Sarah in TO & other stuff

[moynes_r@pcsdev.dofasco.ca]

Hi all:
         
  Here's a belated review of Sarah McLachlan's Aug. 20 show at Molson Place,
Harbourfront in Toronto which I saw with my friend Mark from work.  Our seats 
were front row, center stage.  If I stood up, I could have touched her.  Guess
I have an awful lot of nasty comments about Ticketmaster that I have to take 
back now...  Actually, it was likely all those Lollapallosers trying to get 
their tickets at the same time that jammed up the system enough for me to get 
the prime Sarah tickets :-).
  Anyway, the first warmup band was Balloon.  Mark's comment: uh-oh, no bass 
player (guess what instrument Mark plays???) and the drum set is a pair of 
bongos, one cymbal and a drum machine.  Neither of us really liked them a 
great deal, but at least we went and saw them and so now we know what they're 
like.  
  Next up were Lava Hay, a couple of women formerly from Toronto and now 
working out of Vancouver.  Their style is kinda folk-rockie-60's-psychadelia
-peace-luv-&-gravity.  Throughout their set, they got several good grooves 
going with their band and were obviously having an awful lot of fun up there.  
I liked them and will probably pick up some of their stuff if I see it 
reasonably priced, but Mark was less impressed (did I mention that he used to 
play bass in a POLKA band??? :-) ).  
  During the intermission, we left to use the facilities which were located in 
one of the nearby buildings (Molson Place is an outdoor bandshell next to Lake 
Ontario, and is basically just a stage, some seats and a partial roof but it is 
a great place to see a band.  Some people unable to or else too cheap to buy a 
ticket watched from on top of the playground equipment nearby).  On the way 
back, I could hear _Drawn to the Rhythm_ coming from somewhere and panic set 
in because I knew that's how she opens her shows.  Aaargh!  And I haven't even 
bought a T-shirt yet!  While waiting to buy a T-shirt, she started _Into the 
Fire_ and I was cursing myself that I was missing all of this.  But when I 
returned to my seat, the crew were still setting up and that's when I realised 
that the tunes were coming from one of the nearby patio bars.  Whew, enormous 
sigh of relief.  You'd think the lack of applause in between songs might have 
clued me in, but nooooooo.
  Finally, Sarah and friends came on stage.  The candles were set up, but 
weren't lit because it was a bit breezy.  She played all of _Solace_ (yes, 
including _Mercy_!!! the only one she didn't play when I saw her in April) and 
about half of _Touch_.  After the first few songs, she moved over to the piano 
and I thought "Oh good, _Ben's Song_", but it was the new one _Elsewhere_.  I 
can't wait until she gets back in the studio again!!!  Other highlights 
included a rockin' version of _Black_ (or _(Into The)  Black_, as I like to 
call it now.  Any Neil Young fans out there?) and _Steaming_/Stayin' Alive
/Vogue/other disco songs I didn't recognize, during which her keyboard player 
sported a cone bra which would have had even Madonna blushing.  _Steaming_ was 
especially neat because during the instrumental intro everybody was clapping 
along, but the instant Sarah opened her mouth to begin singing, every hand in 
the place stopped clapping on the same beat!  I'd like to see Paula Abdul or 
Madonna command that kind of attention from an audience :-).  Mark and I both 
agreed that the best performed song was _I Will Not Forget You_.  Mark's 
comment: Wow! after that one, I think I need a cigarette.  I looked around and 
it seemed to me that everybody in the place could have used one at that point.  
All in all it was an excellent show and I urge anyone who hasn't already seen 
her to go whenever you get the chance; those who have seen her obviously don't 
need any urging.  I guess it's probably too late for this tour, but hopefully 
she'll be on the road again real soon.  On the way out, the same patio bar 
which was playing Sarah earlier was now playing _Crucify_ by Tori Amos (any of 
you love-hounds work at a patio bar at Harbourfront?).
  On a side note, I noticed in an earlier digest that one of her shows in the 
U.S. was simulcast.  If anybody managed to tape it and would be willing to make 
a copy for me, please email me and maybe we can work something out.  I have a 
few very exclusive Sarah-related tidbits I might be willing to barter with.
  A guy sitting beside us was taping the show and I asked about getting a copy, 
but all he had to write my phone number on was his girlfriend's cigarette pack.
I was going camping for a week the day after the show, so I told him not to call
until this week when I would be back, but I have a bad feeling that the 
cigarette pack was tossed out long ago.  I knew I should have gotten his phone 
number instead.  If I do manage to get a copy from him, I'll be sure to let you
all know.
  Also, someone mentioned that at the show they had seen, she played all of 
Solace except _Wear Your Love Like Heaven_.  This song doesn't appear on my 
Canadian copy of the CD, and I checked the tape in a store and it isn't listed
there either.  Is this song just on the U.S. release?  For reference, here is 
what's on my copy of Solace: _Drawn to the Rhythm_, _Into the Fire_, _The Path
of Thorns (Terms)_, _I Will Not Forget You_, _Lost_, _Back Door Man_, 
_Shelter_, _Black_, _Home_ and _Mercy_.  Does this mean there is a trip to
Buffalo in my future?
  Oh my God!  I just realised that I've already mentioned Madonna twice (thrice 
now :-( ) without even a passing reference to our beloved KaTe.  Well, here 
goes: someone was commenting about how the video for _Experiment IV_ reminded 
them of a horror film they'd seen.  Well, I remember that after the first time 
I saw that video, I had the Monty Python skit about the world's funniest joke 
bouncing around in my head for the rest of the day.  I guess I somehow made a 
connection between the army trying to adapt this deadly joke for use as a 
weapon, and what KaTe and friends were up to in her video.  Or maybe I'm just 
demented.
         
         Richard Moynes, Hamilton Ont.
         moynes_r@qis.dofasco.ca