Stereophonics - Commodore Ballroom - Sunday, October 6, 2013

This review was written for and first published by Concert Addicts. Photos, including the one below, are copyright of Jamie Taylor. 

It looked to be a full house at The Commodore Ballroom on Sunday, October 6, 2013. The Wind +The Wave from Austin, Texas were on stage when I arrived just after 9 pm. They performed with two guitars, one acoustic and one electric, and what seemed to be pre-recorded percussion tracks, on this, their first visit to Vancouver. The female primary vocalist’s style did seem country-ish, but overall, if I had to put them in some kind of pigeonhole, after the 6 or so songs in their set, I’d place them in that wide-reaching genre of ‘indie folk’. They appreciated that so many people were already squished on the dance-floor and made repeat offers to interact with the audience at the merch stand. The band were also extended their thanks to Stereophonics for having them on their North American tour – and promised we would be hearing all the hits that evening. The Wind + The Wave currently have no new CD to promote, that one is being released in January of 2014, but the audience did offer decent applause, and there were even some whistles, after every song. All in all, I think this was not an unsuccessful night for this duo.

After half an hour of roadies and stage techs doing their thing, the Commodore was ready: when the lights went out at 1 minute to 10, minor pandemonium ensued and the Stereophonics were on – Catacomb, from their most recent CD Graffiti on the Train, started the night off as a solid rock ‘n’ roll number, right down to the light show. At first, I thought the vocals were up a bit too high, but they balanced out before too long. On the whole, I would’ve expected more jumping around, but then, I believe the new CD only came out in early September here in Canada, and I find that often happens when the new release is that new in a market. Regardless, right out of the gate, the Stereophonics set a great foundation for the rest of the night. The first of my favourite songs, Superman, followed and this time there was a proper response from the crowd starting with the first few chords. This is my first time seeing this band live in an interior setting (I saw them in Hyde Park for the Opening Ceremonies concert in London, 2012, but that was a festival stage and the endorphin levels were high) and I’m both pleased and impressed at how the vocals and instruments have the same quality as on the CDs I have – it shows consistency, it shows how little tinkering is done to make them sound ‘better’ during the recording/mixing/mastering process – they actually DO sound that good live; the only difference is, everything truly just gets amped up and this is when the tinkering happens: longer instrumental parts, big finishes, not to mention audience interaction – every element that makes a live experience meaningful is represented.

Right, we continued with A Thousand Trees, an audience favourite I should think because that lovely chorus was also sung full-voice by the people in attendance. There was a brief clapping part for them as well. It definitely seems like a short song, but the band rounded it out with a big instrumental finish and the Commodore responded with hoots, hollers, whistles, applause – yours truly included. Chief songwriter and singer Kelly Jones mentioned it was good to be back (later on he would mention the band had been coming to Vancouver for the last 16 years) between songs and extended his gratitude to the opening band for their support on the tour. The next song was the new CD’s title track Graffiti on the Train and I think I now understand why this song is on the CD: so they can perform it live. Jones puts in a great vocal performance and this really sad song comes alive in a way. It’s a mood piece, one of Tony Kirkham’s keyboard synthesisers provided the ‘strings’ as heard on the recording, wonderfully climactic cymbal crashes courtesy of Jamie Morrison and his amazingly expressive curly hair add drama, and I certainly won’t listen to it the same way again. I see a number of phone screens on as they record the song for their collections. Also from the new CD was We Share the Same Sun which began with a spotlight on Kelly Jones while the rest of the stage was awash with red. I found it had more of a rhythmic drive to it than what I’m familiar with and I’m loving that. This song in general is typical of this band’s rock style – anyone I’ve talked to about the band in recent weeks, this is the song I play for them as a kind of ‘audition piece’. If they like it, they’ll like the majority of the rest of the catalogue. No surprises, just a great song.

The first few rows of the audience did overhead claps for the duration of the intro to Indian Summer – I finally saw a Red Dragon, the Welsh flag, in the crowd. It’s not too high so I don’t think the band saw it, but it was good to see the one at least. What I saw a lot of during Have a nice day were cell phones – over a dozen recorded this oldie, but what a goodie. As soon as Jones mentioned that it was written in San Francisco, I (and a large part of the audience) knew what was next and the first notes confirmed it. It had a warm luscious sound that was only complimented by the lighting. For Vegas Two Times I absolutely adore that edgy rock guitar riff and live, that alone sounds even edgier. I wouldn’t be surprised that this would be when newbies get surprised that there’s so much more to this band’s sound than Have a nice day and I think it’s perfect to have them back-to-back in the set. Vocals remain constant – solid, strong, never strained. How does he do that night after night? My point is pretty much proven right away as the band go straight from this into Mr Writer, another favourite of mine (yes, I have many) – a quasi-ballad with melodic oohs in the background and Jones’s hypnotic voice carrying you along. It’s not easy to knock a ballad out of the park; this band, this song – they certainly do for me.

