In an interview with Pitchfork promoting their latest album Hug of Thunder (released via Arts & Crafts), Broken Social Scene co-founder Kevin Drew responded thusly to a question about the record’s title:
…When Leslie [Feist] came up with that title, it was undeniable to all of us. Because that’s exactly who we are. That is our show. We’re trying to create that hug of thunder. That sound. That embrace amongst the chaos. Touch is as fucking connected as you can get. You’re supposed to fucking talk to someone and put your hand on their shoulder and look into their eyes. If you’re staring at a screen, how do you have that? Where does that moment come into play? At the end of the day, you want to embrace people. A hug is a serious embracement.
I can’t think of a better way to describe a Broken Social Scene concert than that, especially the one I attended on Sunday, April 8th at the Wellmont Theater. During the show, Drew talked about feeling rejuvenated, that even though it was the last night of the tour, they felt like they had the energy of 20-year-olds. That energy showed throughout the evening as Drew and company ripped through a blistering set full of songs new and old with gusto.
There was always plenty happening on stage. During bigger moments, the band ballooned up to nine members (and it pushed 15 when opener The Belle Sound and some others jumped out during the encore). Members rotated around, taking turns on lead vocals and swapping instruments. It was a utilitarian dream on stage, and it worked to great effect. Drew sounded terrific, essentially studio quality, and newcomer Ariel Engle was more than capable of handling all of the workload for female vocals. She even debuted a solo song of hers towards the end of the set that sounded great. Hers was the most dynamic performance of the night, in my opinion.
Songs off Hug of Thunder like “Skyline,” “Protest Song,” “Stay Happy,” and “Mouth Guards of the Apocalypse” (making its live debut) all took the best parts of Broken Social Scene and synthesized them with some new flourishes. There was, of course, plenty of old material for the longtime fans. They busted out “7/4 (Shoreline)” out very early and kept the favorites like “World Sick,” “Texico Bitches,” “Ibi Dreams of Pavement,” “Cause = Time,” “Sweetest Kill,” and of course “Anthems for a Seventeen-Year Old Girl” during the encore (during which the ladies of The Belle Game joined). They ended with a wild wall of sound by playing “Meet Me in the Basement,” which gave everyone one last opportunity to jump around and just experience something.
The thing that stood out the most to me, though, was how uplifting, even therapeutic, the show was. Drew emphasized that optimism trumps pessimism, the need to stick together, to be there for each other, and to not give up hope. He even led the crowd in a giant session of scream therapy where we just yelled as loud as we could for 30 seconds. (After seeing what Uncle Sam took from me in taxes this year, you better believe it felt great to let out my frustrations with those shouts.) The band’s enthusiasm swept over and spread to the crowd seamlessly. Judging by the look on most of the crowd’s faces, most everyone left the show invigorated and ready to take on life anew.
Vancouver pop outfit The Belle Game opened things up with a short but sweet set. Lead singer Andrea Lo has a beautiful voice that really hit some powerful notes, and the funky arrangements took me by surprise in a good way. I could have listened to a few more songs and been completely content.
Find the setlist posted below along with a full gallery from both performances.
The Belle Game
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene Setlist:
1. D/G Drone
2. Mouth Guards of the Apocalypse (live debut)
3. KC Accidental
4. 7/4 (Shoreline)
5. Cause = Time
6. Protest Song
7. Texico Bitches
8. Stars and Sons
9. World Sick
10. Stay Happy
11. Hug of Thunder
12. Sweetest Kill
13. Shampoo Suicide
14. TBD (Ariel Engle solo song…no title, lyrics include ‘never gonna forget’)
15. Skyline
16. Fire Eye’d Boy
17. Almost Crimes
18. Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)
Encore:
19. Gonna Get Better
20. Anthems for a Seventeen-Year Old Girl(with The Belle Game)
21. Meet Me in the Basement
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