Back in the day when music fans could still attend live concerts beyond the ones put on by country singers you’ve never heard of with made up sounding names, Vancouver duo Japandroids became famous for their particular brand of loud, sweaty rock shows – shows which are now quite unimaginable in our current situation. So it comes as a welcome reminder of the power of their live shows that the band have recently released a live album documenting their appearance at Toronto’s legendary Massey Hall … or rather, it would have if the album were truly able to replicate the feel of a Japandroids show on record.
Massey Fucking Hall documents Japandroids’ appearance on the Massey Hall stage back in October of 2017 (the bulk of which is also featured in a Live at Massey Hall video that’s up on YouTube if you’d rather watch it than just listen to it). To their credit, it sounds good and the band is in fine form, but for a band whose live shows have the feel of a massive communal celebration for the fans, it’s impossible for a recording to even come close to that. On the plus side, this also means that there’s zero chance of being jostled about by the more bro-ish contingent of their fanbase, although the chances of that happening in a seated venue like Massey were already pretty slim.
While songs like “No Known Drink or Drug” and “Young Hearts Spark Fire” stand out as energetic highlights, the whole thing ultimately feels a bit sterile, though maybe it’s the venue itself that diminishes the vibe somewhat. After all, it would be difficult to come close to that feeling in a seated venue like Massey Hall. The band even acknowledges this on the album when Brian King makes a comment near the end about the people standing up front making it seem more like “a normal Japandroids show.”
Maybe I’m being too hard on the band because I’m missing live music and this is really only kind of like that. Or maybe I just don’t like live albums. No that can’t be true – after all, without live albums, we’d never have the magic of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, Rust Never Sleeps, Cheap Trick at Budokan and of course, that compilation of Paul Stanley’s stage banter (it counts as a live album in my books). Maybe if Japandroids followed Stanley’s lead and let out a few extremely high pitched exclamations of “How you doin’ Toronto!!?” or made punny references to their song titles before playing each song, I’d cut them a bit more slack, but alas, they have not done any of that.
Frankly, there isn’t a live album that can truly capture the feeling of being there, but I suppose the ones that do it right can remind us of the power of seeing a band in person. While Massey Fucking Hall may fall a bit short in that regard, it’s still a solid document of the band that will likely appeal to the die-hard fans. For the rest of us? Well, there’s always the hope that live shows might be a thing again by next year …
There’s one word to describe Sharon Jones and it is this: LEGEND. After cancelling her tour last year for cancer treatment, this Massey Hall show felt extra triumphant and jubilant.
As a vocal powerhouse and charismatic frontwoman, Jones was the star of the show. But that isn’t to say that The Dap-Kings are just a backing band. A collective of talent themselves, the band opened and closed the show without Jones on the mic, and roused the crowd to their feet.
Supporting their latest release, Give the People What They Want (which was also delayed due to Jones’ illness. It was released January 2014), Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings performed cuts from that album, including “Retreat!,” “Making Up and Breaking Up,” “People Don’t Get What They Deserve” and “Get Up and Get Out,” though slightly different than the album’s version. Jones explained that they would “start it off slow and then take it a bit faster.”
The high-energy show included Jones inviting audience members up to the stage to dance with her on multiple occasions. There was also an extended musical breakdown during “People Don’t Get What They Deserve,” where Jones exuberantly demonstrated different dance moves from the 60’s before introducing each member of the Dap-Kings.
In a tender moment, Jones told the audience how grateful she was for their support, talking about her bout with cancer and beating it, and her friends and family’s concern for her eagerness to get back on tour so soon after her recovery. The cheers were loud and sincere when Jones proclaimed she was now cancer-free, and that she knew she had to get back out there, for her fans.
Sometimes I regret showing up late to a show. This time, however, it wasn’t because I missed the openers (and I’m sure the Barr Brothers rocked it) but because they were giving away these cool little ring lights at the door. They were kind of like little floating stars in the night sky when held up by the hundreds that were given them. Sometimes it’s okay to conform to cheesy crap like this but only when it’s pretty. I can’t think of a better venue in the city for Patrick Watson to play than Massey Hall. It’s their chamber music, it’s his voice, it’s the fact that he brought along a ten-person choir. All of these things made the show and the venue sync so well.I’m also a fan of Massey Hall because of the recent addition of an American Express Platinum card bar in the basement which gives cardholders not one but two free drinks. As well as them allowing you to now bring your drinks upstairs to your seats all just adds to the enjoyment of the show. So I was drinking by myself, so what? I was in the dark and have no shame. Patrick talked about having friends and family (i.e. his brother) present and dedicated some of their songs to them. Songs moved back and forth from faster and loud to slower and soft but all accented with his soprano-like voice that can hold notes longer than you could. All of this made for an unforgettable performance.
What was more unforgettable was his infectious laugh which almost verged on a minor case of ADD. He would do his little stage banter and the crowd would laugh. He would then make his awkward laugh and the crowd (mostly girls) would also respond with laughter, and his giggle would continue. It really was an awkward cycle of laughter. Unfortunate too was that it didn’t sell out. According to an usher, there were 800 of the 2400 seats still available.
Patrick Watson are on the tail-end of their tour through Quebec. They wrap up this coming Friday in St-Hyacinthe.
I’m hard-pressed to think of a musician with a more well-rounded celebrity resume than Chris Isaak. He’s released 14 albums, has been steadily working since 1985, acted in a handful of movies (with a couple of meaty headlining roles), and had a 4-year television series profiling his life and the same band he has been working with for 27 years…and one last figure. He’s now 56 years old. That’s right…56 YEARS OLD.
