Incubus Make Up For Lost Time

Molson Amphitheatre

Toronto, ON

on Aug 2 2007

Nicole Kai (CHARTattack)

08/07/2007 12:00pm

After a postponement and cancellation, Incubus finally made it back to Toronto, and their fans were enraptured.

But first, they had to sit through a set by The Bravery. The New York band fought the phenomenon of opening act anonymity by hanging an enormous poster with their name emblazoned in huge letters. The former Killers nemeses warmed up an already heat-stricken crowd with appropriately titled "Swollen Summer," as well as singles "Fearless" and "Time Won't Let Me Go."

I failed to see the connection between the style-conscious, synth-pop act and the rap-metal dreadheads-cum-neo hippie rocking headliners, but the female population who came out to swoon over Brandon Boyd seemed to enjoy The Bravery's catchy, postured displays.

Incubus fans who previously held tickets for their Kool Haus show were granted admission into the prime seating areas, and the band were greeted ravenously as the house lights went down. The general admission floor area erupted in a mosh pit by the second song. The stage was illuminated by an elaborate but simplistic constellation of projectors — a nod to the title of the band's latest release, Light Grenades.

Boyd thrashed his tall, slender frame around like an entangled marionette, stumbling and flailing for the majority of the night. He didn't take off his shirt in the 30-plus degree heat, even when engaging in a sweaty bongo-off with beat-keeper Jose Pasillas during "Sick Sad Little World." Bassist Ben Kenney (formerly of The Roots) also contributed a killer solo, as did renowned guitarist Mike Einziger, who brought out a koto for closer "Aqueous Transmission." DJ Kilmore kept a low-key presence on his turntable pedestal. Boyd donned a black fedora and a new shirt for a double-ballad whammy of "Love Hurts" and "Drive," and also manoeuvred two hand-held spotlights, illuminating the audience like an airport traffic controller. I think everyone in attendance would agree this appearance was worth the wait.

Here's the set list:

"Quicksand"
"Kiss To Send Us Off"
"Wish You Were Here"
"Anna Molly"
"Pistola"
"Vitamin"
"Love Hurts"
"Drive"
"Megalomaniac"
"Have You Ever"
"Echo"
"Oil And Water"
"Dig"
"Are You In?"
"Aqueous Transmission"