Quick note: This recap is clunky af. It's my first, and I haven't really re-read it at all. I'm rushing to go see another show in the next 25 minutes, so it's unfortunately as good as it'll get unless I revisit it. It's also got a lot more heft to it because it's the first one. The likelihood of me updating it in the future and finding a better home for the meta shit discussed in it is high. So thanks for reading it in this state. Next time you show up it'll probably be better <3
Recommended Listening:
Silversun Pickups - It Doesn't Matter Why
Hello Mary - Stinge
My first show this year, and my first in 4 months. It feels a lot longer than it sounds. It was good to be back, and something I remarked to my partner while I was there was my fondness for standing in a crowd waiting for the band to take the stage.
There's a whole lot of chatter I can do on the anxiety, exhilaration, and nerves, both good and bad that plague me as I'm standing in place waiting for a show to start. Often I'm on my own, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but despite working hard throughout the last 20 years of my life to feel comfortable in that state, some days are harder than others, naturally. This was a good day, however.
But that's not what we're here for. I'm going to try to keep these pieces light. With over 20 years of concert going experience, one thing I've consistently lacked is any kind of recap of the night from my perspective. Sure, if you've chatted with me in person following one, or been in attendance, we've undoubtedly gone over it, but I never really recount them elsewhere, despite always wanting to.
Over the years I've started taking fewer and fewer photos and videos at concerts. Typically I just want to take a single shot or two during moments that feel large and exciting, and maybe a snippet of a video during a favourite song. By and large, though, I prefer to soak in the ambience of the crowd and feel the music. A lot of the time my eyes are closed as I'm singing along, moving to the rhythm, and really letting myself be fully engrossed in the feelings that flow through me.
For as long as I can remember, when it's good, it's transcendental. I feel lost in the crowd and don't have any desire to think too much about things around me. Wednesday night was one of those vibes.
The opening act was a three piece called Hello Mary. A trio of women playing what I would describe as very atmospheric shoe-gazey alt-rock. Highly recommended. I have a strong weakness for female singers. Imagine my surprise when two of the three were singing. They offered a great short and sweet setlist of probably 6-8 songs that the crowd was really into before heading off the stage around 8:40.
Shortly after 9 the lights dimmed and Silversun Pickups hit the stage. Having released their 6th full length album (Physical Thrills) in 2022, they've got no shortage of stellar music to lean on. Imagine my surprise when the really steady bass line of Growing Old is Getting Old (from their second album, Swoon) started us off. Among my favourite songs overall, and definitely a highlight hearing live again; my first since I last saw them perform shortly after the album was released, roughly 15 years ago.
The night continued on with an excellent mix cutting across their catalog, even reaching as far back as their first EP Pikul for the song Kissing Families.
I knew far less of the newer stuff than I wish I did, but it was all familiar enough to keep beat and still be able to fall into the space between consciousness and ethereal enjoyment; the hallmark of a great show for me.
After a bit more than an hour on the stage the main set wrapped up to thunderous applause. In recent years I've learned that Montreal crowds are among the best I've been a part of, keeping the energy high throughout, and well into the applause demanding an encore; of which there's never any doubt about getting in these shows.
The band came back out and treated us to (I think) four more songs, including the one that I would say really contributed to their early success, Lazy Eye, off their first full length album Canarvas. Like I'm sure a lot of people in the crowd could relate to, it was my first introduction to SSPU, having heard it first in college on our school radio station (and having played it myself on it). It still holds a special place, which is likely why it was the last tune of the night.
In all it was a great start to my concert series this year, which has been filling in nicely (take a look at the Upcoming Concerts section of my Listening page for some of the other things on the horizon).
This brings me to the part of the post where I talk about the fun experiment I'm going to work on this year. In an effort to capture specifics about the show, I'm going to do the unthinkable and attempt to sketch/draw from a picture I take. You'll see my first one below. I apologize to the bands, fans of the band, and fans of art in general for what you're looking at. I have next to no skill or experience drawing. I just wanted to try something fun this year rather than posting the images on their own.
So look out for future posts with hopefully increasingly impressive drawings of a picture I've taken from the event.
And thanks for joining me.
<3 flurp