In a Moment has a heavier guitar presence (2 electric guitars, 1 bass guitar, 1 acoustic guitar, so considering there are 5 people on stage, it’s all guitars and drums) and a great hook. This one was newer to my ears, but it rocked, through and through. Same Size Feet takes us to the debut album Word Gets Around from 1997, so, probably before my time, or so I thought, and then I heard the riff heading into the chorus and it’s on Decade in the Sun so I do know it. I’m a little amazed at how long this band’s music has been on the periphery of my music consciousness, but Decade is a brilliant 2-CD set of catch-up. 

Nothing Precious at all I didn’t know on any level. Nice piano part. At first blush, it’d be what I would consider a filler track on an album. I don’t think the audience felt much of a connection to it either. Not so for Maybe Tomorrow – I can hear the crowd sing the chorus. Adam Zindani is quietly confident, almost understated for the central guitar solo, and actually does spend it centre stage instead of stage right, but it gives me the sense of controlled tension, like it could go off somewhere else if it weren’t for the rest of the band grounding him. Meanwhile, on the other side, bassist Richard Jones does what so many bass players seem to be able to do in spades: exude cool. The audience solos the chorus at the end and really does take it away home. Aaaah. Very satisfying.

Roll the Dice – on the new CD. I like the levels (full on and quick contrasted with slightly slower and quieter). Kelly Jones and Zindani appear to have a friendly guitar-off – rhythm guitar vs lead. Again, great vocal control enhanced by echo effect. Muse’s Matt Bellamy’s got nothing on this guy. Violins & Tambourines takes a bit to get going, you’re lulled into it almost to the point when you’ve given up on it and are waiting for it to peter out when all of a sudden it gets fast and loud and really good, even a bit thrashy by the end. Been Caught Cheating is quite bluesy with a keyboard synthesiser part that’s trying to emulate a Hammond organ. I read somewhere that this song may originally have been meant for the late Amy Winehouse. That would’ve been something, but in the hands of the composer, it’s got plenty of appeal.

To take us to the end of the set, the audience get a couple of familiar songs. Bad grammar aside, Just Looking is one of my favourite songs by Stereophonics and they deliver to a T, as with Local Boy in the Photograph – love it, love it, love it. So much singing, so much audience participation. With all the singing and cheering, I’ve actually given myself a headache and I still could have them go on for hours yet. Within two minutes of just that (cheering and such, not headaches), Kelly Jones returns to let the audience know that he hadn’t performed Caravan Holiday in a long time; he just started doing it again this week. It’s just him playing an acoustic guitar and singing. I see several lighters above people’s heads and it’s perfect like that. Jones (Kelly) then sits down at a piano keyboard that’s been placed downstage while I can see the band huddle in the shadows until it’s time for them to join in the innocuously titled I stopped to fill my car up that succeeds in finishing up as a full-on rock number. If the rhythm section wasn’t consistent throughout, one would think it continued into a new song, just an instrumental one, so let’s just say this was the extended version.

The Bartender & the Thief (which I tend to just call Gone Fishin’) continued the encore and, what could I possibly say at this point: It rocked? (yes) It was bouncy, blow the lid off the Commodore fun? (yes) And they weren’t done yet: Dakota was their final offering, and another one I adore. Last chance for the audience to dance and sing their hearts out and they took advantage.
  
At quarter to midnight it’s all over and I’m so sad. I don’t want the proverbial chariot to turn back into a pumpkin, or the horses into mice, and return to the real world. This magical bubble in which Stereophonics play one favourite of mine after another (even if I missed Pick A Part That’s New and It Means Nothing) and I did end up hollering myself into a pounding headache, I know it can’t last, but that doesn’t prevent me from wishing it so. This show was all that I hoped for and every bit as good as I expected; one I’ll remember for a long time to come. 

