“Balcony closed at artist request for an immersive experience.” That’s an attention-grabbing sign if ever I saw one! Feist has always been a creative artist, but what could she possibly have in mind for tonight??
As it turns out, the balcony is actually open to friends, family, and media, so for the first time in my life, I get a front-row seat on the MTelus balcony; definitely a first for me! Below, I see a small stage set up in the middle of the floor, with a crowd gathered all around it and a huge screen covering the stage end of the room from floor to ceiling. The intrigue heightens!
Suddenly, the screen lights up, and we see a birds-eye view of feet scurrying across a floor alone before suddenly other feet appear around them. As they shuffle along, I see a small light on the floor below and the crowd parting around it; at this point, I realize it’s Leslie Feist herself, with a small camera, filming the floor as she heads to the stage. A shot of the Multitudes vinyl in one guy’s hand and a selfie later, she arrives on the small stage alone, save for three guitars, a couple of effects boards and a mic stand. “There you go, that’s your show!” she jokes before kicking off a stripped-down set with Century, recording and playing back her own harmonies as she goes, while her mobile camera films her tapping feet on the big screen. A stripped-down bluesy Mushaboom sees her point her guitar at that very same camera like a rifle, 80s hair-metal style. The crowd adds the “d-do, d-do, doo doo doo doo” vocal accompaniment for the outro, to magical effect; it really feels like a few hundred of us are all sat around a campfire together or something!
The camera is handed off to a roadie to patrol the crowd for the next few songs, flashing up a selection of people’s tattoos and phone lock screens as Feist twinkles through Redwing and A Man Is Not His Song. Martyr Moves is the most spectacular video show yet; as the camera patrols the room full of people and finally the stage, the big screen shows the exact same view of the room as if it was completely empty. Must have taken some serious planning to memorize that route earlier in the day and then replicate it precisely during the show! The Bad In Each Other chronicles the journey of a little black book from a mysterious bag to the small stage… seems a little random, but it comes into play later!
I Took All My Rings Off follows some sort of poetry recital and sees Feist singing the song unaccompanied and acapella, departing her small stage and wandering off into the crowd while singing and climbing up onto the regular MTelus stage in front of a huge backdrop of projections on the screen immediately behind her. It looks pretty awesome already, but then comes the big surprise; the curtain drops to reveal a 4-piece band, who storm in mid-song to finish it off. In the hundreds of shows I’ve been to in my life, I’ve never seen such a breathtaking reveal; the gasps around the room show that it’s not just me!
After that stripped-down bluesy first hour, the rest of the show sees Feist remain on the main stage with the rest of the band. My Moon My Man sounds even more ominous and pounding due to the contrast of the acoustic mood that preceded it; its absolutely massive tonight. A Commotion immediately follows and sounds pretty creepy too, thanks to its spooky violin and Leslie casting a silhouette in front of a dim red light throughout.
1,2,3,4 is reworked and distorted heavily from its original form, with only the chorus vaguely resembling the original version; it’s a far cry from the version we heard on the iPod Nano commercial all those years ago! Feist uses Any Party to heap praise on Montreal, singing various compliments during the outro; the roars that greet each and every one show that the love is reciprocated!
The musicianship of Feist and her band really comes to the fore as the set proceeds. Become The Earth sounds so expansive, mixing in clarinet and violin, while Borrow Trouble throws in a saxophone too. Sea Lion Woman threatens to be stripped down at first, much like the first hour on the mini stage, until local hero Brad Barr appears out of nowhere to shred a mammoth guitar solo! After a pummelling I Feel It All, Let It Die ends the main set in a comparatively sombre manner, and the huge curtain goes back up.
Feist soon peeks out from below the curtain to a huge cheer and promptly wanders out into the crowd again for Of Womankind, wrapped in a bright green blanket as she sings. A curious wardrobe choice, you think, until you see the big projections on the curtain; Feist is basically invisible, her silhouette containing only distorted video footage from around her being projected simultaneously. She was essentially wearing a green screen! It’s absolutely hypnotic. Love Who We Are Meant To sees the little black book from earlier finally opened to reveal hand-written lyrics of the song, the cameraman turning the pages at the appropriate time as the lines are sung to close out the 2¼ hour show in delicate fashion.
Prior to leaving the stage, Feist lavishes praise on all involved in creating the spectacular we just witnessed; the loud applause that greets every single thank-you is Montreal’s way of doing the same. That sign on the way in wasn’t joking; a truly “immersive experience” indeed. Phenomenal!
Set List
- Century
- Mushaboom
- The Redwing
- A Man Is Not His Song
- Forever Before
- Martyr Moves
- The Bad in Each Other
- I Took All Of My Rings Off
- In Lightning
- My Moon My Man
- A Commotion
- 1234
- Hiding Out in the Open
- Any Party
- Become the Earth
- Borrow Trouble
- Sea Lion Woman
- I Feel It All
- Let It Die
Encore
- Of Womankind
- Love Who We Are Meant To
Review – Simon Williams
Photos – Steve Gerrard
