Within the first three songs of Cloak and Cipher, I immediately went online and bought a ticket to see Land of Talk. That seemingly implusive move paid off big time. Going into the show I thought it was too bad I couldn’t find someone to go with me. After leaving I knew it was everyone else’s lack of fortune for not coming.
I was lucky enough to arrive early enough for opening band Suuns. Good thing for me because this may have been their last appearance in Toronto before becoming one of the most buzzworthy local bands of the year. I spent the first couple of minutes into their set just in awe of the sound coming at me. These guys can almost put you into a trance.
It’s no wonder that their song Arena crept so steadily to the top of CBC’s R3 playlist. Heard live, the song forbids you to sit still. Starting off with a steady pulse, it grew to fill the room making it impossible to not bob your head along with them. All of the songs following it had that same appeal. I tried my best to classify Suuns and the best I could come up with was a more musical version of Battles with a dash of Muse and a sprinkle of something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Unclassifiable or not, this was a welcome introduction to Suuns. I expect big things for these guys into the new year.
When Land of Talk took to the stage, I don’t think any of them were quite ready for the welcome they received. Lead singer Lizzie Powell would stand back and gush at the crowd’s response every few songs. It may have been the most modest response I saw from a musician all year. That reception paid off for the audience as well; every bit of love given to the band was paid back tenfold during their performance.
Moving through Cloak and Cipher and a lot of older material as well, the entire set gave something for everyone. To put things into the epic category, about half of the Suuns team played almost the entire concert as extended members of the band. What each band had to offer on their own, was multiplied when they came together. Multiply that by another thousand times or so and you’ll figure out how much I enjoyed watching them play together.
The only disappointment I had was that I forgot my glasses. While most of the stage was a blur, the one thing I could make out was Lizzie Powell really giving it to her guitar. As much as I love a woman who can belt out some really well written lyrics - which Powell clearly can and did - I find nothing more attractive than a woman who can play a hell of a guitar. Every time I listen to Land of Talk either live or on my record player, I think I fall in love with their music a little more. Lizzie Powell plays a big part in that.
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