Setlist 
Catacomb
Superman
A Thousand Trees
Graffiti on the Train
We Share the Same Sun
Indian Summer
Have a nice day
Vegas Two Times
Mr Writer
In a Moment
Same Size Feet
Nothing Precious at all
Maybe Tomorrow
Roll the Dice
Violins & Tambourines
Been Caught Cheating
Just Looking
Local Boy in the Photograph

Encore
Caravan Holiday
I stopped to fill my car up
The Bartender & the Thief
Dakota

Noah and the Whale - The Vogue Theatre - Saturday, September 28, 2013

This review was written for and published by Concert Addicts. Photographs, including the one below, are copyright of Pavel Boiko.
 
For the second night in a row, I was at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre, this time to see Noah and the Whale (now I know there is no ampersand in the name), whose 2011 show at the Biltmore Cabaret I recapped on my blog then. Now we are in September of 2013 and the band are promoting their latest release Heart of Nowhere. 

Their support act was supposed to have been LP who were unable to be there, instead the local band No Sinner filled in. I arrived just before 9 pm (the ticket and website said it was meant to have begun at 9:30 pm, good thing I came ‘early’) and the band were already playing. A four-piece (drums, bass, guitar, & vocalist in a cute summer dress that I am now on the lookout for) was rocking out but the singer’s voice was the stand-out element. People ask where the women of rock are these days and I think I’m looking at one. She has a set of pipes that remind me of the singers of Nico Vega and Cold War Kids – a powerful voice that comes from emotion rather than effort. They have a good rapport with the audience, mention more than once the name of the band, their gratitude at being called for this last-minute gig and to Noah and the Whale. The audience is also told the guitarist, Aaron, is the guitarist and lead singer of his own band The Dirt. The other two band members are introduced as well, but I’m afraid I didn’t catch their names. The singer’s name, I think was Colleen, and I thought it different how after her part was complete in the last song (their 8th perhaps), she left the stage (very conscious of the length of her skirt, holding it down as she jogged off), leaving the remaining three to see the song home instrumentally. Bass and drums watched the guitarist like a hawk as he showcased his skills, in part in the noodling tradition of Eddie Van Halen. Stylistically, they are definitely rock, a little bluesy in parts, a little Motown in others, but most definitely rock. They were done and packing up by 9:30 pm while the audience cheered enthusiastically. 

The ground floor of the theatre looked fairly full, the first level of the mezzanine was about 2/3 full with a handful of people in the upper half. I wasn’t expecting the sold-out house that Jake Bugg had enjoyed the night before, but I would’ve anticipated more people in the audience. Irrespective of size, they do sound enthusiastic during the show. 

When the lights dim at just after 10 pm, slightly spooky music comes on over the speakers and I think it ends up being the theme to 2001: Space Odyssey, but jazzed up a bit. The first song of the night is Tonight’s the Kind of Night and I’d just like to say it’s nice to see the lead singer Charlie on his acoustic guitar be able to move around the stage. By comparison, the Biltmore Cabaret must have felt claustrophobic (there are five of them and keyboardist Tom also plays the violin elsewhere so essentially has two marks on-stage). As before, they dress for the occasion – a couple of suits, a couple of ties, collared shirts – not dressed the same, but snazzy (do people still say that?) nonetheless. The title track of the CD is next Heart of Nowhere and the violin lovers, or violinist lovers, rejoiced. Every time that instrument is featured, the screams increase. I liked the song a lot – it has a really nice dynamic to it. The band continue right away with Waiting for a Chance to Come from the previous CD Last Night on Earth. I enjoy the easy pace of this song. For the first time this evening, the band’s sound seem to fill the theatre and it sounds warm and rich. Next was a new song for me All Through the Night and it struck me how this song could be sooooooo incredibly radio-friendly, especially since the ‘80s are back in vogue, and this song has a touch of that. Much of this band’s music is very radio-friendly, but it gets played so rarely, which is a shame. 

