Live And In The Flesh
How to Destroy Angels / Muse - April 25 & 26, 2013
Pulling off a doubleheader hasn't proven to be too much of a feat in the past. I had no problem convincing myself that it would be well worth it in the long run. I had turned 28 just two weeks prior and what better opportunity to get my year going! How to Destroy Angels had announced a Toronto stop on their tour in support of their debut studio album, Welcome Oblivion. How could I pass up seeing Trent Reznor's side project?! The catch is that I already had tickets to see Muse in Québec City the Friday night following at le Colisée Pepsi. Was it worth it? Every minute of the 18 hours of driving over 1700kms of highway! By now I'm sure you can see that I have a bit of a problem when it comes to concert going, it's an addiction of mine I will admit. There is something special to be said about experiencing live music, and until you're immersed in the energy you just can't explain it.
The beginning of most concerts consist of a bit of a road trip, whether it be to the nearby cities of Ottawa, Montreal, or Toronto, the drive itself is always an adventure. This one in particular involved a Ford Focus rental, which seemed fine to begin with until finding out it had been governed at 130kmph. Made for an interesting drive to and from Toronto to say the least but thankfully that was all we needed it for. I remember getting down to the Docks and finding out the band had stashed a signed vinyl at a nearby location they had tweeted out! Unfortunately we missed out on these goods though.
Starting things off with one of my favourite performers, Trent Reznor. Trent had recently formed a new project accompanied by his wife, former West Indian Girl singer, Mariqueen Maandig, long-time contributor Atticus Ross, and art director Rob Sheridan. I wasn't quite sure how Rob was going to be worked in with the set, but he definitely added an extra element of tying in the visuals throughout the show to the music that was being played. While maintaining a stage presence, he "played" the visuals as if they were their own instrument one might say. Truly amazing to see everything come together in a live setting like it did. The openers that night were an indie rock band from Brooklyn - DIIV, who seemed to set the tone quite well for the evening.
Unfortunately for Toronto 75% of their shows usually come with quite an obnoxious crowd, whether it's fueled by the alcohol or the smug, your guess is as good as mine. Being the first and only Canadian stop, on this first and only tour for this band, I wasn't going to let any of that get in my way of enjoying the moment. I was expecting some pretty big things with their lightshow, as Trent has proven to be quite the mastermind when it comes to the Nine Inch Nails shows that I have been to in the past, but I was truly blown away with what went on that night down at the Sound Academy. It's certainly worth mentioning that the company brought in for developing their lightshow was Canadian-based Moment Factory, who had also been involved in previous stage setups for Nine Inch Nails (Lights In The Sky Tour).
Admittedly not my venue of choice for Toronto, but they utilized the space they were given to the extreme. Curtains of LED lighting draped the stage, and there was Mariqueen front and centre in a white gown glowing in the midst of it all. I was impressed with how Trent managed to stay out of the spotlight for most of the show other than a guitar solo here and there. There are plenty of photos and videos throughout the internet of course, but they simply pale in comparison to actually experiencing something of this magnitude live and in the flesh.
Moments like these change you. They hit you harder than you're ever prepared for. These are the moments that keep me coming back for more. Sixteen tracks of awe inspiring performance. Whether I have the opportunity to see them live again or not, I know whatever it takes will be worth it! Thankfully the adrenaline from the live show was enough to keep me going for the four hour drive home at midnight. You don't ever appreciate your bed as much as you do on those nights!
Up and moving after only a few hours of rest and it's time to get back into the saddle again. It's only 100 extra kilometers to get to Québec City than it was to Toronto the night before; what's another hour stuck in a vehicle? Especially since the Focus nightmare was over and we're cruising in a nice new Honda CR-V. Not only was this my first Muse show, but it was my first time visiting Québec City. I was looking forward to finally having a chance to check it out, so I was glad the show had fallen on a weekend to provide us the time for some sightseeing.
Muse are no doubt a force to be reckoned with. I was quite disappointed at the fact that I had missed them Halloween night while I was attending college in London, Ontario back in '04, at a small club show no less. I was making sure I caught them while they were coming through for this leg of their 2nd Law Tour.
I was surprised at how good our seats were for this show as it was in an arena that I was not familiar with, which turned out to be quite smaller than expected. The crowd seemed to be in great spirits which was in complete contrast to the night before. This night really drove home the fact that a crowd can certainly affect the atmosphere of the show. Those nights that you can feel the magic happening between the band and crowd, they stick with you. Opening up the show was a Canadian indie rock band based out of Montréal - We Are Wolves. It was nice to see Muse bring in some local talent to share the stage with.
Twenty-one tracks of hysteria pumped through those speakers that night. I wasn't sure what to expect from these guys live, but they had surpassed my expectations and then some. Watching Matthew Bellamy tearing up his guitar with the bow was something else. You don't grasp an artists' true talent until you have experienced them perform live in front of you. It simply provides you with a whole new appreciation for what they do night after night for their fans. The entire staff and road crews who work tirelessly to set up and take down these elaborate stage productions during crunch time, they deserve just as much appreciation. It's hard to believe some of these travelling road shows have turned into the spectacles that they have. As I reflect back on how far these artists are willing to go to ultimately serve their fans, I am thankful for the opportunity to support them in continuing to do what they love.