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Roadie
Registered on 08-10-05
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06-13-06 01:23 AM - Post#344403
Honestly, I don't know that I'll ever be able to enjoy another concert again after seeing Radiohead two nights in a row, let alone in a 2800-seat venue in Montreal. But here I was, less than 24 hours later, crammed into my clammy little seat at the Bronson Centre in Ottawa, trying to shake those thoughts from my head and prepare for the music that was to follow.
Gruff Rhys opened the night with a set that started off a bit slow but eventually picked up its pace and ended on a very relaxed and playful note. Although alone on stage, he made good use of some very inexpensive keyboards, a looper and a handful of squeeze toys, giving his songs the light-heartedness they so desperately needed. Despite not sending me running for the merch table, I will definitely find some more of his music online, if only to hear what he sounds like with a full band behind him.
The intermission seemed to fly by, no doubt attributable to my new-found pre-occupation with what will most likely be the death of me, and my interaction with society, the Su Doku puzzle (thanks Krissi). But before I could even finish a square (not an easy feat for a rookie), the crowd erupted as Bright Eyes took the stage for what was to be an enjoyable, but ultimately forgettable set.
This was to be my sixth time seeing them, four of those in Montreal venues of varying capacities, and once at Coachella. Conor is an amazing lyricist, and he usually tours with an incredible, ever-evolving line-up of musicians, but this group just didn't seem to gel for me like past ensembles have. Often known for touring with two drummers, giving them an explosive energy, I felt this was one of their biggest weaknesses this time around, with the on-time but very delicate Maria Taylor (of Azure Ray and Saddle Creek) left to handle that task on her own, coming off high-school band-ish behind the kit, even though she was surrounded by other very capable players, including Mike Mogis of Presto! Studios, and other Bright Eyes founding members. It's not that they weren't good, or that the song selection was sub-par, but it just felt like the performance lacked the compassion and intimacy which is so crucial to a good Bright Eyes performance.
Add to that a venue which is still relatively new to the rock show game, struggling with sound that was overly muddy and bassy, as well as a light show that was practically non-existent and you've got a show destined to mediocrity. I'm not usually one to blame a bad performance on poor sound, but I really feel like I would have been able to enjoy their set a whole lot more had I been able to hear all of the instruments and flourishes intended for us. Given that I've only seen a handful of shows at this venue, and that the last one, Hawskley Workman, has easily found it's way into my top ten of the year, due in large part to an amazing performance and fantastic sound, I'm not quite ready to give up on the Bronson Centre yet.
So maybe it was the near $40 ticket price, or the lack of air conditioning, or maybe even the tall woman with the big hair sitting in front of me that kept tilting her head from side to side, tempting me to plonk her down with one of those big rubber stompers you'd find at a midway... but those are really just excuses. Excuses I'll have to keep making up until I finally see another band that live up to the new bar that's been set by Radiohead. And as an avid concert-goer, it'll be hard to justify the time and money spent going to see two or three concerts a week, knowing full well that when stacked up against the spectacular, extra-terrestrial experience that was Radiohead, most will probably shy in comparison.
I blame Radiohead. I blame Radiohead for ruining Bright Eyes, and I blame Radiohead for ruining my life. Things just won't be the same anymore.
Randy
06/12/06
P.S. I'll let Krissi post the set list because I'm pretty sure she got all of the songs written down, and I can't find her piece of paper right now, so that'll come a little later.
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