Broken Social Scene
Monday, March 10, 2008
Broken Social Scene
This, is Broken Social Scene, or at least part of the band in actuality. Strictly speaking, Broken Social Scene isn't really a band, but rather a combination of different members of various other bands under the same record label (Arts & Crafts). It is pretty difficult for anybody to remember all their names, or find a picture with all of them in the same picture. That is how big the band is, over ten members with all of them playing various different instruments. So to hear that only six of them planned to come to Singapore for the Mosaic Music Festival, I was worried if the quality of the performance was going to be on par with what I've been listening to over the speakers of my computer for the past year or so since I've gotten to know about them. The truth is, however, the six members of Broken Social Scene that came not only met the standards they produced on the studio records, they also brought the house down at the Esplanade last night, a performance which can only be summarized by Kania's words this morning - hands down, the best concert ever.
This, is Broken Social Scene, or at least part of the band in actuality. Strictly speaking, Broken Social Scene isn't really a band, but rather a combination of different members of various other bands under the same record label (Arts & Crafts). It is pretty difficult for anybody to remember all their names, or find a picture with all of them in the same picture. That is how big the band is, over ten members with all of them playing various different instruments. So to hear that only six of them planned to come to Singapore for the Mosaic Music Festival, I was worried if the quality of the performance was going to be on par with what I've been listening to over the speakers of my computer for the past year or so since I've gotten to know about them. The truth is, however, the six members of Broken Social Scene that came not only met the standards they produced on the studio records, they also brought the house down at the Esplanade last night, a performance which can only be summarized by Kania's words this morning - hands down, the best concert ever.
Esplanade gives the best concert experiences, there is no question about that. Everything from the security, to the reception, to the concert venue itself is perfect and top-notched. That is not to mention the fact that every gig that I have been to at Esplanade had an autograph session organized afterwards, how many gigs actually do such things really? But then again, it is probably because of the fact that I tend to like more unknown and obscure singers and bands, but that is not the point. Mosaic Music Festival is probably the best music festival ever to happen in Singapore, simply because of the variety of bands and singers they tend to invite, and there hasn't been a year when they invited bands which I have no interest in whatsoever. Somebody in the Mosaic Music Festival organizing committee must have read my mind over the past year, and thought that it would be cool to invite Broken Social Scene over to Singapore for the very first time. So from the rumors that floated around on the internet to the actual day itself yesterday, there has been a steady built of excitement and disbelief on my part. So before the review of the concert begins, I'd just like to say that Esplanade and Mosaic did a fantastic job in bringing in these acts that wouldn't have came to Singapore otherwise.
With that said, I must admit to be in a calm before the concert started. It really hit home that I was about to watch Broken Social Scene in concert when I stepped into the venue itself and saw the dimly lit stage, and all the electric guitars there and the drum set at the back. It was then, when I told myself that I was about to catch one of my favorite bands in concert, and it was still pretty hard to believe even then. The beauty about the Esplanade is that even a ticket at the back of the concert hall is not going to make you feel ripped off in any way. The concert venue is not very big by itself, but it sure it rather tall. My ticket was the second most expensive ticket, and I managed to garner a seat towards the back, but the view was still fantastic and it didn't make me feel a thousand miles away from the stage at all. The anticipation slowly built up until the lights were dimmed and I became officially hyped. A backstage crew who accidentally strolled onto the stage while the lights were turned off became a false alarm for the thousand strong crowd, and our laughter turned into cheers when the voice over the speakers introduced the band members who were not going to be at the gig last night - and that included Leslie Feist, to my dismay.
Still, when the band members appeared on stage, everybody went absolutely crazy. They picked up their instruments, greeted the audience, and started their set with 7/4 Shoreline that blew everybody away. Even without Feist to accompany Kevin Drew on that song, the band managed to find a random girl called Ivy, I think, to sing her part and she was decent enough to carry the song through without any glitches. It was the perfect opener for the concert, and that adrenaline carried on all the way through Superconnected and KC Accidental, some of their most beloved songs from the Broken Social Scene and You Forgot It In People albums. I haven't been to a concert at Esplanade where everybody stood up throughout the concert before, but that happened last night when nobody cared about the seats any longer. Everybody was on their feet and screaming our heads off to every tune, the atmosphere yesterday night was amazing.
