michaelgc
07/22/06, 11:03 PM
With the doors opening at seven, my buddies and I slipped into our niche at the back of the block-winding lineup at around six o'clock. The rain-soaked morning had given way to a slightly overcast evening, filled with the smells of fermenting sugar emanating from the Redpath factory occupying the southern side of the Queen's Quay. Anticipation built as my watch slowly ticked away the remaining minutes until seven o'clock.
After an hour of eating spicy salami, and drinking from a 10-litre jug of water (bought for $1.99! can't beat that value!), the line began to crawl forwards. In another fifteen minutes, we were inside and engulfed in the battle that was the merch line. A half hour affair, we finally all picked up some great shirts, and made our way into the main part of the building.
We had about another half hour to kill before the first band took the stage. At 8:15, Colour Revolt was up (Men, Women, and Children backed out of the show due to illness). Now I'm sure all the guys in the band are talented, and do what they do well, but I truly wasn't the biggest fan of them. In fact, I was looking forward to the end of their set, and was quite thankful when they arrived there. Perhaps they were having a bad day. Anyways, they left the stage, and Brand New was still a half-hour away.
The thiry minutes before Brand New's set passed quite uneventfully (except of course for the screams that erupt from the crowd every time a sound guy checks and instrument/microphone). 9:30 came and went without any sign of the band, and the crowd was growing impatient. Just as a chant of 'Brand New' was beginning to rise against the ambient hum of 2000 seperate conversations, Jesse Lacey and co. took the stage.
From the haunting opening riff of 'Tautou', to Jesse's mournfull croons on the closer, 'Play Crack the Sky', the set was a emotional and unforgettable experience.
After the conclusion of Tautou, the band delved straight into 'Yeah', or demo 8. The live videos of this song are all over YouTube, and if you havn't seen any of them I suggest you head over there right now. The crowd was vivid as Jesse's soaring vocals spilt over his bandmates immaculate execution, rendering everyone in the audience breathless as "I am not your friend...." exploded through the P.A. That part was as powerful as ever, and the vocals were bang-on. By the end of 'Yeah', there was not one person in the room who was not covered in goosebumps.
After demo 8 concluded, Jesse remarked: "Hello Toronto, we are your saviors". And what truth these words held, as they launced immediately into Guernica, followed by Jaws Theme Swimming. After these two songs, the opening riff of "The Quiet Things..." was played, and the crowd responded lovingly. Jesse then donned his acoustic guitar and raced through "I Will Play my Game...".
After this song ended, Brand New lauched into their second standout performance of the night, to the ballad of 'The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot'. As Jesse repeatedly strummed the opening chords, he told a story of his childhood. Apparantly, when he was young, he often played basketball with his family. As young kids go, he was not particularily good at the game, mainly for one reason: whenever he tried to shoot the ball with two hands, one hand was always in the way. He ended up blocking his own shots, earing him the nickname of 'The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot'. It was pretty neat to hear where the song name came from. Near the end of this song, Jesse's guitar cut out, and he sang acapella (with the exception of Vinnie's mellow lead lines). The result was more powerful than it would have been had the guitar been working, as the vocals had nothing to compete with. I don't really know why, but this mellow song was a complete knockout.
The band then played through 'Okay I Believe You...', and 'The Shower Scene' (apparantly the first song the band had ever written) before they arrived at 'Me vs. Maradonna vs. Elvis'.
I may be biased, as this song is my favorite by the band (and possibly my favorite of all time), but this song was perhaps the highlight of the night. From the sleepy first note, to the quiet harmonies, to the explosive finale, this song was acted flawlessly. As soon as the full band kicked in (right after the second chorus), the disco ball in the middle of the venue lit up, and the effect was magnificant. My night would have been complete had the set ended there.
The band flowed through 'The No Seatbelt Song' with unprecidented emotion. Jesse's finest vocal performance of the night was during this song, and again it sent chills down everyone's spine. After the track was over, the band left the stage and Mr. Lacey played 'Soco Amaretto Lime' on his own. It was nothing short of memorable.
The entire band was back after a short pause, for the encore. They played a new song, which now goes by the name 'Take Apart Your Head'. It is not contained in the demos, and is "about what Jesse's cousin keeps in his closet". For those of you who have not heard this song, it will singlehandedly dispose of any concerns you have for their upocoming album. It plays alot like 'Yeah', but has a much darker vibe. Jesse throws in a whole bunch of yelling/screaming in this song, and pulls it off marvelously. It definitly exudes an aura of power that only Brand New could bestow.
After 'Take Apart Your Head', they launched into 'Sic Transit Gloria...', and then into 'Seventy Times Seven'. Just as everyone thought that the band was leaving the stage for good, Jesse picked up a guitar and thanked the crowd in the most sincere way a crowd has ever been thanked. I don't know what it is about this guy, but you just can't not like him. He played 'Play Crack the Sky' more beautifully than it's ever been played, and then left the stage to the sound of two thousand hands clapping in unison. The greatest ending to a show that I have ever witnessed.
