Could I ask for a bigger mind punch?
Obviously, we couldn't have asked for a better day. With the sun shining, it set the most beautiful atmosphere for the acts about to perform. Reggae playing over the loud speakers and the smells of popscicles, pot and sunscreen wafted through the air. This was summer concert-going at its finest.
I also couldn't have asked for a better crowd of people to have experienced it with! Miriam, Char and Caitlin, you're fuckin' troupers. I'm so happy that you guys got the at-the-rail experience that you so wanted on Jan 21st. The awesome homies that I was chillin in the sun with! Dennis, Dan, Pat, Alisa, Cesar, Galito, Josh, and (who could forget) rrrrobin. Oh man. BEST dance parties with the girls to Feist and Bloc Party. We invented the "Helicopter" dance and it even caught on a bit. Gr 9 concert enthusiasts: Matt, Monica and Cam fuckin' Switzer. Now that you're minds have been blown by BSS early, you can talk some sense into niner emofucks everywhere. and OOOOH my darlin' concert friends! Beth (whose pictures will pwn mine severly), Aviva (aswell), Tahra, Damon, Jeff.. and all the coolies I sorta kinda talked to a little and gave cupcakes to. You win SO HARD for getting to and sticking it out at the rail. Muchos desperados that I couldn't hang out up there with y'all, but I'm sure we had equally excellent experiences. Also: he OTHER Aviva (via-Nicole), you looked beeooteefool and it was nice to have seen ya around too!
In brief:
Rasing the Fawn was epic.
J. Mascis melted my face and made me love slacker rock. Thank you for opening with 'Feel the Pain' because it gut busted me.
Feist was beautiful and sounded equally so, but the crowd needed to dance more. They were pretending as if they had never dancer in around their room in their underwears to 'Mushaboom'. pfffft.
Bloc Party were entertaining but I was too busy thinking about how hard I was gunna rock for BSS. ANd plus I only know like, 4 songs.
I know, I know.. I should give all the acts the same attention and respect they deserve but really... let's be serious here...
Broken effin' Social Scene:
I hadn't had so much pre-concert excitement since their Jan 21st show. I was looking forward to every minute of it. To all the lights and the alternating instruments. To seeing band members chilling backstage with family and friends, waiting for their turn up at the mic. I wanted to see the shine of the brass section, and to toss my head about in time with Amy Millan. I wanted to sing along to Anthems, and I wanted to close my eyes during the horns in Ibi and be totally taken away. I mean cheesy "open your heart and read your arms towards the music" taken away.
I was not disappointed.
Crossingham was darting across stage: on 2nd drumset duty at one point and then hopping with agility over random percussion instruments to rock out on one guitar string. Torq was giving the crowd extra showmanship. K-Os watched from backstage and above, on an amp stack. Amy, Feist and (yes) even Lisa, glowed. Evan Cranely looks like Nacho Libre. Brendan Canning was how high? and Kevin was Kevin.
I've decided that Charlie Spearin is my second favourite Scenester (right behind JC), since he is obvs the secret musical genius. And DMST has alot to do with it as well. Whitey is up there too.. because he has excellent facial expressions and I love his voice. [/blabber]
The last three songs (Ibi, Break, KC) munched my mind so hard I had to hold it in my skull. After them I felt like I had been hit in the chest by a blast of euphoria. I sound cheesy but it's the truth-- elation. KC Accidental brought me back to my first BSS show where Kevin was standing on a barrier and fist-pumping over the crowd. Pure love and power and excitement and woooooo.
Here are pictures.. they will speak for themselves..
Raising The Fawn
J. Mascis and Broken Mascis Scene
Feist
Bloc Party
Broken Social Scene
Stars and Sons: double time handclaps
Despite the terrible quality I had to include this picture because Cranley is BREAKIN IT DOWN. Thrusting the audience. He's gunna make it.
Piccies aren't 100% up to snuff, but they will do. = )
"I've sat here for about 10 minutes thinking of what to say about the Olympic Island show." Why? because words don't cut it.
*dancable horn riff goes here*
-Marty