Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Concert Review: Very Good Bad Thing Tour

What an unexpected way to end the year: going to a concert knowing barely any songs. But might I say, that it was exceptional. Not exactly my taste in music, but definitely a grower now that I have experienced an electrified night.

December 14, 2014: The day I witnessed Mother Mother before my eyes. So, let's take an adventure.

It was all about the lighting: a spectacle on its own

Who are they, you might ask? They are a Vancouver-based band who have been together since 2005, but only I have recently found out about them (perhaps I need to expand my radio stations...)

So the scenario goes down like this: the day before the concert, my friend messages me asking if I want to attend this concert since her friend bailed out. With finals ending that morning, I was down for anything. Once school was over, I searched and crammed as many songs I could into my head so that I was somewhat familiar with their songs... I think I had five down.

The night was young, people were in line at the Orpheum, and I thought this was going to be... different. For those who have not been to the Orpheum, it's not a typical concert venue. It's rather majestic inside, and surprisingly big despite its size from the outside (fun fact: that's where I had my high school graduation).

Looks like theatre, but feels like Rock & Roll

Like all concerts, there was an opening act from Toronto called Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker (or, USS for short). They area duo that creates a sound that is a strange blend of Dubstep and Punk, yet I found myself intrigued.

Highly amusing, and a very talented duo

They know how to pump up the crowd :"D

Not knowing any of their songs, minus the cover of Outkast's "Hey Ya," I must say that their sound is definitely a crowd pleaser, as everyone was going ballistic one song after another, and they both have great stage presence. My favourite parts of their act must have been the bass testing (because of the great acoustics at the Orpheum) and the member in the tiger ensemble was DJ-ing upside down - yes, upside down. I shall be on the outlook for them while I listen to their songs while putting in this entry.

Before getting into the main act, just have little thing to share: Right before they were about to begin, there was this little girl who came with her sister. She was about five years old, wearing butterfly wings and a tiara; absolutely adorable. In fact, I was surprised by the amount of kids at the concert about the same age as the little girl... My friend said that there are simply that many cool parents out there (I'm a cool mom d":)

Okay, now onto Mother Mother! Based on concerts that I have been to, none quite compare to them. Other than the blinding lights that got in the way, the distractions couldn't stop me from the sounds they were playing. They have a diverse sound, and I wouldn't exactly put them in one genre of music. What surprised me the most was the fact they kept playing song after song, with no breaks in-between, unless they play about three in a row. Since I was not familiar with most of their songs, I thought one was about seven minutes long (not until I heard a song that I did know).

They are all oh so coordinated in their fashion

Distracted by the lights, or the crowd who danced from beginning to end, there was always something to see at this concert - never a dull moment. Even I heard my friend sing, who never sings in public (and she's good!)

So beautiful, I could watch for days...

Brother & Sister

Hotness right here

Keep on rockin'

Like the little girl who knew what song was coming up, one of my favourites would have to be "Monkey Tree," simply because I knew that before being invited to the concert d": She was very excited for it, and she kept rocking on like there was no tomorrow... I need to take pointers from her.

But if there was a song that I thoroughly enjoyed, it was when they were a trio, singing a folk song towards the end. Not sure what the title was, but my friend told me that they made that during the beginning of their career. If there is anything that I learned from this band, it's that they are always full of surprises.

They ended their last tour with a song that is my friend's favourite, "Simply Simple," which I think was an excellent choice for the ending after experiencing a roller coaster of a musical journey.

What are my final thoughts about the band: they always keep you on the edge of your seat, not that anyone was sitting at any given moment. I can see why my friend is into them, their lyrics are like a part of my deepest and darkest secrets output into a rage that satisfies the soul. Though I may have not paid attention at first, they now have another fan. Just goes to show you that the most enjoyable things are from the ones that are least expected.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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