Any doubts that anyone has about the integrity of Brand New, their new songs, or their attitude, should quit worrying. I have seen them twice, and it was this time that they completely blew me away. If anything, they have greatly improved. They reminded me again why they are my favorite band.
P.S. Brand New's merch guy is Jesse's brother...I thought that was pretty neat.
After an hour of eating spicy salami, and drinking from a 10-litre jug of water (bought for $1.99! can't beat that value!), the line began to crawl forwards. In another fifteen minutes, we were inside and engulfed in the battle that was the merch line. A half hour affair, we finally all picked up some great shirts, and made our way into the main part of the building.
We had about another half hour to kill before the first band took the stage. At 8:15, Colour Revolt was up (Men, Women, and Children backed out of the show due to illness). Now I'm sure all the guys in the band are talented, and do what they do well, but I truly wasn't the biggest fan of them. In fact, I was looking forward to the end of their set, and was quite thankful when they arrived there. Perhaps they were having a bad day. Anyways, they left the stage, and Brand New was still a half-hour away.
The thiry minutes before Brand New's set passed quite uneventfully (except of course for the screams that erupt from the crowd every time a sound guy checks and instrument/microphone). 9:30 came and went without any sign of the band, and the crowd was growing impatient. Just as a chant of 'Brand New' was beginning to rise against the ambient hum of 2000 seperate conversations, Jesse Lacey and co. took the stage.
From the haunting opening riff of 'Tautou', to Jesse's mournfull croons on the closer, 'Play Crack the Sky', the set was a emotional and unforgettable experience.
After the conclusion of Tautou, the band delved straight into 'Yeah', or demo 8. The live videos of this song are all over YouTube, and if you havn't seen any of them I suggest you head over there right now. The crowd was vivid as Jesse's soaring vocals spilt over his bandmates immaculate execution, rendering everyone in the audience breathless as "I am not your friend...." exploded through the P.A. That part was as powerful as ever, and the vocals were bang-on. By the end of 'Yeah', there was not one person in the room who was not covered in goosebumps.
After demo 8 concluded, Jesse remarked: "Hello Toronto, we are your saviors". And what truth these words held, as they launced immediately into Guernica, followed by Jaws Theme Swimming. After these two songs, the opening riff of "The Quiet Things..." was played, and the crowd responded lovingly. Jesse then donned his acoustic guitar and raced through "I Will Play my Game...".
After this song ended, Brand New lauched into their second standout performance of the night, to the ballad of 'The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot'. As Jesse repeatedly strummed the opening chords, he told a story of his childhood. Apparantly, when he was young, he often played basketball with his family. As young kids go, he was not particularily good at the game, mainly for one reason: whenever he tried to shoot the ball with two hands, one hand was always in the way. He ended up blocking his own shots, earing him the nickname of 'The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot'. It was pretty neat to hear where the song name came from. Near the end of this song, Jesse's guitar cut out, and he sang acapella (with the exception of Vinnie's mellow lead lines). The result was more powerful than it would have been had the guitar been working, as the vocals had nothing to compete with. I don't really know why, but this mellow song was a complete knockout.
The band then played through 'Okay I Believe You...', and 'The Shower Scene' (apparantly the first song the band had ever written) before they arrived at 'Me vs. Maradonna vs. Elvis'.
I may be biased, as this song is my favorite by the band (and possibly my favorite of all time), but this song was perhaps the highlight of the night. From the sleepy first note, to the quiet harmonies, to the explosive finale, this song was acted flawlessly. As soon as the full band kicked in (right after the second chorus), the disco ball in the middle of the venue lit up, and the effect was magnificant. My night would have been complete had the set ended there.
The band flowed through 'The No Seatbelt Song' with unprecidented emotion. Jesse's finest vocal performance of the night was during this song, and again it sent chills down everyone's spine. After the track was over, the band left the stage and Mr. Lacey played 'Soco Amaretto Lime' on his own. It was nothing short of memorable.
The entire band was back after a short pause, for the encore. They played a new song, which now goes by the name 'Take Apart Your Head'. It is not contained in the demos, and is "about what Jesse's cousin keeps in his closet". For those of you who have not heard this song, it will singlehandedly dispose of any concerns you have for their upocoming album. It plays alot like 'Yeah', but has a much darker vibe. Jesse throws in a whole bunch of yelling/screaming in this song, and pulls it off marvelously. It definitly exudes an aura of power that only Brand New could bestow.
After 'Take Apart Your Head', they launched into 'Sic Transit Gloria...', and then into 'Seventy Times Seven'. Just as everyone thought that the band was leaving the stage for good, Jesse picked up a guitar and thanked the crowd in the most sincere way a crowd has ever been thanked. I don't know what it is about this guy, but you just can't not like him. He played 'Play Crack the Sky' more beautifully than it's ever been played, and then left the stage to the sound of two thousand hands clapping in unison. The greatest ending to a show that I have ever witnessed.
Any doubts that anyone has about the integrity of Brand New, their new songs, or their attitude, should quit worrying. I have seen them twice, and it was this time that they completely blew me away. If anything, they have greatly improved. They reminded me again why they are my favorite band.
P.S. Brand New's merch guy is Jesse's brother...I thought that was pretty neat.