What’s better than a Broken Social Scene gig? Two Broken Social Scene gigs!
Trust Kevin Drew and friends to go to town with their homecoming (or, more likely, we’re-leaving-home-again) show. There was one show early doors and another which kicked off late and finished much, much later before depositing everyone out onto Bloor St. The reason for such festivities? His new “Spirit If” album and the start of a tour which will see a Broken Social Scene of sorts hit the road for a couple of months. Seeing as we have been bumping into Drew all week long in Hogtown, it would have been bad manners not to go.
“A Broken Social Scene of sorts” is probably the best way to describe the collective these days. It’s clever brand management by them and the Arts & Crafts label, it must be said, akin to how the Buena Vista Social Club operated. Thanks to the “You Forgot It In People” and “Broken Social Scene” albums, BSS is a marquee name which resonates deeply with music fans. By putting out various solo albums - Brendan Canning’s one arrives in 2008 and others are slated to follow - and touring as BSS Presents, you can ensure a huge deal of traction for the albums and shows before a note is struck.
But when those notes are struck… ah, it’s magic. Whatever about the first show at Lee’s Palace last night, which was a little more ropey than ramshackle, the second one exploded from the moment all 600 punters toasted the band with shots of tequila and “Lucky Ones” began, with Canadian FM rock icon Tom Cochrane guesting and gurning on yet another guitar alongside Drew, Canning and a packed stage. Besides those two BSS-ers, the line-up for the coming shows will have Justin Peroff, Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set), Bill Priddle (Treble Charger) and Sam Goldberg (Uncut, Hawaii).
There’s a clatter of tunes from the new album (“Safety Bricks” sounds remarkable, “Tbtf” is tougher than on disc and “Farewell to the Pressure Kids” has stripes galore), but it’s naturally the older tunes which make this room holler. It’s easy to know why too when “Superconnected” takes off and drags everyone here with it.
There’s a couple of guests too (Bloc Party’s Gordan Moakes is onboard for the ride on a new Canning tune, for instance) and a trombone player who wanders on and off randomly and even a mass stage invasion which seems to freak the bejaysus out of Drew.
This smasher of a two hour show ends with “When It Begins” from Drew’s new record, probably the softest and most ah-shucks moment of the night. They’re coming to a town near you real soon (Dublin’s Tripod to be exact on October 14) so prepare to climb onboard.
An expensive way to stand out from the mainstream masses
1:33 pm
insane with jealousy! can’t wait for the tripod gig. i’ll never forget walking into soundscapes sometime in 02 and hearing ‘you forgot it in people’ for the first time. and greg saying ‘ and they’re from toronto’. been great reading these canadian reports. tinged with homesickness.
Comment by Q