I honestly can’t decide if I want to be you or wed you. However, considering the fact that I can’t pull off a bow-tie like you can, I’m going to opt for marriage and let you wear the pants (and ties). I’ve always loved your music (I fell in love with Bright Whites first) but seeing you perform live just sealed the deal. Your beat-boxing skills, fiddling prowess, and dapper denim-and-tie look are impeccable. Your on-stage charisma is irresistible and your smile is swoon-inducing. On the off chance you don’t accept my proposal, please think of me, at least, when you play your trademark love song (and my new favorite tune) “I am the Anti-Christ to You.” It’s a keeper.
I’m not going to lie: I went into your show with super low expectations. I’ve heard your spectacles are simultaneously over and underwhelming and I was not prepared to be impressed. And, real talk real time, I did have some complaints. First, I was, in part, overwhelmed. Your stage full of band members, random performers, mimes, balloons, and multiple TV screens boggled my mind. Second, I was, in a way, underwhelmed. Your selection of songs was largely unknown to me and I didn’t get to sing along as much as I’d like (although I did appreciate your rendition of “Spiteful Intervention).
But, overall, I totally enjoyed myself. I appreciated your punctuality, your non-stop pace, and your inventive eye-catching tricks (although at times I was literally dizzy from the flashing lights and uncoordinated screen displays). And Robert Barnes, you look better in blue eye-shadow than any woman I’ve ever seen. Kudos to you, Sir.
Thomas Dolby with his Time Machine (Time Machine Tour 2012)
With age comes wisdom, and so I would argue, does showmanship. It has been 30 years since Thomas Dolby first became a household name across North America with the Magnus Pyke-sampled “She Blinded Me With Science“, and his loyal fanbase shows no signs of waning or fatigue. In fact I’d say the opposite–that Dolby has captured an audience ravenous for his quirky wit as well as his first album in 20 years (A Map of the Floating City).
Let me first say that it was nice to see an audience that has stayed interested in their hero throughout the decades. The guy beside me knew the words to every single song, including those from the newest release, and everyone seemed generally extremely supportive of the tour. I think Dolby too was genuinely touched, and he responded with an embarrassment of riches in terms of effuse touring and songwriting stories.
I have said this again and again, but this is really where you truly see the distinction between the performer who has earned it versus the one who has fallen into it. After some 30-odd years, these guys have really shown me that those who truly enjoy performing do not seem the least bit bored or pathetic. On the contrary, they seem to have more energetic showmanship than any of the new acts I’ve seen within the past 5 years. That said, I understand that it’s much easier to be in a good mood if you’ve spent a tour on a plush luxury bus armed with chandeliers and Perrier versus crammed into a van with self-financed equipment that is worth more than the federal government deems your net worth to be.
I suppose none of this is really relevant. Dolby is a self-made guy, with a successful entrepreneur developing synthesizers for the mobile phone market, and although he’s married to one-time Dynasty actress Kathleen Beller. I doubt that’s what’s been keeping the family in silk robes all these years. On top of it all, Dolby has served as the musical director of TED, a conference talk phenomenon that has captured the imagination of very nearly every female I am facebook friends with.
In terms of setlist choices, the backlist part was again loaded with old favorites (Europa and the Pirate Twins was probably the highlight of the night for me, accompanied by the story described below). I was generally hard-pressed to find a song that wasn’t accompanied by a charming story.
Setlist: Commercial Breakup One of Our Submarines The Flat Earth
Evil Twin Brother – Dolby described an elaborate dream (I think) he had about being in New York City, being whisked away by the hand into dark alleys by a mysterious French woman, being taken to a Eurotrash discoteque, and tearing the carpet up with dancing under a giant disco ball. I’m sure I’m not doing the story justice here, but my memory is getting a little fuzzy.
Love is a Loaded Pistol – In another dream, Billie Holiday visits Dolby flying through space and time to tell him she’s got an idea for a new song, and in spite of the cliched title, she still looks hot.
My Brain Is Like a Sieve
Road to Reno
The Toad Lickers
I Love You Goodbye – I believe this was the song that was inspired by a visit to his friend who had moved to New Orleans. Dolby went to visit him on a 2-day trip that involved a surreal series of performances, that later inspired his penning this song. It was so celebrated on Louisiana radio that they coined it the “Louisiana Rain Song”, and prompted a local radio station to conduct an over the phone interview with him about some of the gross creative liberties he had taken “We got PARISHES here, not COUNTIES”. It was at this point, or the prior song, that a fan from Hamilton who had purchased an instrument from Dolby on eBay joined him onstage along with a bushy-bearded banjoist whom TD had met randomly (he described the possibility of a small family of Slovenians residing in that beard).
Field Work Europa and the Pirate Twins – When Dolby’s label released this, they asked him to sing the song in various translations, including Spanish, which had to be written out phonetically for him. When he was later whisked to Madrid to do a live television performance, he had a difficult time remembering the words (though the audience helped him out). Probably the highlight of the show for me. Airhead
Hyperactive She Blinded Me With Science – This may have been the moment a lot of people were waiting for. With the funniest introduction to a song I’ve ever seen, Dolby went onto describe the chagrin his song had caused Magnus Pyke. Peppered with opportune “SCIENCE!!!!!!!” interjections.
