Skinny LOVED.

Bon Iver
Guests: Other Lives
The Orpheum Theatre
September 25th, 2011

I attended the Bon Iver show with a friend of mine, she has this incredible blog and I think you should have a look and follow her!

Other Lives open the show with their experimental folk-rock blend. It's hard to describe their music because it sounds so grand. I thoroughly enjoyed their set.

Justin Vernon, the singer-songwriter and musical mind behind Bon Iver stood centre stage with eight accompanying musicians. Two drum-sets, various percussive instruments, several guitars, a bass guitar, and a baritone saxophone were among the various instruments being played. In the middle of Bon Iver's set, they began to play 'Bloodline,' the title track from their 2009 EP, and the song that drew me into Justin Vernon's ability to draw such emotion and nerve from such a simple song. I was hooked.

The last song they played before the encore was 'Skinny Love,' this was a crowd pleaser, for sure. Justin sat with a guitar surrounded by his band-mates who offered acapella vocals to the chorus. I sat up a little straighter in my seat, on edge. My ears were eager to hear the infamous chorus that I had hummed and mouthed along to earnestly so many months before. "I told you to be patient, I told you to be fine, I told you to be balanced, I told you to be kind..." As the song begins and the audience begins to be swayed, out of the corner of my eye I see a small flash of light. The man seated in front of me is proposing to his girlfriend during 'Skinny Love.' Cute. She said yes.

For the encore they played 'Wolves' from their 2007 release For Emma, Forever Ago. Its' infectious repetitive one line chorus, "What might have been lost" sung by the audience and Justin Vernon was left ringing in our ears.
We all sang along to a heart-wrenching yet beautiful song, my favourite moment of the night.

Lights, Dance, Music - Sufjan Style

(Check out the Amazing outfit! Photo from Here From his show in Vancouver 2006)

Sufjan Stevens
Orpheum Theatre
October 26, 2010

I've been a casual Sufjan listener. I can't recite his tracklist off by heart. I can recognize songs, and its hooks. And that's about as much Sufjan knowledge I have.
To say the least I had no idea what to expect from the concert.

The show began at 8:30 - the opener played 4 songs. It was a lovely 25 minute musical interlude of vocals, guitars, claps, and snaps all looped into a massive sound. I though it was a little disorienting and found myself thinking of hallucinogenic dances around camp fires.... I don't know where this association came from. To say the least, the audience really responded to this opener and clapped, cheered for him between songs.

Just after 9:00 Sufjan Stevens came on stage. The applause was deafening.
During the entire show brilliant projections of Sufjan , his dancers, animated shorts were shown on the backdrop. I really enjoyed the visuals, it added a different dimension to the show.
The music was mixed perfectly, the 2 drumsets. 2 backup singers/dancer, 2 trombones, 1 pianist, 1 keys/sound effects man, 1 bass, 1 electric guitar and Sufjan and his multiple instruments all blended together, without one overpowering the other.

His voice --- His VOICE was on point.
In short, the show consisted of choreographed dance moves, impeccable vocals, projected visuals, great live band = one of the most visually and musically interesting shows I have ever been to. It was a pleasant surprise, for sure.

Check out this review of the show from The Georgia Straight

Sufjan Stevens - Chicago (He loves us all very much)

Phoenix

January 22nd, 2010.

Marked the first day of the Cultural Olympiad in celebration of the 2010 Olympics in vancouver.
This day also marked Phoenix's first show in Vancouver.
The Orpheum Theatre held a sold out show to the European musicians.
My body was vibrating with excitement palpable immediately once they took to the stage.
I was in the balcony and saw everything from a birds eye view. Amazing.

You Say Party! We Say Die! opened for them with a 45 minute set filled with hooky melodies and catchy chorus'. I've been a frequent listener of theirs and was excited to finally see them in a concert setting.

Phoenix came on stage to eardrum-erupting of applause. The concert was such a rush I find it hard to summarize the events.

Maybe this video of the onstage rush of excitable yet respectable concertgoers in their encore would show you exactly what you missed if you hadn't attended.

Phoenix - (ENCORE) If I Ever Feel Better & 1901

Tegan and Sara x2

(c) jennifer picard photography www.jenniferpicard.com

I was lucky enough to have attended both of the Tegan and Sara concerts in Vancouver. January 5th and 6th have been reserved for this occasion for quite some time. Having been an avid fan of their music since So Jealous, I was anticipating great music, banter and laughter. Tegan and Sara along with Ted Gowans, Shaun Huberts and Johnny Andrews filled the beautiful Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver with almost 2 hours worth of music, banter and laughter.

Opening for them at 7:30 to a rousing clutter of applause was Astronautilis, a rapper and experimental musician. I had frequented his Myspace page a few weeks before the concert and thought his music was definitely Different. I thought he was particular and interesting. I gave him a chance and thought he had great interaction and energy. Although the Tegan and Sara fans can appear a little standoffish to new and different opening acts. I sat in my seat the first night nodding along to Andy's raps and beats. He was entertaining and seemed to suffer an intense epileptic seizure throughout his songs. I saw this as adding to his stage presence and energy. Overall I give his an A for his efforts and no lack for a better word, confidence in our unfiltered claps.

An Horse then appeared seamlessly after Andy at 8:00. I saw them first at The Rifflandia Music Festival in Victoria. They opened for Tegan and Sara at the Alix Goolden Hall, I've been an avid/casual listener of their music for a while and was happily singing along to their songs in their 40 minute set. I think their music involves great melodies and heart-wrenching lyrics. They played Listen one of my favourite tracks, the melodica made the song for me. They closed the set with a guitar-ripping, drum-intense extended version of Shoes Watch. Loved it.

Tegan and Sara then appeared at 9:00 to an Orpheum FULL of anticipating fans. APPLAUSE. I had goosebumps throughout their entire set. This happens sometimes when I feel like something special is happening. They opened with their opening track, appropriately enough. Arrow easily one of the most memorable songs exploded on stage. The synths, emphasized vocals and Feel It In My Bones-esque rhythms made me want to scream with excitement. I mostly sat in awe and felt the bass vibrating in my chest. My hair shaking on ends. This then followed my a flawless live version of Don't Rush. Sara's vocals in the bridge were the highlight for me.

Favourite moments of the concert included their verbal exchange about Candygrams, and family members.
They played Sainthood in its entirety and brought along the classics as well. So Jealous and Knife Going In were favourites.

The encore made my night: Back in Your Head, an acoustic rendition of Feel it in My Bones stunned the crowd. My jawed was unhinged and heavy. Goosebumps. Call it off was interrupted with a classic mess-up of vocal harmonies which lead to banter about a German translator describing them as "partners" and TV movie moments. Also this lead to the audience standing up and attempting to sing Call it Off along with them. Being polite Canadians we couldn't sing loud enough for us to hear our own voices. Mostly whispers.
Still amazing though. Living Room --> nostalgic.

All in all, it was a fantastic concert filled with Tegan and Sara remedies and music.