Give it all Back is the next song. I love the piano keyboard part in it – to a degree it reminds me a little of Schroeder from the Peanuts cartoon. It’s a great upbeat number and gets a big finish at the end. Clearly a favourite? There’s an instrument shuffle for the next one: if I remember correctly, guitarist Fred moves to keyboard, Tom moves to violin, and bassist Matt switches to guitar. It’s L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. and it’s got a bit of opportunity for audience participation for the chorus and I could hear very little from below and even less around me. Perhaps much of the audience are newbies? Not to worry, a different tactic was coming. The introduction of Give a little Love got a number of “yaay”s from the audience. The band did a lovely atmospheric build during the instrumental part at the end with keyboard and guitar working to try and blow the lid off the place and then, in an instant, the song is done. Loudest applause of the night here, someone even yells for a repeat. Charlie has a bit of a chat to the audience instead. Throughout the day in Vancouver, we had some monsoon-quality rain. Charlie had had to purchase an umbrella to get around and in only 5 minutes, he felt his $10 had been well spent. No sights seen, they just went to see a film – can’t blame them, not much else to do when it’s raining so hard the raindrops are bouncing to meet your knees. Ironically (intentionally), this served as a great segue way to Blue Skies. It’s a little quieter but only marginally. The entire rest of the band, even the as yet unnamed drummer Michael, provide backing vocals for it. I don’t think it sounded familiar to my ears, but I thought it a really nice one. For Old Joy the audience is invited to sing along to function as a gospel choir. This time Charlie provides a lesson for the “day by day old joy comes back to me” line. He purports Vancouver puts the Seattle audience to shame, but he did also say “a lot of soul can compensate for pretty much anything”, so, unless you were in that audience, who’s to know? 

My Door is Always Open according to Charlie doesn’t get played a lot. It is a rather quiet song that skirts the periphery of country in genre. During the still moments, shouts of “I love you” ring out – some for Charlie, some for Tom (well, they do have the best hair), but there’s also really annoying chatter going on upstairs and below. Well timed – it had to be the quietest song you had to talk through. Fortunately, it does pick up in speed and volume so the talkers were drowned out. The multi-part harmony of the band sees them through to the end of the song and the ring of the final chord. My choir director at the VSO School of Music would’ve called it a ‘heaven chord’, I’m sure. 

There will come a Time is all poppy and peppy at the same time, even during a bit that mainly features drums and vocals. I remember Rocks and Daggers as being the song with the fun syncopation with percussion and violins. It also flirts a little with the country genre and despite my dislike of that type of music, the song remains vocally and musically/rhythmically interesting. Love of an Orchestra has Tom plucking and bowing his violin strings, and Fred takes over on keyboards. It’s a toe-tapper from start to finish and the audience are really into it as well. 

Still after all these Years is introduced by way of a guitar-off. Charlie describes how the film they saw was about an intense rivalry in F1 racing (the film they saw was Rush) but it’s nothing in comparison to Fred and Matt. While the latter two do their funk guitar parts, Charlie provides the basslines and Tom is on keyboards. The rivalry, of course, was exaggerated – there was a smile on everyone’s face and they look so comfortable and happy just playing together. As Charlie put it so nicely, “despite the rivalry, the only real winner is music”. Well, and the audience. 
 
Lifetime has a good steady rhythm, again with the toe-tapping and head-nodding. The violin carries the theme of the verse melody through the chorus. It’s catchy enough, it won’t be one of my favourites, but it’s on the CD, so who knows, it might find an audience as a single. Speaking of singles, the one that turned me onto this band Five Years Time, their first one, as it happens, missing a possessive apostrophe, was the final song before the encore, and I felt a bit lonely singing Laura Marling’s part by myself. I wasn’t alone in clamouring for an encore though – I was cheering and clapping as loudly as anyone else in the house – and we did not wait long. They probably took only enough time to wipe their faces and take a swig of a chilled beverage of their choice. I didn’t know this one: it starts off with mallets on cymbals and drums, has a plaintive and wistful violin part to accompany the drums during the introduction. The band have a wonderful use of dynamic – mezzopiano to forte and right back down to somewhere around mezzopiano just before the end of a phrase – and it is gorgeous. Independent of what’s going on in the vocals, they act as a kind of foreshadowing to all the richness of the instrumental parts. It’s a great choice for a one and only encore song as it runs a gamut of emotions, none of them ‘spring-like’, more like spring on the calendar with winter hanging about having worn out its welcome, but there’s a hint at what’s to come. 

At about half past 11 the lights come back on. Up until then for a few minutes I could sense the audience was hopeful there might be a second encore. After all, it was only one song, even if it was about 5 minutes long, but no joy. 

I do enjoy this band a lot. They don’t often make it on a playlist for me; as far as music goes, they're what I call one of my 'binge bands'. I need to be in the mood, but then I’ll listen to my CD from start to finish. Plural now, I bought Heart of Nowhere before I left and I like it. A lot.

Setlist 
Tonight’s the Kind of Night 
Heart of Nowhere 
Waiting for a Chance to Come 
All Through the Night 
Give it all Back 
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. 
Give a little Love 
Blue Skies 
Old Joy 
My Door is Always Open 
There will come a Time 
Rocks and Daggers 
Still after all these Years 
Lifetime 
Five Years Time 

Encore 
First Days of Spring