Lithium Magazine

By Valerie Bennett
Photos by Walid Lodin

www.rarariot.com
www.wintersleep.com
www.teganandsara.com
www.cityandcolour.ca

Once again, Toronto’s Molson Canadian Amphitheatre was host to another display of fine live music on Saturday, August 28ty, 2010, drawing in thousands of indie music lovers. It was an evening filled with a combination of sounds that set apart, yet somehow also connected, each act of the night. The show featured performances by Syracuse, New York indie rockers Ra Ra Riot and Wintersleep from Halifax, Nova Scotia, new wave and indie pop rock duo Tegan and Sara, along with acoustic and folk artist City and Colour. While divided by their respective branded sounds, the bands were united on one front, as they each showcased their extreme talent throughout five-hour long concert.

When it came time for Tegan and Sara to perform, the stage lights dimmed, building anticipation throughout the crowd. Blue spotlights came up on the band’s instruments while red lights swept across the back curtains. White paper lanterns dropped to sway gently in the breeze, their soft yellow light creating an ambiance that helped to set the mood for the duo’s set. “I Can’t Get Next To You” by The Temptations cued and swelled, before Tegan and Sara Quin entered from stage right. The audience cheered raucously as the girls and their band took their respective places onstage, and even louder still following Tegan’s introductory, “Good evening, Toronto. We’re Tegan and Sara. Thank you for being with us tonight.”

From there, they launched into the track “Living Room” from their 2002 album If It Was You. The well-known song had toes tapping and heads bobbing across the endless rows of seats at the Amphitheatre. Tegan sang the main vocals throughout while strumming on her acoustic guitar as Sara played an electric and sang the backing vocals. However, Sara took on the main vocals during the following song “I Bet It Stung”. As they changed guitars for the third song of their set list, Tegan took the chance to speak to the audience again, confessing that she was too nervous to say something that wouldn’t be inappropriate. She claimed this was especially true considering she is now an adult, joking that her jacket was a reflection of that, as she referred to the black blazer she wore paired with dark denim jeans. Sara, on the other hand, looked more relaxed in a striped t-shirt and jeans, with a brown leather jacket. Ready to lead into “The Con”, Tegan wrapped up by saying she would continue to talk after playing a few more songs and once her nerves had settled (a confession that seemed entirely endearing.)

The nerves seemed to ease and Tegan and Sara told stories after every few tracks, allowing the audience a glimpse at the pair’s personalities. Tegan dedicated “So Jealous” to all the single people in the crowd and noted if it were her song, she’d rename it “Facebook”. Sara cut in to further explain the premise behind the lyrics she wrote for it, calling it a song for “the romantically old-fashioned.” The twin sisters carried on with similar stories throughout their set, creating a connection to the crowd.

Popular songs when they weren’t sharing personal anecdotes were “Hell”, “Back In Your Head”, “Feel It In My Bones” and “Nineteen”. Their set included songs from four of their six albums including If It Was You, So Jealous, The Con and Sainthood giving a range of material both old and new for long-time fans and newer listeners. Tegan and Sara both switched from playing brown wooden acoustic guitars to shiny electrics and even individual keyboards throughout the night, as well sharing the role of primary vocals, depending on whose song they were performing. As it came time to wrap up their set, Tegan thanked the audience and dedicated their final song “Call It Off” to the crowd, who in turn filled the Amphitheatre with cheers of approval before the two exited the stage.

Tegan and Sara Set List:
Living Room
I Bet It Stung
The Con
Walking With A Ghost
So Jealous
Hell
The Cure
On Directing
Alligator
Back In Your Head
Feel It In My Bones
Where Does The Good Go
Speak Slow
Nineteen
Northshore
Call It Off

With the audience fully warmed up and ready by this point, the anticipation for City and Colour to begin was nearly tangible and as the lights dimmed once more, the screams erupted. Dallas Green entered from the wings, picked up his acoustic guitar and strummed a single chord. After ensuring it was in tune, he started right into his aptly titled track “Comin’ Home” as the spotlights brought him to focus. Green was looking sharp – rocking a fresh haircut, thick-rimmed glasses, and a denim shirt tucked into his jeans complete with black suspenders, like a true (and trendy) Canadian. However, the focus was on his strong vocals projecting soulful lyrics and his simple yet catchy guitar work, before being joined by the rest of his band for the final verse and chorus. The crowd cheered as City and Colour’s guitarist, bassist, pianist and drummer cued in and the tempo of the track quickened until the song’s end. Green received laughs from the audience after thanking them for sticking around.

The set was kept simple; the main objects onstage included the drum kit, a piano atop a patterned rug, a small wooden table complete with two bottles of Mill St. Organic beer and a bottle of water, and of course, Green himself. He carried on the set with “Waiting…”, “The Death of Me” and “Sam Malone” only once pausing between songs to comment, “So I wasn’t going to say anything but holy shit.” Green gave the crowd a taste of some unreleased material with the track “Silver and Gold”, though he acknowledged that some may have heard it the track already on the internet. He fluidly mixed some of his oldest material along with brand new songs throughout his set, though the audience seemed to know a large majority, as they sang along with him. The two large video screens on either side of the stage showed an up close and personal view of Green’s face as he sang with eyes closed, clearly focused on the moment. The camera also showed his heavily tattooed hands, reading “TRUE LOVE” across fingers, as he strummed simple and repetitive albeit catchy chords on his guitar.

Some of the most notable songs included “Hello, I’m in Delaware” when Green, his guitarist and bassist sang the conclusion a cappella, as well as “Save Your Scissors”, “Oh Sister” and “Day Old Hate” which he performed solo. Being the only person onstage to command the attention of nearly 15,000 fans was not a problem for Green who kept everyone swaying to his melodic tunes. He switched effortlessly from playing acoustic to electric guitars, to piano and even the harmonica, while he performed. Closer to the end of his set, Green invited Tegan and Sara to join him in singing “At The Bird’s Foot”, a track he wrote about the oil spill along the Gulf Coast of the United States. Again, he commanded the attention of the audience, this time with the solemn and powerful meaning behind his lyrics concerning the death of 11 men who were on the rig at the time of the explosion. The show rounded out with “The Girl”, “Sometimes” and “Bring My Your Love”.

However, Green did not disappoint, as he came back for two encore songs, thanking the crowd once more. He noted he’s never really known how to do anything else nor has he ever wanted to and in turn, the audience cheered in support. He positioned himself behind the piano, as he announced the upcoming track was a “cover song, sort of” before launching into “Happiness By The Kilowatt” originally performed by his post-harcore band Alexisonfire. The real surprise though, came at the final song of the night when Green invited his band back onstage and noted, “We gained a member. This is Gord [Downie],” as the frontman of The Tragically Hip came from the wings. Downie kissed Green’s head as he walked past him and took his place in front of the microphone at centre stage, as the crowd took to their feet and applauded, as the band played “Sleeping Sickness”. It was an unbelievable yet fitting finale to the show and one that fans won’t likely forget.


City and Colour Set List:
Comin’ Home
Waiting…
The Death Of Me
Sam Malone
Silver and Gold
Hello, I’m In Delaware
Save Your Scissors
Oh Sister
Day Old Hate
Body In A Box
At The Bird’s Foot
The Girl
Sometimes
Bring Me Your Love
Encore:
Happiness By The Kilowatt
Sleeping Sickness