Things started to slow down, in a good way, at I'm Still Your Fag, and the subsequent songs came out from Kevin Drew's own collaboration album with various different members of Broken Social Scene from the album Spirit If, which I haven't gotten my hands on yet. Which was why the songs were a little unfamiliar to me, but it was still the good old Broken Social Scene, and it was all good to me. When Fire Eye'd Boy came on, everybody went absolutely nuts, and I pictured Kania two levels above me going bonkers, since it is "her song", she even had it as her ringtone for a period of time. I was gladly singing with Kevin Drew, although I didn't exactly know all the words to the song, admittedly.
Here's the thing about Broken Social Scene, they have the uncanny ability to find art and music in chaos. With their usual band playing, they have about five or six electric guitars playing at any one time. Last night, they had about four guitars playing at once, and you would normally think that to cause a great big mess in the songs played. I mean, that's what they always say about a bunch of talents coming together to craft something out of the best from both worlds. They almost usually end up being disastrous though, but that is not the case in Broken Social Scene. Their music has a certain order, and certain melody to be caught amidst the chaos and the mess, and that brought that feeling to the stage yesterday night and blew us all away. I must admit that the sound balance was a little tipped, as the vocals were not properly adjusted and the horns were not properly positioned. Still, I thought it was amazing from where I was, and I certainly did not complain for the fact that I couldn't catch the lyrics at all. The local trumpet player as well as the saxophonist were awesome though, matching up to the playing of the band and doing some impromptu things on stage. They lived up to the standards of the missing band members, and received the approval of the audience afterwards.
I still harbored the hope of seeing Feist spring out from the side of the stage as a surprise halfway through the show, especially when the band started playing her famous song, 1234. But that didn't happen, but their rendition of the song was still pretty amazing either way. Looks Just Like the Sun was both peaceful and surreal, a stark contrast to the chaos before. What took things home for me, though, was definitely Lover's Spit, and that was just the high point of the whole concert for me. Some might say that Leslie Feist did a better job at the song on the album Bee Hives, but I must say that Kevin's Drew has his own ability to bring forth the emotions in a completely different manner. His stripped down version of Lover's Spit was awesome in my opinion, and it was definitely the anthem of the night that everybody could sing along to. Then the band decided to play a song that was not on the original set list, and the best song of the night came up. Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day) came up, and I was hysterical.
The autograph session afterwards was amazing as well. Knowing that the lights coming up would mean the official end of the concert, I rushed out of the door the moment the lights came on, and managed to grab a place at the front of the queue with my tickets all prepared. The band came out moments later, and they all had bottles of Heineken and champagne in their hands, looking completely drunk and high. Kevin Drew ran into the crowd and gave everybody high fives and hugs, and it took quite a while before they could be calmed down and the autograph session to happen. I didn't have much to say to them, or rather I didn't actually want to say anything especially after the experience with Suzanne Vega. But the band seemed to be more interested in me than I was with them, asking me if I am from Singapore and thanked me for coming to the show. I thanked all of them for playing, because it really was the most enjoyable concert I have ever been to. They were all really high, but they were all so friendly that I wondered if they are really that friendly in real life. They took pictures with everybody, hugged everybody, and one of them was even cool about having a cup of water splashed over himself by the girl in front of me. "It's all cool man, it's all cool" he said. They never hesitated to sign the autographs that came in front under the glass doors behind them, and even posed through the glass to take pictures with the fans outside. Maybe they were just drunk, but they were sure very nice drunkards.
Now, once again, I must say, Broken Social Scene rocked and Mosaic Music Festival is amazing. I cannot wait for Mum this Thursday, though I do not expect an equally high concert like the one yesterday. But I am certain that Mosaic and Mum will not disappoint me, and it is certainly going to be yet another good concert this year. I wonder who will be on their invitation list for next year's Mosaic, I am certainly keeping my fingers crossed. For now, Mosaic, keep it going. Keep it happening, you are extraordinary.
Partial Setlist:
1. 7/4 (Shoreline)
2. Superconnected
3. KC Accidental
4. Stars & Sons
5. Farewell to the Pressure Kids
6. Cause = Time
7. I'm Still Your Fag
8. All My Friends
9. Fucked Up Kid
10. Safety Bricks
11. Fire Eye'd Boy
12. Frightening Lives
13. Backed Out On The...
14. (Missing song name. Help!)
15. 1234 - (Tease)
16. Looks Just Like the Sun
17. Lover's Spit
18. Ibi Dreams Of Pavement (A Better Day)
19. It's All Gonna Break
This entry was posted
on Monday, March 10, 2008 at 8:16 PM.
You can skip to the end and leave a response.
1:06 AM
what a great entry! i loved it!