Some of you may think that that’s not particularly surprising. Indeed, Isaak has been a pop culture fixture for over 23 years since Wicked Games, which cemented celebrity photographer Herb Ritts as a tour de force to be reckoned with (not to mention making Helena Christensen the source of many wet dreams that year). But when you look at him today live and in person, it’s hard to imagine he’s past his early 30’s. Part of that has to do with his youthful exuberance, perhaps avoiding cigarettes and drugs, but more than anything else it’s likely a sense of fun that’s preserving him.
The opener wasn’t billed on the ticket, so I have no idea what her name was, and remember little else than the fact that she was alone with her guitar playing a prompt 30 minute set, and clearly thought tights were pants (for the record, tights are not pants). She was clearly thrilled to have an audience of roughly 3,000 attendees listen to her play an entire set, and engaged the cordial audience with a singalong exercise. Perhaps they were thrilled to have survived the gustiness of Sandy–clearly the hall was mostly full, so I reckon they didn’t spend the day watching WPIX and getting storm-addled and crazy like I was.
Isaak and his band took stage at 9:00 PM, with an elaborate pastel-sequined black suit, witty banter and introductions to his band, and an opening number spent walking the aisles and traipsing up to the balcony to say hello to his audience. Yes, this man is a showman, and he wants to ensure you get your money’s worth when you go to see him.
The set was divided into two parts. The first, the standard faring of a “greatest hits” type of selection and the second, completely devoted to his latest release Beyond the Sun. This is sort of the opposite of what most more seasoned artists are leaning towards, but I suppose caters to a certain type of instant gratification logic that resonates with the audience. With the charisma and humor that Isaak has with his house band (the same guys that starred in the Chris Isaak show with him, and whom he revealed has been with him for 27 years), it hardly matters. I’ll do my best to go through the softshoe routine through the setlist below.
His band is as follows:
Kenney Dale Johnson; drummer
Rowland Salley (referred to as “Rowlie” throughout the night); bassist
Hershel Yatovitz; guitarist
Scott Plunkett; keyboardist
Setlist (lifted from his Brussels show, which seems to largely jive with my memory of the set)
PART 1
American Boy – as with all of the best performers, Isaak formally introduces his band to the audience. He also thanked us for “turning of the television and supporting live music”, mildly ironic to me given the band is most recognizable from the Showtime series. Isaak walked around and went upstairs to the balcony to sing portions of the song.
Pretty Girls – again, armed the knowledge that only a seasoned performer has, Isaak butters us up by comparing Toronto to Paris, New York, and Tokyo. He said he loves Canada and after shooting the Chris Isaak Show in Vancouver, Rowlie ended up moving to our fair nation.
Blue Hotel
We’ve Got Tomorrow
I Want Your Love
San Franciso Days – Isaak articulated what I have been hammering away at for the past four years–live music is an exchange between performer and listener, and if it lacks interaction there is some serious doubt cast onto how the experience might be different than hitting “play” on your stereo system. “You have to play live music and bring into it what you’d bring into a love affair”
I’m Not Waiting
Somebody’s Crying – Isaak asked everyone in the audience to take photos of him at one point…”I know they said no cameras, but I didn’t get all dressed up just to have you not take my picture”
Wicked Game
Best I Ever Had
Dancin’ – Rowlie was the butt of many jokes that evening. I’ll spare you my usual need to recant every single detail, but at some point Rowlie’s sexual prowress is called into question when Isaak says he hears him crying alone every night on tour, inviting a few women in the front to join him to dance onstage, calling particular attention to one woman’s rainboots.
Notice the Ring
Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing – highlight of the night for me
At this point, additional parts of the stage were set-up, including the lit-up Memphis Recording replica sign from Sun Studios, and an old timey piano. Isaak tells one montage of many that evening, recollecting his parents’ small but influential vocal record collection, most of whom were discovered by Sam Phillips and the basis of his 2011 album.
Since we were spoiled for riches for the first half of the set, understand he is passionate about this latest cover album, and the comic routine ramped up even more throughout, I will overlook the fact that these are standard covers. It’s not that I don’t like covers–in many cases I prefer them to the original source material. What I think is less interesting is when covers are largely derivative.
Doin’ the Best I Can (Elvis Presley cover)
Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash cover)
Dixie Fried (Carl Perkins cover) – as a music history note, Isaak dives into the seriousness of alcoholism as a disease (ha ha), and explains the song was widely banned at the time of its release.
Can’t Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley cover) – at this point, Isaak advises us to look to our companion and kiss them. In my mostly empty row, I was encouraged by the fact that I was not forgotten, as he instructed those of us who came alone to ask ourselves why we were alone. Ouch.
It’s Now or Never (Elvis Presley cover) – thought this was the best of the covers
Live It Up
Miss Pearl (Jimmy Wages cover)
Great Balls Of Fire (Jerry Lee Lewis cover) – the Memphis Studio piano that was brought out had series of special effects that Plunkett tinkered with–a fake fire and dry ice emulating some serious smoke for a rather literal interpretation of the song, and the show took on an even more full-service musical feel.
ENCORE
Super Magic (short intrumental intro)
Oh, Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison cover) – a huge, self-inflating 50’s cutout came to life behind the band at this point and even tapped to the percussion of the song.
Big Wide Wonderful
Worked It Out Wrong
With the stories, special effects, and comedy factored in, what we got was more than a mere concert. The choreography alone was seamless, and what makes these guys stand out the most is the fact that they’re having sheer, unadulterated FUN up there. The banter and laughter suggest there’s a serious bromance going on between these guys, and it shows.
