The Wake

Live music is not always alive. It can be prescribed and predictable with one song dully following another. Broken Social Scene and their opener Feist defied this formula when they played First Avenue on Oct. 29. Their music was organic and bred one harmonic song after another, creating an evening of musical excess that filled me to the brim.

Feist was an excellent appetizer for the packed crowd. The band, fronted by Broken Social Scene contributor Leslie Feist, warmed the crowd with their heavily rhythmic and harmonic, primal sound. Feist’s Gibson guitar produced rich, yet stripped-down melodies. Tambourines, bells, and drums accented and drove the music toward pure indie rock oblivion. Feist’s voice acted like an instrument all on its own and would often produce indistinguishable sounds that served as a catalyst for the melody.

But what really interested me about Feist, besides their shapely sound, was their relationship with the audience. On multiple occasions Feist invited the audience to sing along, giving them a melody to follow or lyrics to belt out. Surprisingly the hipsters that littered the crowd joined in. The audience also liked to clap along and given any excuse they would put their hands together. Perhaps it was the Halloween atmosphere (there was a guy dressed like Beaker from the Muppets walking around) that fueled the participation, but it made the show less voyeuristic. People also seemed rather talkative and would shout things to Feist. Up in the balcony the band seemed to have a vocal fan club that wanted to have Feist’s baby. She took notice that the person yelling this was a female and anatomy would have hindered this from being accomplished.

Feist’s between-song banter was superb. While Leslie Feist was playing a few songs alone she asked what the band should be for their Halloween show in Kansas. A clever audience member replied they should dress like the Arcade Fire, another successful and hyped up Canadian band. (Canada seems to be teaming with indie rock bands–Broken Social Scene and Feist among that skilled horde). Feist thought this was hilarious and gave a good natured laugh. She also joked about Canada having no electricity and having to wear white to hide from polar bears. These small conversations let the audience into Feist’s world. The audience was also let into their musical world when Feist programmed her loop effect in front of the audience. I had never seen a musician do this in front of an audience. It almost felt like a musical confession to see how that layer effect is achieved.

Overall Feist’s performance warmed and inspired the crowd for Broken Social Scene, who set up and began playing in twenty minuets. An astounding feat for a band with more rotating members then I can count (twelve were on hand for this show). Broken Social Scene began their set with a multi-instrumental serenade that incorporated trumpets, saxophone, synthesizer and multiple guitars. That song, like many of their other songs, allowed the listeners to hear landscapes and stories without words. Slowly other members of the band mounted the stage and more rock-driven numbers followed. The band played a selection of songs spanning older albums like “You Forget it in People” as well as newer songs from their latest self-titled album.

I didn’t know what to except from the band because many of their songs inspire the audience to sit down and meditate. Broken Social Scene has made a name for itself by crafting seriously complicated and layered music, which can be both mellow and frantic. I wondered if the show would be a snooze or elevating. Fortunately, the band selected their more energetic numbers and moved the audience through musical moments of bliss, whimsy and vigor. Their wall of sound was intense and three guys in front of me seemed to have religious experiences, complete with the convulsions to prove it. Don’t get me wrong, my body was moving too. I couldn’t ignore the music’s call to move and love moving.

At first Broken Social Scene played one song after another without any silence in between. One fed into the next and an organic progression filled the room. The concert was between the band members and their sound. The audience merely watched them rotate and play seamlessly. Yet as the songs continued the band began addressing the crowd and brought them into the mix. The audience was told they were giving Chicago a run for its money. Later, someone in the audience threw beer at the band and crowd, aggravating one of their singers. The behavior didn’t jive with the tone of the show or with most of the audience members. Nevertheless, the music continued and Feist joined the band for some songs. With no real frontman the Broken Social Scene seemed extremely democratic. Their music also has that tone and everyone plays an equal and valuable part in its production. There is a quality of excess in the music, which also seems democratic and capitalistic. The band is an equal opportunity musical employer. Everyone and every instrument is given a chance to shine, which makes for a surplus in sound, but that’s OK. They are from Canada after all.

Seen live Broken Social Scene brings new verve into their music. Every note inspires a new beginning in indie rock music that at times seems tired and frustrated in other bands’ hands. Originality is Broken Social Scene’s mantra and the audience was more then happy to chant along with their breed of sound. Live music lived once again at First Avenue.