Bloc Party @ Kool Haus
Welcome to the new series of posts entitled “How I Lost My Virginity To…” Come on, we’ve all had a first – a first kiss, a first crush, a first job, and the list goes on. But in Singing Lamb talk, we’ve all had a first concert experience. It may have been boring, it may have been life-changing, but regardless, we may as well spill the beans to an audience of readers. Special thanks to Brian Trinh for the idea and for bravely retelling his experience to us. Hope you’re head feels better!
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If I hadn’t known any better, I could have sworn I came out to my first orgy last weekend. Anybody interested if I met the list of criteria? Let’s see…getting swarmed by a mob of shirtless individuals? Check. Leaving the place drenched in sweat after three hours? Check. Waking up the next day aching all over? Check, check and check. Damn, it really does sound like I had my first orgy. But remember kids, this is The Singing Lamb, Toronto’s favourite website for all things musically awesome, not some smutty porn site! So let’s get back to the music, shall we?
Last Saturday – that’s March the 14th 2009 for anyone sitting next to a conveniently placed calendar – markedBloc Party’s second stint at the Kool Haus. This time around, the UK band brought along local quartet, Holy Fuck to open up for them and for my very first concert (yeah, I’ve lived an extremely musically deprived life up until now) the two bands made it an all-around solid show.
For those who haven’t been to the Kool Haus, it can be best described in the words of one of my fellow Singing Lambs, “it looked like the outside of a slaughter house.” The inside however, looked nothing of the sorts. With ample standing room, bars all around the main stage and a lounge-like area where disapproving parents forced to chaperone their kids’ all-ages shows can sit down and sulk; it’s a venue that’s great for those who like to enjoy their shows from a more comfortable spot (I think this group might be for me after I had the side of my head kicked in by a crowd surfer, but that’s besides the point), or for those who like to get right into the fray of a performance.
The show started off with Toronto’s own Holy Fuck bringing their quirky electronica-rock sound; chock full of keyboards and synthes with drums and bass guitar for added support. Keyboardists Graham Walsh and Brian Borcherdt spent most of their time hunched over their keyboards, wires, and peddles like mad scientists brining their music to life, only occasionally looking up to take a drink or to thank the crowd with a voice reminiscent of a robot from those 1970′s B-movies.
Meanwhile Matt McQuaid and Matt Schulz did their own thing, with their bass and drums respectively, to keep a steady rhythm as waves of solid red, green and blue coloured light washed over the stage. While their set was seemly cut short, it was a good sample for anyone who had never heard of Holy Fuck prior to coming to the show. They’re a great live band with good chemistry, and entertaining to watch as the crowd slowly started to bob up and down to their techno ensemble. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Holy Fuck show without some unconventional instruments like Borcherdt’s use of a 35 mm film synchronizer. Yes, you read right. The guy used a synth, pulled film through it and made some pretty damn good music. (Suck on that, Blue Man Group!)
While the enthusiasm was certainly there for Holy Fuck’s brief set, it was nothing compared to what the audience had pent up for Bloc Party. What little personal space I had to begin with was gone when just about everyone and their best friend moved in closer as lead singer, Kele Okereke and company opened up with some newer tracks off of their latest album Intimacy; stopping only after some fan threw his/her bra on stage and after there were some complaints of illicit drugs being smoked.
Side note: Remember kids, say no to drugs. Otherwise Kele will find out. Really, he will. Bloc Party wasn’t born yesterday. They also stress that if you’re going to drugs anyways, “do them responsibly”. Seriously, those were his words.
Whether you were stoned out of your mind or not, Bloc Party kept the show going steady with a couple of their fan favourites like “Mercury” and “This Modern Love”, and this is what I loved about this band after seeing them live. You really got to hand it to these guys for being able to change up the tempo so seamlessly. One moment you’re engulfed by everyone as they’re jumping around reaching with their hands out to touch Kele, screaming back the lyrics to “Hunting for Witches”, and the next you’re back on your own two feet, swaying about as Kele’s gentle crooning takes you away in “Blue Light”.
While my night ended earlier than I liked, it still ended on a solid note as the boys came back on stage after having finished their main set to do some encores, which included the ever so popular staples of “Flux” and “Banquet” which just about sent everyone in the first 5 rows into a moshing frenzy. Now, I’m normally a guy who hates getting thrown around by a bunch of strangers, but if I ever had to it again to any two songs, “Flux” and “Banquet” would definitely be my choices. After all, you really have to hand it to these guys; they know how to throw a party.
