)***
Think About Life (2006, Summer, Toronto Harbourfront)***
The Stills (2006, Summer, Toronto—twice—once at Mod Club, another time we performed on the same stage!)***
Socalled (2006? 2007? February, Montreal)***
DJ Carl Cox (2006ish, Montreal, Stereo)***Held in Montreal’s legendary dance club, Stereo, this was off the hook for all the revved up dancers. Some were, of course, on drugs. But others were just high on this DJs hard, edgy take on up and coming house music.
DJ David Guetta (2008, March, Toronto)***I recall having one drink at this event, held at Toronto’s least favourite venue, Circa, yet dancing unstoppably. Considered one of the world’s best DJs , Guetta made a LOT of waves throughout 2007 and 2008. He times his entrances and exits well, and the crowds love him.
Jamie Lidell (2008, June, Toronto)***
Nomadic Massive (2008, June, Montreal)***Alright, I saw Nomadic Massive randomly in the summer of 2008. It was a delicious night, the streets were crowded for the Montreal Jazz Festival, but there was something going on in hidden folds of the Les Saints, at St. Catherine and St. Laurent.
Rock the Bells: Immortal Technique, Mos Def, Cool Kids, Nas, Dead Prez, 9th wonder (2008, August, NYC)***
DJ Kaskade (2008, August, Toronto, boat cruise)***
Virgin Festival (Moby, Oasis, Yoav) (2008, September, Toronto Island)***
DJ David Dresden (2008, October, Circa, Toronto)***
~A good friend got us hooked up with line bypass and comps for this show (thanks Rubeel!!) at Circa. Truthfully, I had ulterior motives for planning this night out—I wanted to pass some of my music by Dresden, of former Gabriel & Dresden fame. I was quite speechless the first time I heard “Tracking Treasure”, a masterpiece in electronic house history if you ask me, and was convinced I could be the next Molly Bancroft on one of their albums. Of course, the now-defunct Gabriel & Dresden is not producing anything together these days, except for some side projects that I can’t seem to gather info on. Anyway, I got to the party and my whole goal was to pass on my demo. Along the way, I hit up the dancefloor, which was spinning with heavy beats. Dresden only went solo about 6months ago, in May of this year. To be completed
Chromeo, Jamie Lidell (2008, October, Toronto, MUZIK—Red Bull Presentation)***
~A deep respect for the versatile Jamie Lidell led me to a last minute decision one Thursday evening to watch this truly talented individual for a second time. Set in Muzik Nightclub, this was an unlikely show.
Traditionally, the venue is reserved for the likes of pretentious party airs, would-be debutantes and bottle service a la top 40 weekend clubbing. I was pleased to hear the show would take place here, though, as it actually is one of the more physically beautiful venues in the city. High, domed ceilings and tastefully decorated spaces meant a very trendy, sexy atmosphere.
I wouldn’t have expected Jamie Lidell to be paired with Chromeo, otherwise spokespersons for hipster whims. I find Jamie Lidell to be a purist musically, even with his use of electronic samples and a looper delay pedal. Of course, you will soon realize I have an affinity for any artist that uses a looper delay pedal. Lidell effectively creates a sound onstage, using his DJ’d mélanges of beatboxed layers and orally constructed sound. I obviously love this artist. He did seem a little uncomfortable in this venue, especially compared to his more intimate, less glitzy show at the Opera House just 4 months before in Toronto, where I believe he really shone. Read above for my recollections on that performance. This is not a bad venue for performers, but I do think Muzik should be reserved for a certain style of musician. Fellow artists like [chilli] Gonzales and Peaches would do well in performing at Muzik, as they are less vocally based and Lidell’s latest album is far more soulful and R&B-centered than some of his electronic ventures and electronic partners in crime.
As for Chromeo, to be honest, I was not at all moved by their music and never have been able to listen to a whole album straight…however, I had fun dancing and they have a bit of an iconic presence onstage. They had sunglasses at night, and the whole shebang…they were fun, and so was the crowd I was rolling with.
Feist (2008, November, Toronto, ACC)
~after listening to this woman non-stop for months on end, sometimes playing on repeat the same song (usually ‘intuition’ or ‘let it die’ or ‘limit to your love’ or..really, i could name every song), i procured tickets to her concert. ok, truthfully, my ex bought them for my birthday and we considered getting back together just for that night due to the excess of coupledom at this show. Feist’s performance was the sort where you’d need a shoulder to lean on. ACC only used half the arena, which made the setting a lot more intimate than expected.
With extremely dimmed lighting, I almost didn’t know anyone was beside me till I reached out and needed someone beside me. It was not a dramatic performance, but I think given the poetic deference proffered by Feist’s lyrics, a delicious silence was created in the otherwise huge and hollow stadium. Her voice is like whipped cream, the real kind, cool and refreshing and enjoyed by the spoonful in private and when no one’s watching. So dark in that room, no one would catch a downpour of tears.