Encore:
Spice Train
Silk Pyjamas
All in all this was a great show. While some of the more hillbilly-laced numbers weren’t exactly my style, I can certainly appreciate how eclectic this man is, and how he’s certainly not just a one-hit wonder.
“I’m not sure if I told you, I’m Bachelorette. I’m not The Magnetic Fields … and this is not the song I just played.”
These words were spoken by New Zealander Annabel Alpers, AKA Bachelorette (and not The Magnetic Fields) early on in her set. It was quirky and charming, as was much of the rest of her stage banter. I don’t know if this is a cultural stereotype or not, but quirky and charming is kind of what I imagine everyone from New Zealand to be like. Yeah, I probably watch too much Flight of The Conchords.
Regardless, she impressed with her electronic tunes, and seemed to be enjoying “the Toronto vibe.” With any solo performer, a good onstage presence is important. Alpers had an engaging (and yes, quirky) personality that really helps to draw in a crowd. She introduced one song as being from 2005, adding, “I’ve been around awhile.” Kind of surprised I’ve never heard of her before now.
Where Bachelorette was quirky and charming, Magnetic Fields frontman Stephin Merritt was sarcastic and deadpan. And absolutely hilarious.
When some fan shouted out a request for “Busby Berkeley Dreams,” Merritt replied that they do not do requests and that “The last time we took a request, it didn’t go very well.”
OK, it doesn’t sound all that funny on paper, but in person, I got a good laugh out of it. There was also this gem: “This is called ‘The Book Of Love.’ It’s very popular. Some people have it sung at their weddings. I will have it sung at my funeral.” And who can forget: “This song is called ‘Come Back From San Francisco.’ It’s about someone who went to San Francisco…”
Merritt being a prolific songwriter, he’s got a wealth of tunes to choose from in any given set. This of course means someone’s favourite might get left of the list (although the aforementioned “Busby Berkeley Dreams” did eventually get played as the closer. I guess Merritt just doesn’t like being told when to play songs … then again, who really would?) but it also means they’ve got a lot of great songs to choose from, so I doubt anyone really walked away unsatisfied afterwards.
Like the lure of the siren song, the Psychedelic Furs are the latest in a never-ending renaissance of 80’s acts that are touring extensively again. Widely advertised as a SOLD OUT show, IDVDK braved the cold for a 30-minute line-up at Lee’s palace and got some of the reserved door tickets, but the mounting line-up at 8:30 PM suggested that this was a hotly billed show. I suppose those in the more mature age brackets peg a lot of sentimentality with this group–it’s not hard to see why. John Hughes’ high school movies are responsible for a widespread malaise of such feel-good messages as love conquers all, and that everyone inevitably gets their girl or boy if they’ve abided by the old adage “to thine own self be true”.
The band probably reached their pinnacle in the mid-80’s with Mirror Moves, but their 1986 version of Pretty in Pink is what catapulted them into the public’s vernacular. It’s too bad, considering the no-sax original is still superior in my head.
John Hughes was a guilty habit for me, and the happy ending in PIP kind of makes me sad (wasn’t it clear that Ducky was a masked homosexual and that Steff was in love with Blane?)–it’s the titivating build-up that matters. So perhaps this is why I always go into these re-living the classics shows with a disconnect. On the one hand I’ll be pleased to hear songs I haven’t thought about in a long time, live. On the other hand, I’ll be hoping my fond memories don’t die. The Butler Brothers (with saxophonist Mars Williams) managed to stoke the nostalgia flame by going through all of their classics (though to Josh’s chagrin, Heartbeat was omitted).
SETLIST
Into You Like A Train
Alice’s House
Pretty In Pink
Only You and I
Imitation of Christ
It Goes On The Ghost In You
Heaven
Like a Stranger
My Time
Highwire Days Love My Way
Heartbreak Beat
Encore:
House President Gas
Forever Now
Some of these went off better than others, just in terms of arrangements and setlist choices. Backloading most of the greatest hits into the latter half of the set meant a slower (comfortable) start, but once Pretty in Pink elicited table dancing and massive old-people enthusiasm, they relaxed a bit and Butler’s voice (still one of the most distinctive of the decade; maybe even ever) evened out. They looked good, showed a great deal of enthusiasm in spite of weird arm dance moves, and generally adapted most of their hits quite well. Love My Way still plays as one of the best percussion-driven songs of the decade and Highwire Days still best showcases Butler’s raspy chords.
Somehow though, throughout the set I just couldn’t shake the feeling that the 80s saxophone ‘s best suited forum is in the Night Court theme song.
Mars Williams did a fine job of it though, and glib comments aside, was probably the highlight of the band (I also really liked his blazer).
On a completely unrelated side note though, it really really sucks when you’re standing behind someone who really needs a Gas-X / Phazyme / Depends Adult Diaper at a sold out show. Also, who booked the rockabilly version of the Jonas Brothers as the opener?
