On this night, there was a marriage of two generations of Canadian songstresses. Both have made significant contributions to the great Canadian songbook, but this night was in celebration of McLachlan’s breakthrough album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy.
I’ll start off by saying the lineup for the men’s room was incredibly short, but if you were a lady, I hope you had a strong bladder. I’d like to say that in these situations, no lady should be shy about using the men’s room and if anyone makes you feel uncomfortable, speak up and a more evolved primate will explain to him what’s up.
Feist kicked off the proceedings with “Mushaboom,” which is as fun to say as it is to listen to. She may be tiny and sound timid, but she does take her place on the stage and manages to make her presence felt. The audience certainly responded with cheers. It’s hard to believe that she’s 20 years since she’s been on the scene.
While the crowd was responsive throughout, the highlight was definitely her 2007 breakthrough hit, “1234,”to close out her set. It got people on their feet singing and warmed up for the main event.
Sarah McLachlan hit the stage with an elegant silver dress, a harsh contrast to the rebellious hippie girl who founded Lillith Fair and spearheaded a movement elevating women’s exposure in the music industry. But as a guy who grew up in the 90s and sees a lot of rock shows, it’s nice to see a musician who has aged gracefully and has evolved and doesn’t pretend it’s still 1999. She took some time at the beginning to highlight her foundation, which helps kids express themselves through music.
That said, her voice was still as powerful as ever, evident from the opening of “Sweet Surrender.” She followed up the strong start with the hypnotic “Building a Mystery.” Those hoping to see her reunite with Montrealer David Usher for the performance were disappointed, but it was still a great rendition of the song that launched the iPod. To close out the opening triptych, the audience was treated to the iconic “I Will Remember You,” which was weird to see in a crowd without an “in memoriam” playing.
After the strong start, McLachlan veered away from her hits, choosing to play more personal material. She had very touching stories about her father, her daughters and her best friend before playing songs which they inspired, “Song For My Father,” “Beautiful Girl,” and Adia.
McLachlan then took advantage of an extended musical interlude at the end of “Witness” for a costume change which saw her look more like her 90s self, which signalled the beginning of Fumbling with the opening track “Possession.” If you were a teenager in the 90s, there’s a good chance this song brings back salacious memories.
She took a moment to reminisce about recording this album in the legendary Morin Heights studio. She kept giving context to the album that might make you see some songs differently 30 years later.
A highlight of the set came near the middle with the one-two punch of “Hold On” and “Ice Cream,” which had the crowd chanting as loudly as they had all night while McLachlan sat at the piano. Throw in “Fear” at the end of that, and we’re having a good time.
We were all sent home haunted by “Angel.” There were a few moist cheeks in the crowd. Moments were had. Emotions were explored. Nostalgia was poured over the crowd like a sweet wine.
Review – Richard Brunette
Photos – Eric Brisson
