Elliott Brood

Went to Richard's last night to see Elliott Brood. Actually, initially bought the tickets really because Dan Mangan was supposed to open - which combined with what I had heard of Elliott Brood, made it an appealing night out - particularly for the under $20 price. Then Dan Mangan dropped from the lineup (an early show so no time for 2 openers). So, I went, expecting a pleasant night, but not a holy-crap-what-was-THAT night.

It was a holy-crap-what-was-THAT night.

Opening up were NQ Arbuckle, and they were really really good (lame description I know). I was worried at first as Richards was pretty empty and the floor was COMPLETELY empty (what joy for a band that must be...). But within a few songs they managed to pull people out onto the floor, and they played as if they had packed the place. As for the audience, a few needed ball-gags to stop them talking. (Which makes me think of a news piece I just saw about "silent" live gigs where all the audience members wear headphones to listen to the band, and take them off when they want to talk. Maybe not such a crazy idea.)

Then Elliott Brood. Who knew that a 3 piece banjo (oh I *heart* banjo) playing band could produce such a wild, dense wall of sound. Incredible energy - my videos don't do it justice. My videos are also all really dark as the main source of light seemed to be the xmas lights on the stage. And the audience was a frothing, happy, bouncing floor of joy. Towards the end of the night the band handed out noise makers to the audience - tin pie plates, wooden spoons, plastic tambourines - and they were participating with unfettered (though not always on-beat) enthusiasm.

I think the wooden spoons gave the security guy on the side of the stage a bit of a heart attack - not sure what he was so worried about, but all night he was like a guard dog on alert. I will give him props though - before the encore a couple of audience members took the set lists, which made mr. security hop on to the stage and take them back (the gig was after all not over). At the very end of the set, mr. security hopped back on stage and handed the set lists back down to the fans. Nicely done - decent security guys have to be acknowledged, as they are a dying breed.

So - the life lesson of the night? There is nothing better than going into something without any real expectations and having your socks blown off. That, and if Elliott Brood comes around again, I will bring my own wooden spoon.