If a band have done the impossible and released their second greatest musical triumph almost two decades after a brilliant debut, you know you have to see them live.
When a band choose the intimate surrounding of Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern, and play quality Big Star-inspired pop, attending their show is a no-brainer.
Teenage Fanclub did these things admirably last night.
The Scottish quintet took the stage after an inspired performance by opening act Rick Of The Skins. Their multiple instrument switches (three different folks drumming, playing the bass, etc.) led to many a human traffic jam on the shrunken stage.
Teenage Fanclub began with “Start Again,” the opening track to 1997′s Songs From Northern Britain. They followed it with “Sometimes I Don’t Need To Believe In Anything,” the brilliant starterfrom their latest and best album, Shadows.
The response to the latter song was muted, though. This stunned me. Shadows has been out for almost three months, but the majority of the crowd seemed generally disinterested in these superior songs. Instead, they loudly cheered for “I Don’t Want Control Of You” and, later, “Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From.” Both were delivered unconvincingly.
The musical highlights almost all came from Shadows, whether it was Norman Blake’s “Baby Lee” (introduced as “Geddy Lee”), Gerard Love’s “Shock And Awe” and Blake’s “When I Still Have Thee.” The latter features ironic namedropping of The Rolling Stones.
Teenage Fanclub performed in a smooth, direct fashion, and the mix at the Horseshoe Tavern was impressive because the band’s material relies on pinpoint harmonies. Those came through clearly for a well-rehearsed, professional band.
The between-song banter was minimal, which was a bit of plus because I couldn’t make out a word of Blake’s Glaswegian announcements anyway.
The band reached into their distant past to pull off an amazing rendition of “The Concept” from 1991′s Bandwagonesque and after that, a minor hiccup performing Raymond McGinley’s “Today Never Ends,” Shadows‘ last track. It would have been a poor choice to close the show, but Blake then launched into a satisifying version of Teenage Fanclub’s first single, “Everything Flows.” It sent their fans home on a happy high note.
To see a photo gallery of the show, click HERE.
- Teenage Fanclub — Shadows
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- Teenage Fanclub — Man-Made
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- Teenage Fanclub — Four Thousand Seven Hundred And Sixty-Six Seconds
