Jason Collett w/The 6ixty-8ights @ Lee's Palace

Choosing between Sloan at The Supermarket and Jason Collett at Lee's Palace was a tough one for me but I opted with Jason for two reasons: 1) I wasn't available until around 10, and The Supermarket is tiny whilst Sloan is huge so I figured my chances for getting in were pretty small and 2) Sloan were scheduled to perform at 12:20 which is quite a bit later than Jason's 11:00 slot. So Jason it was. As it turns out, some of my friends chose Sloan and had no problem getting in, but no matter, because the ever reliable Jason Collett put on another formidable show.

The night was off to a good start. First of all, I had the privilege of holding the door open for the one and only Leslie Feist, who entered the venue at the same time as I did. We exchanged mild and extremely brief pleasantries (all of which she likely remembers none) and proceeded to the main floor area of Lee's with relative ease. The band that was currently on the stage was The 6ixty-8ights.

I had seen The 6ixty-8ights before back in November, and they were able to get me out of the relatively sour mood that I was in at the time. Tonight however, I was in a great mood that was respectably increased thanks to another wonderful performance. They play such high quality 60's infused pop and roll that one could have easily accepted them as the headlining act for the day. Their harmonies and riff-laden hooks leapt off the stage and into our laps as the crowd continued to cheer for their easy to digest "carnivalesque rock."

Photos: The 6ixty-8ights @ Lee's Palace on flickr.
Myspace: The 6ixty-8ights
Video: 'Days Like Dreams' at The Silver Dollar on youtube.

Following that, and further adding to the delightful mood I was in, the speakers were blasting Uncle Tupelo's 'No Depression' album, easily one of my desert island picks. That always gets me in a good mood. And then, Mr. Collett took to the stage. What can be said about Jason Collett that hasn't already been said before? He mentioned that this was basically a CD release party for his new album "Here's To Being Here." If you listen to CBC Radio at all, then you've heard it already. They're promoting it pretty heavy over there. And for good reason. He makes quality craftsmanship in songwriting look easy. Incorporating all that I love about Bob Dylan, The Band and Van Morrison, Jason creates music that is understated but never boring. His show last night was of a man who is very confident in what he is doing; never appearing to look desperate or needy of the audience's attention, but all the while knowing that attaining it needs to look effortless. He showcased most of the material from the new album, while also playing a few choice cuts from his previous works. The audience was dancing up a storm, and it was an all around fun show.

Photos: Jason Collett @ Lee's Palace on flickr
Myspace: Jason Collett
Video: Out Of Time (unofficial video) on youtube