Toronto Show - Comments

[bearcub]

Observations:

- Based on what we thought was rock solid research (reading past reviews and information on the venue website), we showed up at 11:30 expecting Chan to be getting on stage a few moments later. Unfortunately, our estimates were a little off, and we showed up halfway into the show! Apparently we missed some heavy drinking on Chan's part and a few good songs from "You Are Free"

- Sound quality was very good, even on the second balcony, and Chan's voice was wonderfully clean

- Surprisingly few temper tantrums; I think this was due to the fact that she was visibly soused

- At one point in the show she was complaining about some "cop car radio" noises--this was coming from the third balcony, where we were. This Mick Jones doppelganger who was working the water stand had his CB/walkie talkie turned up to the max volume and was eagerly awaiting notification that floor #1 was low on water so he could do something other than pick his ass for the rest of the night. The pacman sounds coming from that stupid walkie talkie were quite a distraction during the quieter songs in the show; I could have killed that fu*ker!!!

- Good cover of "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" by the White Stripes; she also covered "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" although you could barely tell what it was

- Apparently the opening act was an affront to live music; luckily we missed him

[snucker]

i was there for the whole show and i was up front, sitting on the stage! it was a real intimate feeling, cuz there were numerious people sitting cross-legged on the edge of the stage. if you've been to the opera house, you know what i mean. when she did her solo stuff, i found that most of the audience was surprisingly quiet. the music wasn't very loud either, so sometimes you could hear the bar tender clinking some glasses or something like that. the guitarist was entertaining, he was kinda jokey and friendly.

many of the songs she performed i didn't recognize. i own all of the cat power records except myra lee, and i'd say there was a good half or third of her songs that i didn't immediatly recognize. i don't think anything from moon pix was played, but she did do rockets, which is my favourite one. there were a few songs that completely rocked out, and the rest was mid-tempo bluesy music with a full band and her solo songs with just her and her guitar or piano.

the white stripes cover was awesome, surprisingly close to the original. and she did her solo version of satisfaction with the chorus! i didn't expect that.

[stevenvenn]

Loved it. Thanks Chan and band. Get that Stripes
cover on record sometime, really great. What was
that Spaceman-y 3 closer? I couldn't tell.

(true about the stupid walktalkie radio. Sound was
good for Chan and the band most of the show though).

Steven

[inBOIL]

Sounds pretty much inline with the Montreal show, 'cept she was taking about how she said she wasn't gonna drink. (She still drank, and wobbled a bit--then apologized, quite sadly.) Did she dance around with an audience member? She did here. (Lucky duck.) She ran and jumped at him; tried to sneak him a kiss on the cheek. Funny. We also did the wave, and a round (or 2) of Row-Row-Row-Your-Boat. (i didn't sing, tho ... just smiled.) She even asked to have the houselights on, but somebody knew better. Anyway, she was in a hellofasilly mood. It was great.

Did she sing "Blue Moon" for you? It was amazingly beautiful. (Always been one of my favourite tunes.) Also another moon song which i didn't know--if anyone knows the name of that one, please .... It was the nicest song i've heard in a long time.

Yeah, the guitar player was a good match for her. (Compared to other concerts i've heard recordings of.) Sadly, his mic was louder than hers most of the time.

Was the opening act some pseudo-hippy joker who sang screechy dark-dark-blues with a $20 acoustic overdriven thru Chan's amp? Yeah.... Good material; silly-ass presentation. He just looked a little too cartoon-y to me.... Maybe he's better on record.

Anyway, yeah. If anyone knows the name of that moon song, please speak up. (Also, my other post is still pending. Shucks. i know at least 3 other people here went....)

b.

[faderama]

Regarding the Toronto show...

I thought the second guitar was too high, it took away from Chan's voice at some points. In general though, the show was great. The older material went a bit under-represented...

It would have been nice to see her eyes instead of those big black glasses as well.

A great night all in all.

//

[moonshiner]

great show. I loved the opening act. Thanks Chan for the bread. Can anyone supply a setlist?

[bearcub]

Yeah, it would look something like this:

-start of "Free"
-some other song/jamming
-continuation of "Free"
-jamming
-mid-point of "Free"
-talk with bandmates
-start another song completely

etc.

Just kidding!

[youarefree]

Anyone know who the opener was for the Toronto show?

I would have to agree with the person that said the guitar was up too loud. I was fortunate to be standing/sitting in the front row on the right side.. I thought it would be a great place to be...but all I could hear from the guitarist!!! Chan was really far away.. and even though I was in the front row... I found it hard to hear most of the stuff she was saying.
I found the concert was alright.. I had never seen her live before. But I expected it to be more.. professional. It seems like all the members on stage were playing on their own... people would start and end songs whenever they wanted. Chan seemed very drunk and not very focused. Although I did love it when she was alone on stage and playing. There was alot of technical trouble and the venue is terrible as well. The sound sucks in the Opera House. Hopefully, when Chan comes back to Toronto, she will play a better venue, such as Massey Hall or the Phoenix. I think she is great and her shows could be a lot better.
Also... it always amazes me when people that show up late for shows, end up in the front row! I waited in line outside, an hour before doors opened. I was sitting on the stage waiting for the show to start. Then halfway through the show, these two girls ,who were like half way up to the stage.. rudely sat in front of me on the stage and blocked my view for the rest of the show.. I was really annoyed!