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Post-Show Wrap-Up:
The Concert for Toronto, June 2003...
Sitting in Jack Astor's with a couple of drinks and a hot meal, Christine and I began to discuss the all-day Concert for Toronto held on June 21st at the Air Canada Centre and Skydome. Originally, we wanted to do a good cop/bad cop review of the concert (à la Siskel & Ebert), but somehow our roles reversed and we just ended up chatting and laughing a lot.
Sum 41 proved that they are worth screaming for with their performance.
Remy Shand performed his whole album within the half hour timeslot he was given.
If you don't have pyrotechnics, à la Our Lady Peace, then rolling around on the floor will do.
Please note: This is a forewarning that this article may be a little on the light side since there are a few sections that had to be edited out for legal purposes. But I digress.
When we first arrived at Skydome, Sum 41 was performing. We had missed the first couple of acts because, in typically girly fashion, we had arrived late (that's my fault, my bad). Sum 41's performance was great. It was a lot of high energy and screaming fans. By the way, shout-outs to the eleventeen year olds sitting behind us screaming their love for the lead singer. The ringing in my ears has almost disappeared. Thanks!
Sum 41 proved that they are worth screaming for with their performance. They sang their hits and some less radio-friendly tracks. I could see the crowd singing along with almost all their songs. The one thing that I didn't like about their performance is that they didn't seem to want to get too close to the fans. But they did try to keep the audience's energy up. I guess all the jumping around on elevated stage takes a lot out of you.
The next performance was by Remy Shand (broadcast live from the Air Canada Centre). I don't know why we ended up sitting through his entire performance but, for some ungodly reason, we did. The only good thing that came out of that performance was…hold on! Give me a minute! I'll come up with something…all right…if you like his music, then you would have loved his performance. I think Remy performed his whole album within the half hour timeslot he was given. I think the only thing that both Chris and I noticed about his set was the Orgasm Face he kept making throughout his performance. He's really, really into his music (at least he has one fan). It looked like a cross between orgasmic ecstasy and painful constipation. You decide. Chris also pointed out that one of the back-up singers is also his wife who was involved in the fabricated, all-girl group Sugar Jones. Remember them? Yeah, neither do I. Chris said that those two have a lot in common. Like what? That they're both going in the same musical direction with their careers (read: nowhere)? I'm sorry. That was mean. I'm just angry that I let myself sit through that entire set.
But that didn't last that long. There but by the grace of God goes Our Lady Peace. They were the next to perform. They did a lot of stuff off their new album, which makes sense, but there are some individuals who would have appreciated a couple of songs off their old albums. The only thing that tainted their performance for me was the fact that I didn't hear my favourite OLP song: "Is Anybody Home?" Other than that, I thought they were great. Chris didn't have that strong of an opinion. She thought that the lead singer, Rain (a.k.a. YUM!), was a bit over the top. During the performance, he was writhing on the floor while he was singing. She thought that it wasn't necessary to do that on stage. She imagined the other members from the band were making snide (yet funny) remarks about him going off again. I thought that it was fine - simply because being on stage demands that you be over the top. If this were television, I would have to agree because cameras tend to pick up all the subtleties, but during a concert the people at the back have to get something out of it. If you don't have pyrotechnics, then rolling around on the floor will do.
The next to perform in this star-studded line-up was Diana Krall. She was very mellow and good. She had a low voice - it was hard to hear her over everybody screaming. I'm sorry that I don't have any more to say. It's because that's when we decided to take a smoke break. She was performing from the same venue as Remy Shand. Personally, all the other performers seemed to be tainted if they were performing at the Air Canada Centre. I'm sorry, but that's how I feel.
Moving along, we come to Avril Lavigne's set. I find her music okay, but some of us are not too fond with Avril (I won't mention any names [Thanks! - Chris]). Before going to the concert, I heard that her performance left something to be desired (a.k.a. she sucked), so I was expecting the worst. But I was surprised. Her register didn't sound as low as I originally expected. During some of the songs, I was tapping my feet and singing along. She was nothing if not bursting with energy, jumping around and running all over the place. But there is one little thing that bothers me: she did seem a little stiff at times. Maybe it was the fact that she kept pumping her fists like a fascist. I don't know. I could be wrong. But all in all, it was a good performance. Chris, on the other hand, may not agree.
Jann Arden was the next on the hit list, with special guest Sarah McLachlan. Unfortunately, that was the time we decided to go for another smoke break. By the time that we got back to our section, The Barenaked Ladies were beginning their set. What was about to come next is completely my fault, and I apologize for it. I convinced my friends that it was the perfect time to leave. I was thinking that I had seen Sum 41, OLP and Avril Lavinge, and that was enough. And besides, I wasn't willing to negotiate myself through the mass of people that were wandering around the Skydome. For $30, I thought that we had gotten our money's worth. If we had seen each of these performers individually, the tickets would have cost at least $40 a piece. So I was happy. But I don't think that Chris shares that opinion.
Regardless, I can definitely say that it was a fun way to spend an afternoon. ¤ Sheena