Beck Brings Good Vibes

I've seen Beck at least five times now, and his appearance at the Sound Academy on Sunday might be my last chance to see him... though I hope not.

Openers MGMT were received enthusiastically. The band seemed to be very stoned or didn't really care if there was anyone in front of them. Never having heard them before, even I could tell they were having problems. That didn't stop the crowd from loving them, though.

When I arrived at the Sound Academy, I met a friend who read an article in Spin Magazine where Beck was quoted as saying this may be his last time touring. My friend went on to say what a sombre article it was and how it made Beck sound depressed. That wasn't what was displayed on stage, though.

Over the past 20 years, Beck has given us a window into his strange and wonderful world, from banjo-strumming hurtin' country to jet-fueled disco-funk-rap, and we got a little taste of it all.

Beck meandered his way through the evening, a little lost in space and none-too-emotional, starting off the show with a grinding rendition of "Loser."

Beck's four-piece band — a little stripped-down from previous tours — did an amazing job at interpreting and having fun, especially on some of the newer stuff.

A particular highlight was "Chemtrails," from his new Modern Guilt album. It's a song that implies a not-so-bright future, but its building, psychedelic, trippy cloud of sound had the audience cheering for it as if it was an old favourite.

In a rare moment of crowd acknowledgment, Beck and the band members came to the front of the stage and formed a line with handheld electronics and did a medley of tunes. "Nicotine & Gravy," "Guero," "Hell Yes," "Black Tamborine" and "Devil's Haircut" were all squeezed together.

In his other notable bit of interaction, Beck called the audience "Toronto-ites" before asking the Torontonians, "Is that what you're called?" with a smirk. That led, absurdly, into everyone chanting the names of '70s jean manufacturers — Sergio Valente, Vidal Sassoon, Jordache — for what will no doubt be one of the most peculiar call-and-response sessions this year.

The audience, at least, seemed up to it. The Sound Academy was packed and it was hard to move around, making you feel a little like a petrified sardine. But everyone seemed to groove and flow and even jump up and down at times. It made for a good vibe and feel and, in a venue where you can often feel cramped and claustrophobic, the good energy won the day. It was obvious Beck and his band had fun. And from that, I had fun. Heck, we all had fun.

And that's what makes those words Beck spoke in Spin more scary. His contract on the Geffen label is up, he's already toured hard for 10 years, and he's now married with some little ones. In a way, I don't blame him if he packs it in, but after seeing him on stage this night, I have a feeling we'll see him again.

Here's Beck's set list:
"Loser"
"Nausea"
"Girl"
"Timebomb"
"Minus"
"Soul Of A Man"
"Nicotine And Gravy"/"Guero"/"Hell Yes"/"Black Tamborine"/"Devil's Haircut" medley
"Modern Guilt"
"Think I'm In Love"
"Orphans"
"Walls"
"Chemtrails"
"The Golden Age"
"Lost Cause"
"Where It's At"

Encore:
"Gamma Ray"
"Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat"
"Indefatigable"
"E-Pro"