So Low played at the Mod Club in Toronto last night, during which time the audience found out just how horribly our elections went (a little context, if you need it). After he flubbed the opening to "Murderer," Alan even asked us about the results; the when crowd erupted in boos and profanity, he just laughed and told us now we'd see what it's felt like to be an American in 2004. He also prefaced the song with a comment about how the States still doesn't have universal health care, but does manage to have public rallies when they murder someone.
Eric Pollard, who drums for the Retribution Gospel Choir and has awesome glasses, played keyboards the whole show (the first time I've seen Low live as anything other than a trio). Alan made some comments about marijuana (and then, jokingly, "Mim hates it when I do this, but it's getting rough") before playing "Canada." They played "Sunflower," my favourite song from Things We Lost in the Fire. They played every song on C'mon except for "Done," which I really wanted to hear. "Especially Me" was transcendent, so was "Nothing But Heart." Hearing them play something like "Two-Step" is always interesting, because for five minutes or so you can go, "oh, this is what they were like when they were a different band." (Sometimes I wish I'd seem them live after, say, The Curtain Hits the Cast or even earlier, but I wouldn't trade the Low of 2011 for the world) Too many of the songs felt appropriate for a truly sad night for Canada; "Breaker," "Try to Sleep," "Especially Me," "Something's Turning Over," "Murderer."
Brandon from Fringe was in the crowd, which was unexpected. I'm fairly used to talking to musicians whose work I love at this point, but I've never had the chance to meet someone who's on a TV show I love. I told him that the show and his work on it were both awesome, and then left him alone. He seemed to appreciate both sentiments.
Memoryhouse opened and were, frankly, incredible. If their debut album lives up to their singles and the live performance we saw, then I'm going to have a five-way race for my album of the year (I already can't choose between Low, Mogwai, Subrosa, and EMA).
Sorry if the language here seems a bit listless or colourless. I'm still depressed about everything about last night that wasn't the Low concert.
Low
Mod Club, Toronto
May 2, 2011
Breaker
Try to Sleep
You See Everything
Monkey
Silver Rider
Witches
Especially Me
Last Snowstorm of the Year
$20
Majesty/Magic
Nightingale
Nothing But Heart
Sunflower
Something's Turning Over
Murderer
Encore:
Canada
Two-Step
When I Go Deaf
2 comments:
1) I am sort of jealous that he spoke so much at your show; he was pretty quiet in Philly last week I really enjoyed the keyboard onstage; I hope they keep him around.
2) Sorry about your election.
3) Brandon from Fringe!!! Is a fan of Low?!
1. Well, he didn't say anything until the beginning of "Murderer," so we didn't get that much more out of him. Have you seen the RGC live? Those three really seem to love playing together, and Eric and Steve seem like a good fit in Low. I think they'll be around for a while.
2. There are some bright spots (the rise of the NDP, the maybe-death of the Bloc Quebecois), but yeah. It sucks.
3. I think so! He was definitely near the front of the crowd for the whole show. I'm not sure why I think it's so great that an actor who plays a character I love on a show I love likes a band I love, but I do.
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