Jens Lekman, Final Fantasy and Katie Stelmanis @ The Great Hall

I had waited a long time to see Jens Lekman live, having heard various reports about how impressive a show he puts on. To say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one would be an understatement.

First off, I'll mention that I had never been to the Great Hall before, so I was looking forward to checking out the venue. Doors were at 8, which is about the time that I got there. The line up was a little bit longer than I expected, and I was worried that my chances of getting up close were shot. Thankfully the floor space is rather large, and I really didn't have to worry. The hall is often used for receptions and the like, and it certainly had a strange amalgamated aura of classy large hall meets high school gymnasium. The wood floors were hard on the feet and my uncomfortable shoes made them hurt rather quickly, but those are all just side points. It's actually a really cool venue.

The show opened with Katie Stelmanis, whom I had seen before but was still unsure of what I thought about her. Her debut album Join Us has been receiving its fair share of praise among Toronto hipsters, and since I long to be one of those, I was looking forward to seeing if I understood it a little bit better the second time around. I have to admit, that I found this particular performance to be quite powerful. The atmosphere, as well as my state of mind, probably had a part to play in that, but most of all I think it was the fact that her harsh operatic vocals, although perhaps being an acquired taste for some, have a very commanding presence that challenges a listener and demands attention. I also thought Maya Postepski's simple, yet heavy set percussion added immensely to the performance (something that was lacking the last time.) Her songs do start to drone a little bit, but overall I'd say that, with a little bit more experimentation, she could really develop into an even more accomplished artist, reminiscent of Kate Bush, in many ways.

Photos: My pics of Katie Stelmanis @ The Great Hall on flickr.
Downloads: In My Favour mp3 / Natural Woman mp3
Myspace: Katie Stelmanis

The next performer was another one in my personal "let's give 'em a second chance" category. I had never seen Owen Pallett's Final Fantasy live before, but I can't say that I've ever had a strong desire to. Last year's juvenile titled He Poos Clouds received monster praise up the ying yang, giving Owen the first ever Canadian Polaris Prize as well as securing his name in year end lists all over the place. Based on the hype, I picked up the CD, and although the first few songs were quite interesting, the album as a whole seemed rather bland to me. I could appreciate what he was trying to do, but an album's worth of that looping violin was making me a bit mental. Let's just say I didn't get it. However, many of my friends would pitch me the "but you have to see him live" line, so here I am, seeing him live. And the verdict? Yah, he's actually quite good.

Again the setting in the Great Hall probably had something to do with it, as well as Owen's charismatic stage presence, but I thought the music took on a whole new meaning in a live setting. In the same way that orchestral music is much more captivating to see live then it is to listen to on a cheap stereo, Owen's ability to make his violin sound like a full choir via the looping machine, is very impressive. Also, his down to earth stage demeanor prevents his music from sounding too overtly pretentious. He showcased a lot of newer songs, and his music was accompanied by the amazing artwork and slide projection of Stephanie Comilang. Her art accompanied Jens Lekman's show as well, and it is truly amazing the atmosphere that can be created with a slide projector and a few stencils. It's also amazing how many times I can use the word 'atmosphere' in the same review. I've got to learn to consult a thesaurus more often.

Photos: My pics of Final Fantasy @ The Great Hall on flickr
Downloads: If I Were A Carp mp3 / Many Lives 49mp mp3
Myspace: Final Fantasy
Video: The Lamb Sells Condos (Directed by Stephanie Comilang and Jamie Shannon) youtube

It took a long time, but finally Jens Lekman took to the stage and his set was every bit what I would have expected. His wit and charisma had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand as he played several favorites ranging from newer material like The Opposite of Hallelujah and Sipping On The Sweet Nectar, to older favorites like You Are The Light. He interspersed the songs with very amusing anecdotes about crossing the border and having to explain who he is, to deliberately putting up wrong information on his wikipedia page just for kicks. (Actually those were both part of the same anecdote, but my memory is fuzzy and it has been a couple of days after all. He did have many more anecdotes though, trust me.) He ended the set with an awesome performance of his 'love for hairstylist' anthem Shirin, and then I believe that he went outside and played a few more songs out on the street for any adoring fans who wished to come see him, although tiredness set in so I didn't stick around.

Photos: My pics of Jens Lekman @ The Great Hall on flickr
Downloads: The Opposite of Hallelujah mp3 / Friday Night at the Drive In Bingo mp3
Video: Sipping On The Sweet Nectar youtube

St. Vincent w/Scout Niblett & Katie Stelmanis @ The Horseshoe

Friday was a night of complete female eclecticism as St. Vincent and a few others took to the stage at The Legendary Horseshoe in downtown Toronto.

I arrived partway through the set of local girl Katie Stelmanis. Although she was equipped with what appeared to be only a synthesizer, she managed to pull out a vast array of interesting prerecorded sounds that gave her show a bit of a new age feel. Coming across to me as sort of a female Phillip Glass, I have to admit that I had a little trouble getting into her sound right away. Her operatic voice seemed to thrill the crowd however, and towards the end of her set I was finally starting to appreciate her sound more fully. She closed off her set with a cover of "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", which could not have sounded any further from the original if it was performed by Tom Waits. Which, to me, is a good thing.

Downloads:
You'll Fall mp3 / Roll mp3
I only managed to take a few pics but you can find them here, on flickr of course.

Only discovering Scout Niblett's music on Friday night has me wondering what right I have to pretend to be at all knowledgeable. She had many devoted fans at the show, and upon doing more research I came to realize that this is not just a newcomer to the indie rock scene. Her first album was released in 2001, and she has often been compared to the likes of Cat Power or PJ Harvey. However if I may make a bold statement, I even heard doses of Kurt Cobain in her music. In an era where the idea of a grunge sound has suddenly become dated, watered-down and forever synonymous with the 90's, Scout's music sounded vital and current. I feel that it's exactly what is needed to re-energize what was once viewed as a means to bring realism back into a stagnant music scene.

Downloads:
Uptown Top Ranking mp3 / Drummer Boy mp3
Hear some more recent recordings over on her myspace page.
View my Scout Niblett pics on flickr.

St. Vincent put on a significantly different show than the last time I saw her, opening for Midlake. That was a stripped down affair; only Annie, a guitar, a piano and her impeccable wit. This time she had a four piece band with her, and the banter, while still there, was kept to a minimum. Yes, this time around it was solely about the music and she put on a powerhouse performance. For those who have listened to her CD, there is an awful lot going on there. One has to wonder how that sort of strong production could possibly be duplicated on stage. She of course, had no problem, making full use of the massive amounts of pedals and gadgets, in order to convey her point. These included some sort of mannequin arm turned into a handclap and bass drum machine, and also a simple board, perfect for stomping on in a maniacal fashion. She is simply rabid on the guitar, delicate on the keys, and always compelling to watch. Besides all that was going on onstage, she did return to the intimacy of her last show during the encore, when she pulled out an amazing cover of Jackson Browne's "These Days", (popularly recorded by Nico.)

Downloads:
Now Now mp3
St. Vincent's myspace page.
My St. Vincent pictures from the show on flickr.