Oh, Canada. On the weekend that kicked off the worldwide spectacle that is the Winter Olympics, us Angelenos were treated to some hazy, gorgeous synth-pop from a few of our neighbors to the north. Stars took the stage in Hollywood and wove a standout set from their now-substantial, gem-filled catalogue of whimsical tales detailing feelings felt and emotion on edge.
The band was pitch-perfect on this dazzling February eve, gracing the Avalon crowd with a dazzling performance replete with their signature lush keys, darting violin and engrossing back and forth vocals from Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell. Especially compelling was this give and take between the two, as something approaching the palpable could be felt charging the space between them. This genuine chemistry gave energy to the deeply wrought lyrical overtures, propelling the show and keeping the audience enraptured from note one.
Set Yourself On Fire was one of aught-five’s top albums, and the band ran through a good portion of it, with a few of the highlights being the rousing blast that is “Your Ex-Lover is Dead,” the dripping-with-embittered-melancholy “What I’m Trying to Say,” and the exhilarating concupiscence of “The First Five Times.”
The wily Canucks even threw in a rollicking “Hungry Heart” cover to show off a bit, but by then the crowd had already been bowled over, and their re-working of the Boss’s hit was just another feather in their cap. Since it was one of Avalon’s club nights, the show ended ’round midnight, leaving the sated showgoers to stumble out past the velvet-roped throngs and make their way into the night.
