When looking at the career paths taken by different bands in modern music, it’s hard to find a stranger one than The Avalanches. Just last year they released their sophomore record Wildflower to critical acclaim, SIXTEEN YEARS after their much-lauded debut Since I Left You. As soon as tonight’s show was announced in the cozy confines of Théatre Corona, you would think the place would have sold out in minutes, such was the buzz around both their debut and their long overdue return, and yet, as they take to the stage a little after 9pm, the balcony is closed off and the floor section is probably half full. Montreal, what were you thinking??
Only two of the original founding members remain, Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi, and it is they who lead the band out on stage, accompanied by touring vocalists Eliza Wolfgramm and Spank Rock (yes, THE Spank Rock who broke through in the mid-2000s with an acclaimed debut record of his own), and they storm into Because I’m Me, with both Eliza and Spank both singing over and miming to the backing track at different points throughout. The party really gets started with the arrival of recent single Frankie Sinatra, as Spank assumes vocal duties and the lights go up and down, just like the hands in the air, in a scene akin to a rap battle from 8 Mile, before dub beats take over with a storming cover of Guns Of Brixton by The Clash, with Eliza menacingly wielding a baseball bat as she patrols the stage singing that classic. After she and Spank share vocal duties on Flight Tonight, the dance party re-ignites once more with the oldie Radio and then newest single Subways.
The Hip-Hop vibes return with a run-through of Spank Rock’s own tune Bump, as both Eliza and Spank spit rhymes and Robbie leaves his post at the keyboards to assume a position behind a second drum set to really beef up the sound. It sounds absolutely brilliant.
After everyone catches their breath, the beat to breakthrough single Frontier Psychiatrist drops, and the dance party resumes. It’s a tricky song to play live, being essentially a mash-up of sound bites, so vocally its just a backing track, but heavy drums and synths give it an extra dimension. The song kinda breaks down abruptly about halfway through with a sample of The Who’s My Generation. The bass-driven dance tune If I Was A Folkstar and almost comedy beats of The Noisy Eater close out the main set.
Of course, the one gaping hole in the set is filled in the encore in the form of Since I Left You, and perfectly captures the summer vibes which seem to have finally arrived this weekend in our city. After saying their Thank-You’s, the band leave the stage for good after putting on one of the most musically diverse shows you could ever hope to see; a wonderful night despite the inexplicably sparse crowd. Seriously, Montreal, what were you thinking???
Setlist
Because I’m Me
Frankie Sinatra
The Guns of Brixton (The Clash cover)
Flight Tonight
Radio
Subways
Bump (Spank Rock cover)
Frontier Psychiatrist
If I Was a Folkstar
The Noisy Eater
Since I Left You
Review & photos – Simon Williams
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